What To Expect At A Women's Coding Bootcamp

Category: Learn To Code, Published: 6/30/2022

Coding bootcamps are alternative schools that increase access to tech solutions by offering lower tuition costs, shorter classes, and hands-on learning programs. They offer in-demand skills prospective employers are looking for and include individualized mentorship that a college experience may not provide. As a result, bootcamps are a very effective way to prepare for the current job market. A Course Report survey indicates that bootcamp learners are more likely to get full-time employment and salary increases after completion.

As the technology industry expands, programming and coding skills increase in demand. However, this area remains to be largely dominated by men. The number of women with science majors has declined since the 1980s from 37% to 18% in 2015. To add to the concern, only 28% of the science, technology, engineering, and math workforce are women. This is even though women make most buying decisions and have many apps and products targeted at them.

Are There Coding Bootcamps For Women?

There is a misconception that bootcamps are not for everyone, and they underdeliver. This is, however, not true. Depending on the curriculum, they stack up well with traditional university programs. Consider this, a university computer science program takes four years and costs about $163,140, while a bootcamp takes around 14 weeks and costs an average of $11,874. So, in a bootcamp, you not only learn how to code within a shorter time, but you also spend less. Another advantage of bootcamps is that they usually take smaller class sizes, allowing for a more personalized approach.

To bridge the disparity between men and women in STEM, there are bootcamp programs designed for just women. They eliminate the bias that girls and women cannot excel in math and sciences and promote their confidence to tackle jobs in the tech industry. The idea is to allow women and girls a fairground and not underestimate their math and science abilities like it has been long happening.

In addition, since women form a significant percentage of the customer and user base, it makes sense to get them involved in technology and allow them to give their perspectives on products and solutions. New and meaningful innovations will be made by having women participate in the design process. And since very few women are already doing this, coding bootcamps for women are, in a way creating inspiration for women to try something new. The approach in teaching women only also tries to shed light on how coding could fit in their everyday lives, which motivates them to want to excel in the program.

Women's Coding Bootcamp Curriculum

A coding bootcamp will take you through intense weeks of practical and project-based training. Most curriculums are offered online or in-person and part-time or full-time. The programs may focus on specific job sectors and mostly on full-stack development, data science, UX/UI (User Experience), and software engineering. You will also learn essential programming languages like JavaScript, SQL, and python, alongside modules on industry software and tools trends. Unlike traditional courses, skilled instructors do bootcamps in highly structured environments. As a result, they can take in applicants with little to no coding experience. To test your skills, you will take bootcamp prep courses that aim to fill any knowledge gaps you have.

Coding bootcamps for women have a similar curriculum to ordinary coding programs; the only difference is that they are designed to teach women. The subjects covered will depend on the curriculum you are taking and who provides it.

Sabio offers a 7-phase full-stack program coding bootcamp. The program equips students with the necessary skills to develop cloud-based software and applications. We offer it through online video conferencing and residential training for students enrolled at the physical campuses. For assessment, we focus on the quality of projects and presentations and conduct one-on-one interviews. Here is a brief breakdown of what you can expect when you join our coding bootcamps.

Phase One – You will get all your questions about coding bootcamps answered in this session. Get to know how the bootcamp works, job placement after completion, financing, and why you should enroll in our coding program.
Phase Two is where the work begins, and we call it cohorts. You will learn how to work as a team in a professional setting. It covers several weeks of pure coding where you are taught how to develop, think and create like a professional. Besides the technical aspect, we also teach you soft skills that will prepare you for the job market. Sabio uses a personalized and collaborative approach in its coding camps. Additionally, you will be required to tackle some team projects during this phase that will serve as the foundation of your portfolio.

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Phase Three – It does not end with you learning how to code. After covering all the necessary subjects, we give you access to our career team to help you find your desired job.
Phase Four – We run a quarterly hackathon event inviting our students to compete and network. It is a chance for you to add to your skills, win some money, and at the same time interact with other members of the Sabio community.
Phase Five – You finally get to celebrate the milestones you have reached. We hold a graduation ceremony to award your efforts.
Phase Six – Even after graduating, we commit to providing you with professional development for as long as you need it through monthly workshops and lectures. We occasionally invite engineers and speakers from reputable companies to these sessions.
Phase Seven – If you need to start a business, Sabio still stands by you. We help connect you to industry experts and equip you with the professional skill-sets needed to launch your tech business.

How to Prepare For Women's Coding Bootcamp

Joining a bootcamp is one of the best ways to fast-track your career. However, not every bootcamp will help you reach your goals. Here are some ways you can prepare for a women's coding bootcamp;

Choose the Right One

Even when teaching the same subject, different coding camps provide extremely different student experiences. Begin by identifying your objectives then narrow it down to the bootcamp that seems to align with the best. Consider things like do you want to do it online or offline? Are you available part-time or full-time? Should the instructors be women?

To identify a suitable coding bootcamp for women, do your research and ask around for reviews or recommendations.

Build a Foundation

Bootcamps are short, meaning every minute you spend in one matters. Before joining a program, consider learning some basic coding concepts on your own. This way, by the time you join, you already have an idea of what you are about to tackle. You can use free courses as your resource for setting a foundation for coding bootcamps.

Be Prepared for Change

Bootcamps are very intense and can easily overwhelm you. Before enrolling in one, take a mental note that the coming few weeks will be a big transition. If you have a family, consider making arrangements on how they can help to lighten the burden for you so that you can concentrate on your classes. Learning how to code may be a lot of work, but with your ultimate goal in mind, you will find the motivation to sail through.

Start to Create Your Brand

Your web presence matters as a coder. As you start your journey to become a coder, remember to clean your web profiles to represent the professional you hope to be. This includes rebranding your social media pages or any blogs you run to represent the new professional you will become.

Put in the Work

Although many bootcamps promise to help you secure a job, they will not place you just because you took their programs. So give the bootcamp your all and go even what the curriculum requires. Invest heavily in projects and examples of work you can use to build your portfolio and show it to prospective employers. Even when your goal is to start your tech business, you must constantly work on your skills to show determination and commitment.

Scholarships for Women in Tech

Are you passionate about technology but cannot afford to enroll in any program? Sabio offers women in tech scholarships to help you enroll in their bootcamp programs. The scholarship is for any woman looking to transition to a career in technology and become a software engineer or technology entrepreneur. This effort supports and encourages more women to take up roles in computer programming.

Key Takeaways

Bootcamps do not have accreditation like universities and colleges; it is therefore up to you to do due diligence to ensure they are legitimate. The upside to them is that they can take you in with zero skills and work to develop you with a specially curated curriculum. Only consider them if you are willing to put in the effort since it only equips you and what you do with the knowledge is entirely up to you. If you are someone that wants to build a portfolio, then a coding bootcamp is great. However, if you want a certification to prove how good you are, you are better off in a college or university.