This write-up is the second part in our two-piece series on coding bootcamps in the RTP area. Part 1 of this series will bring you up to speed on some of the options bootcamps can offer while discussing the monetary and time commitments they require. Picking up from where our last article left us, we are very pleased to present a hand curated list of some of the best coding bootcamps in the Triangle region of North Carolina. We spoke directly with the founders, organizers, or CEO’s of many of these bootcamps to not only ensure factual accuracy, but to emphasize the importance of supporting and spotlighting small businesses in the area.
Founded in 2015, Code the Dream is a national nonprofit based in the Triangle with offices in the Frontier RTP and The American Underground in Durham. Code the Dream was established specifically to serve underrepresented communities in the tech industry, including immigrants, people of color, women, and low-income individuals. All courses provided by Code the Dream are free, and they accept applications from anyone over the age of 18. They teach students of all skill levels, even those with no previous experience at all.
Code the Dream currently offers three different part-time 8-month bootcamps per year including Intro to Programming, Ruby on Rails, and React.js. Upon graduating from their programs, students then have the opportunity to become full-time paid apprentices working alongside experienced mentors to build apps and technology platforms for a range of businesses, nonprofits, and government partners.
To get a better sense of Code the Dream’s mission and how they operate, we reached out for a statement from co-founder and executive director Dan Rearick:
“At Code the Dream, we know that more diversity in tech is essential to a more inclusive economy, and to the innovation we need to build a better world for all of us. Over 80% of CTD apprentices are people of color, and approximately 40% are women. Code the Dream has a unique model. Our students receive free, high-level training and mentorship; and we are proud that over 85% of apprentices go on to careers in tech. The majority take on roles as software developers with starting annual salaries between $60,000 - $90,000+.
Code the Dream students also have the chance to work in CTD Labs, our in-house software development shop. CTD Labs focuses on public interest technology and on giving our apprentices real-world work experience creating web and mobile apps for partners ranging from minority-owned family businesses to large universities.
Among many other projects, our CTD Labs staff and apprentices are proud to have responded to the pandemic by creating an app that has assisted — and continues to assist — in vaccine outreach to migrant farmworker communities, a website that helped 17,000 volunteers distribute over 700,000 facemasks, and an app that helped volunteers deliver 300,000 meals to children affected by school closures during the pandemic.”
Price: Completely free.
Duration: 8 months, part-time, online and in-person.
Offers Job Assistance: Yes.
Learn More: https://codethedream.org/
Established in 2017, Momentum Learning is based out of Durham and offers two bootcamp options. There is a 16 week full-time software engineering immersive course as well as a 24 week part-time course for career changers. Momentum’s bootcamps begin every eight weeks and are held virtually with live, instructor-led lectures and coding demos. They offer personalized learning plans, mentorships, long-term community support, career expert consultations, job placement assistance, negotiation support, behavioral and technical interview training, and more.
The full-time bootcamp includes 8 weeks of technical lecture-style content with real-world projects, followed by 4 weeks of focused specialization content while continuing work on real-world projects, followed by a 4 week capstone project. Guest lectures and local field trips are also included, as available. Due to the ongoing pandemic situation Momentum Learning has shifted to an online-only training model, but plans on returning to a hybrid (online and in-person) model when it is safe to do so.
With more than a combined 35+ years of professional software development experience, teaching staff at Momentum help students build well-rounded portfolios while working individually, in pairs, and as a team. Whether enrolling in the part-time or intensive program, students will graduate with full stack development fundamentals and receive extensive training for the skills needed by the most in-demand jobs.
We reached out to Momentum with a few questions to get a better feel for their courses:
"Our mission is to connect with people pursuing the craft and lifelong adventure of technology and help equip them with the skills they need to both get started and progress throughout their careers. Our hope is that those we journey with are energized to make a difference through their work.
We believe that passionate, talented people who love what they do will create and sustain great families, jobs, companies, and solutions to the world’s problems. It’s been said that the sum of all parts can be greater than the whole. We couldn’t agree more. Momentum is made up of a team of instructors, developers, designers, marketers, entrepreneurs, partners, board members and hiring partners, all of whom are passionate about waking up each day and accomplishing our mission.
Our core value is a fundamental belief in people. No matter where you are in your learning journey, we are here to help you move forward and reach your goals."
