Listen, we get it: deciding to take the first step towards becoming a techie, and more specifically, learning to code is a commitment that shouldn’t be taken lightly. After all–it’s a great choice, but you might be wondering exactly how students can become job-ready after just a few months in a bootcamp.
And that’s precisely why we’ve written this article: to explain the wonder of bootcamps, dissect exactly how they work, and share some stories of our incredible alumni to show you that, without a doubt, tech bootcamps are a fantastic way to get into tech.
But before we get to our Ironhackers and all they’ve accomplished, let’s review the concept of bootcamps and cover exactly what makes them so special.
What is a Bootcamp?
Your mind might head right to the military when you hear bootcamp and that’s totally understandable! And while you won’t be expected to make your bed neatly every morning or follow orders from a drill sergeant, tech bootcamps are also quite intensive and seek to prepare you for a completely new challenge. But instead of joining the military, you’ll be joining the marvelous world of tech.
There are lots of ways to learn to code or other general tech skills, but bootcamps have grown in popularity in recent years thanks to the following characteristics:
Bootcamps are affordable: gone are the days of needing to take out a loan to finance your education and because they’re aimed at career changers and those looking to enter the job market immediately, bootcamps are fairly priced. And in case they fall outside of your means, many offer financing options, income share agreements, scholarships, or payment plans to help you make your tech dream a reality.
Bootcamps are flexible: we have a lot going on and committing to a year-long course with strict hours or attendance requirements can mean it’s easy to fall behind or not even sign up in the first place. Bootcamps, however, cater to this specific audience of busy and driven students, offering full-time and part-time options, in addition to remote or in-person courses for those that can’t commit to attending in person.
Bootcamps focus on the good stuff: if you attended university, you probably remember having to take filler classes that had nothing to do with what you wanted to study and left you feeling bored and like you were wasting your time and money. You don’t have to worry about this with bootcamps–they boast expertly-designed curriculum that teaches you what you need to know about the subject to land a job, skipping all the stuff that’s simply not needed.
Bootcamps offer career support: learning to code in a few months is great if you’re doing it for fun, but what if you’re truly set on diving into the world of tech? Bootcamps offer comprehensive and thorough career support from day one, allowing you to focus on your studies while polishing your resume and career skills, ultimately making you job ready after graduation.
Who are bootcamps for?
The easy answer to this is everyone! Our courses are filled with students from practically every background and walk of life. But if you’re looking for a bit more detail, here’s a more comprehensive explanation of who bootcamps are for:
Career changers: our bootcamps are designed for those who feel stuck or stagnant in their current role and want to make a huge transformation, using what they’ve learned from their past experiences and the bootcamp to create a truly unique and valuable candidacy.
Upskillers/reskillers: for those who already have a career in tech but are looking to revamp their CV and offer even more to potential employers, bootcamps serve as a fantastic option.
Those wanting to get a taste of tech: if you aren’t sure if tech is for you or want to explore if you truly love a certain area, bootcamps are a great way to try it out, learn a new skill, and then see where you want to take your career.
No matter where you are in your professional journey, tech bootcamps are a fantastic way to get your feet wet and take that first step towards a career in tech.
Now that you know why bootcamps are so popular and who exactly is taking our courses, let’s cover some stories of our web development alumni and how they’ve used Ironhack’s bootcamps to transform their personal and professional lives.
Our Coding Bootcamp Graduates
We’ve graduated tons of new techies; we offer full and part time courses across the world, with remote options for those who can’t attend in-person. And while we’d like to share everyone’s experiences with you so that you can truly understand what it’s like to be an Ironhacker, that would simply take too long! Therefore, take a look at just a few:
From Economics to Web Development with Ironhack Barcelona
Daniel, an American living in Barcelona, lost his job during the COVID-19 pandemic and decided to look into coding bootcamps to see if he could switch careers. He chose a summer program because it was the first one available and found an incredible support group with his fellow students:
“It was an incredible experience to be a part of a group of people all experiencing the same thing: transitioning from one career into the intimidating world of tech. My colleagues were the best part of the experience. They make the all-nighters not only bearable, but fun and exciting. And we have all kept in touch since the bootcamp, helping each other throughout the job hunt and beyond.”
Following the bootcamp and moving back to the US, Daniel began an apprenticeship at Microsoft and received a full-time offer at a different company soon after.
From Advertising to Web Development with Ironhack Miami
As a recipient of a diversity scholarship, Romina was able to take Ironhack Miami’s Full-Time Web Development Bootcamp and move from a career in advertising/PR to web development, where she was able to transition into a role focusing on inspiring young girls to code through art. Although her aspiration wasn’t to become a developer, Ironhack provided a unique opportunity for her to meet her career goals:
“I’ve always been passionate about building new things using creativity, design and innovation. Having a more clear understanding of how tech skills can open up a world of possibilities for creating new things was a great motivator for me to enroll in the web development course at Ironhack.”
From Academic Interventionist to Software Engineer with Ironhack Miami
Andrew bounced around from job to job before he found Ironhack, but always knew he had an interest in learning how to code and was eager to become a developer himself. After enrolling in Ironhack, he was able to land his dream job as a developer and experience job stability:
“Ironhack gave me skills that fundamentally shifted the trajectory of my future. I have a craft I take great pride in where my growth is limitless. I’m certain there will always be something new to learn in this profession. Not to mention, there are so many specific disciplines within tech to explore.”
Because he found a job immediately after graduation, he was able to take what he learned and put it right into action, fueling his commitment to continuous learning in tech. And today, he’s eager to keep growing and take advantage of the flexibility that the tech sector offers.
From Customer Success Manager to Web Development with Ironhack Amsterdam
Dominik felt like something was missing from his job as a Customer Success Manager and began to teach himself a bit of coding and was immediately hooked and decided to steer his career towards that. Although he thought coding was a one-man job, he learned that it really isn’t:
“There is this idea that coding is mostly done in solitude, which really isn’t the case. It’s very important to know how to work together as a team and communicate well. These were also some of the focal points in my previous job and it helped me a lot to gain traction as a fresh developer.”
He found a job after graduation and has been fueled by the ability to constantly learn new things in tech, pushing flexibility and problem solving to make sure he meets his goals.
We could go on and on–we’ve graduated more than 10,000 students in 10 years and we’d love to share each and every story with you, but it’s time for you to take the next step and become one of these stories yourself.
Check out our Web Development Bootcamp today and let your dream of learning to code and landing a job as a developer in tech become a reality–we can’t wait to see you in class!