"Momentum accepts students of all experience levels and of all backgrounds, however our target audience is adults who feel stuck in the wrong career (career changers). These individuals are typically looking to make a change that will result in a better work-life balance and a healthy salary."
"Momentum has a large alumni network, with graduates working at IBM, Red Hat, Accenture, and more. This wide range of companies means our students have access to an understanding of interview processes, mentors, and people that will support you throughout the program and beyond. By enrolling in a Momentum bootcamp, you have access to the extensive alumni network from the first day of class onward to help with coding assignments, share job opportunities, and offer insight on companies before interviews.
Our 2021 Student Outcomes Report shows:
Price: $17,500 for the full-time course (four payments of $4,375), or $12,500 for the part-time course.
Financial Aid: Momentum has agreements with Climb Credit and Ascent to offer loans to its students, however they receive no benefit if a student chooses either as their lender. Momentum does not currently participate in state or federal loan programs. Momentum also offers $1,000 scholarships.
Duration: Momentum offers two courses: a16 week, full-time, immersive program; and a 24 week, flexible, part-time program.
Students Will Learn: UX, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, Django, APIs, React, SQL, Code Reviews, Agile Planning, and more.
Offers Job Placement Assistance: Momentum offers a career services program for all graduates. Career services director Katie Dunn works with graduates throughout the job search process by identifying job openings, providing resume and cover letter help, and offering personalized guidance.
Learn More: https://www.momentumlearn.com/
Based out of Durham and founded in January of this year, Parsity is the offspring of former in-person coding school Project Shift. Spurred by the ongoing pandemic, Parsity was created as a way to offer Project Shift’s same great technical education and job outcomes in a virtual format and at a significantly cheaper price point.
Parsity offers two online bootcamp options for software engineering. They have a 3-month full-time intensive bootcamp and a 6-month part-time camp intended for students and working professionals. Both of their programs are module-based, teach a full stack JavaScript curriculum, offer 1-on-1 mentoring, feature built-in networking, and offer a complete career development track. Students must pass a code challenge to be accepted into the bootcamp, but Parsity offers a 5-week prep course designed to bring complete beginners up to speed on everything they need to know in order to pass the admissions code challenge.
Parsity places particular importance on not just teaching students the essentials of full stack development, but also how to think and learn as a career software engineer. Over the last several years, roughly half of all graduates from the program are employed using languages or frameworks Parsity doesn’t even teach. It just goes to show that Parsity produces capable and adaptable software engineers, not just someone proficient in JavaScript.
On top of the rigorous technical curriculum, students will participate in a career development program to prepare them for the job hunt after graduation, where they will shift into 6 months of ongoing one-on-one career coaching.
We reached out and spoke with founder and CEO Aaron Hayslip for comment:
"Our mission is really to help people get ‘unstuck’. That’s kind of the center of what I believe my mission is in my life. To help people get ‘unstuck’ and realize that they have value. They have intrinsic value, there is hope for their lives. They aren't stuck in the career or job they are currently in, whether they be underemployed, underpaid, or dissatisfied."
"I really believe that it’s impossible to go from “I’ve never done anything, any coding before” directly to software engineer. I believe there are a ton of schools that are pseudo-scammy because they take complete beginners. So we do a lot of work to help prepare students to pass a code challenge. You must pass the code challenge before we accept you into our program, which means you need to know how to program already. We have a prep course to really help you get there if you’ve got no experience coming in (to our program).
We’re really trying to make sure you get a job quickly, and so it's going to be a much more advanced program than what you’d normally find out there because again, we ensure you’re prepared before the program starts. We always end up rejecting people. We did this time around and we will probably continue to do that. Not based off of them not being good enough, but because we really want them to be successful. So sometimes we have to say “Hey, not right now; you’ll need to come back later.”
"One, we’re small. We’re a small community. Even though we’re online and somewhat dispersed, we’re super small. Two, we offer one-on-one mentors. So, you’re going to meet with a real software engineer who works at a real company, who sort of for a living mentors juniors. If you’re in the full-time program, you’re going to meet with them twice a week, one-on-one via live video. Once per week if you’re in the part-time program. And then we offer six months of one-on-one career coaching after you graduate.
Parsity has just graduated our first cohort of students this June, and several of them already have gotten jobs, which is awesome. Several of them got multiple offers. So far our average is right about $66k for their first jobs.
Project Shift had really great statistics. We reported with an organization called the Council on Integrity and Results Reporting (CIRR). We will continue to do that with Parsity; and as far as I know, we are the only members of the organization inside the state of North Carolina. And for the longest time, and I think we’re still that way, we’re the only organization that transparently reports all of our statistics."
Price: $7,900 for both programs, with a $1,000 rebate for early enrollment.
Financial Aid: Parsity is partnered with Ascent to provide payment plans, deferrals, and loans.
Duration: Parsity offers two remote courses: 3 month full-time or 6 month part-time.
Students Will Learn: Full-stack JavaScript including HTML, CSS, NodeJS, SQL, NoSQL, React/Redux, APIs, algorithms and more.
Offers Job Placement Assistance: Yes, 11 different career development modules including 1-on-1 coaching sessions.
Learn More: https://parsity.io/
The Craftsmanship Academy is a full-time, immersive, 6+ month bootcamp based out of Holly Springs, roughly 25 minutes from downtown Raleigh. Unlike other introductory bootcamps aimed at teaching students with no experience, the Craftsmanship Academy is extremely selective. No more than five applicants are accepted into the program per year. To even be considered you must have some basic programming experience on small projects as well as either a degree in a software-related field OR have completed some kind of intensive coding bootcamp already. The Craftsmanship Academy is the perfect option for those with some coding experience, or those who already work in the industry, to take their career to the next level. The academy operates out of a dedicated collaborative studio space within RoleModel Software’s headquarters. Students are immersed in a real software studio’s working environment while they learn full stack development working side by side with a software craftsman as an apprentice. This bootcamp focuses less on granting certificates, and more on putting students into a direct pipeline for a long-term career at RoleModel Software or other networked and affiliated software development companies.
Test-driven development of object-oriented programming alone and in pairs. Web application development using Ruby, Sinatra, Rails, HTML (ERB/SLIM), SASS (CSS), JavaScript (ES6+, React), SQL (relational databases) and no-SQL storage. Mobile first and responsive design for the web. Data structures, design patterns, techniques and tools. Agile software development.
Price: $20,000Financial Aid: Yes. ISA is available, as well as scholarships for extremely promising candidates. Duration: 6+ months, full-time, in-person. Offers Job Placement Assistance: Yes. A pipeline directly into RoleModel Software or an affiliate company upon successful completion. Housing Assistance: Available on a case-by-case basis.Learn More: https://www.craftsmanshipacademy.com/about/academy.html
General Assembly offers a large number of short and long-term programs in web and mobile development, product management, data science and analysis, digital marketing, and more. They offer bootcamps both online and in-person across 15 campuses on 4 continents. GA focuses on closing the skills gap and providing access to unique opportunities across the tech industries. You can find courses that range from full-time immersive programs intended to kickstart careers, to part-time courses meant to enhance and improve career trajectories, to short form 1-2 day workshops and evening/weekend classes.
General Assembly provides career coaches that work with students every step of the way to create their career path, improve technical interview skills, and establish a personal brand. Upon graduation, tap into GA-hosted hiring events and network with vetted hiring managers.
Price: $15,950 for the 12 week full-time Software Engineering Immersive Program. $3,950 for the 10 week part-time Front-End Web Development Program. Prices for other courses vary.
Duration: Ranges from a single day to 12 weeks. Part-time and full-time options. Online and in-person options.
Offers Job Placement Assistance: Yes, a whole suite of career support services.
Learn More: https://generalassemb.ly/locations/raleigh
Thinkful is designed around providing every adult learner a pathway to a successful and rewarding career in the tech industry. They offer a variety of bootcamps with both part-time and full-time options including full stack software engineering, data science, data analytics, UX/UI design, digital marketing, and technical project management. All of their programs include a custom-built curriculum, one-on-one meetings with a personal mentor, and Q&A sessions with leading industry professionals.
Beyond learning the most in-demand industry skills and receiving personal mentorship, students receive career support from day one. All students who successfully complete a Thinkful bootcamp continue to receive personalized support from a dedicated career coach for up to six months after graduation, or until they are hired. Each successful graduate will leave their Thinkful bootcamp with a professional portfolio, technical interview experience, and all the tools needed to navigate the challenging and ever-changing job market. Once accepted, you will tap into a network of over 3,000+ students and teachers for easy collaboration, on-demand help, and straightforward professional networking.
Price: $16,000 for the full-time bootcamp. $7,900 for the part-time bootcamp.
Financial Aid: Monthly payment plans, deferred tuition, deferred tuition + living expenses stipend, and traditional loan options.
Duration: Thinkful offers two options: 5 month, online, full-time, 50 hours per week or 6 month, online, part-time, 20-30 hours per week.
Offers Job Placement Assistance: Yes, a whole suite of career support services including a personal mentor for one-on-one coaching.
Learn More: https://www.thinkful.com/bootcamp/raleigh-coding-bootcamp/
Opened in 2013 and operating out of the Raleigh Founded coworking space, Tech Talent South offers both full and part-time programs to give students a solid foundation in full stack web development. Students will graduate with a strong grasp in Java, SpringBoot, Domain Modeling, HTTP and "RESTful" Design, HTML/CSS, JavaScript and AJAX, and understanding APIs. Tech Talent South’s 8 week courses are perfect for anyone seeking a change in career, starting their own business, or wanting to make a positive impact on the world through technology.
Price: DevOps and Continuous Integration: $13,500. Full-time Code Immersion: $6,750. iOS Development: $3,250.
Duration: DevOps and Continuous Integration: 12 weeks, full time. Full-time Code Immersion: 8 weeks. iOS Development: 5 weeks.
Offers Job Placement Assistance: Upon successfully graduating you will “be given the chance to engage in our corporate pipelines to discuss career opportunities.”
Learn More: https://www.techtalentsouth.com/locations/raleigh
The Coding Bootcamp at UNC Chapel Hill offers a 24 week, fully-online, part-time web development bootcamp. They teach a full stack curriculum including HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, jQuery, Bootstrap, Express.js, React.js, databases, MongoDB, Node.js, MySQL, Command Line, Git, and more. The course is project-based and offers real-world experience while simultaneously building a professional portfolio. Tuition includes career support services such as portfolio reviews, job matching, soft skills training, resume and social media profile support, and technical interview preparation. Students receive a Professional Certificate upon completion of the program, backed by the UNC Chapel Hill name.
No prior coding experience is required to enroll, and the program isn’t limited to UNC Chapel Hill students. Anyone can join, all that’s needed is a desire to learn and the completion of a pre-course tutorial to get you prepared. The UNC Chapel Hill Bootcamp is designed to progress at a pace that fits into the schedules of working professionals and students, with 10 hours of lecture time and roughly 20 hours of coursework each week. Classes are held Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday from 6:30-9:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Price: $11,995
Financial Aid: UNC Chapel Hill Alumni are eligible for a $500 discount. Early registration pricing and payment plans are also available.
Duration: 24 weeks, part-time, online.
Offers Job Placement Assistance: Yes, they offer an entire suite of career support services.
Learn More: https://bootcamp.unc.edu/coding/
Duke University has released its own Coursera course pack called ‘Programming Foundations with JavaScript, HTML and CSS’. Like most Coursera programs, enrollment is free but if you want a certificate proving you successfully completed it, you’ll have to pay a nominal fee. While not actually a bootcamp per se, Duke’s Coursera program teaches the essential, foundational programming concepts as well as how to think and solve problems like a programmer.
It’s probably one of the better options if you absolutely want to go with streamlined, remote, self-paced learning and you are unsure if coding is truly the direction you want to take your career. Coursera is a great way to test the waters and see if you find programming and web development an interesting, viable, and sustainable profession. Best of all, this course pack is but the first of five in a progressive series titled “Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals Specialization”; so if you find coding to your liking, you can easily continue to build upon what you learned as you work your way towards mastering web development.
Throughout the course, students will learn basic web development through building web pages via HTML, CSS, and Javascript. Upon completion of the course, you will have built your own webpage where others can upload images and apply various image filters you have created.
In total, the program only takes approximately 33 hours to complete, is an introductory course aimed at complete beginners to coding, is fully online and self-paced, has flexible deadlines, is available in multiple languages, and even has aid options if you are in a tight spot financially.
The Coursera page states that after successfully completing the program, graduates will be able to:
Price: Free without certificate. Typically no more than $100 for the certificate.
Financial Aid: Available for certificates through an application process.
Duration: 33 hours of lecture plus coursework
Offers Job Placement Assistance: No.
Learn More: Duke University’s Programming Foundations with JavaScript, HTML and CSS
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