Tech growth shows no sign of stopping and the demand for web developers continues to rise. By 2024, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 27 percent employment growth with 39,500 new jobs, in addition to the 148,500 existing open positions currently in the U.S.
Austin has nearly 1,000 job postings for web developers right now, and with the constant burst of new companies, as well as industry leaders relocating here, more positions are bound to open.
For those considering a career pivot into the coding world, we gathered four tips from The Iron Yard's head of communications Leila King, and then broke down each program.
Goals and learning styles
What is your reason for considering a code school? Are you simply trying to brush up on programming skills as a hobby, or are you committed to launching a new career? The answers to those questions will help you as you navigate the Austin code school landscape.
Who will your instructors be
There are very different types of instructors for very different types of courses available. There are some talented developers who teach classes on an adjunct or part-time basis, and there are also incredible educators who have spent their entire careers researching, analyzing and writing about computer science in an educational setting. Any of these types of instructors can be awesome — it depends on what you want out of the experience. Hundreds of our graduates have told us that learning to code in an immersive context caused a complete shift in thinking, and that building a strong foundation and “learning how to learn” (in and out of the classroom) are some of the most important outcomes they experienced.
Scope career support
If the skills you learn in the class are rocket fuel, a strong career support program is the launchpad from which you can be propelled into a new career. As you research schools, find out what career support really means to them. At The Iron Yard, we tailor career support for each student, including mock interviews with actual local employers to individual portfolio review and ongoing, career-long guidance from our staff. Through these relationships, our graduates have a direct line of sight into the tech community in Austin.
Ask the questions
Is a longer program better? Does a cheaper program give me the same results for less money? Why are some programs “full-stack” and others aren’t? Does that matter?
The very best way to get a feel for what code school is right for you is to talk through your questions in-person. Attend an event or schedule a chat. That way, you can really get a feel for which school is the best fit for you.
Location: 3601 South Congress Avenue, 78704
Length of program: 12-week Immersive
Tuition: $13,900
Remote or In Person: In Person
Languages:
Front-end JavaScript and MVC Frameworks
Back-end: C# and .NET; Java; Python and Django; Ruby
Design: User-interface Design
Mobile Engineering: Swift, Objective-C, and iOS SDK
Hiring Partners:
Able
IBMDesign
Robots and Pencils
Funsize
Chaotic Moon Studios
Microsoft
Clarify
Location: WeWork, 600 Congress Ave, 78701
Length of program: 12-week Immersive
Tuition: $13,500
Remote or In Person: Both available
Languages:
Android Development (full time, in person): Java, Android SDK & Google Play™ Services
iOS Development (full time, in person): Swift, Xcode, and Interface Builder; Mobile Design and Apple's Human Interface Guidelines; APIs, Networking & Performance Management
Web Development Immersive (full time, in person or online)
Javascript Development (in person, part time)
Front end web development (in person, part time)
HTML, CSS and Web Design Circuit (online, part time)
Javascript Circuit (online, part time)
Career Services: Job preparation that includes building a resume with coaching support, plus training in how to present your code and discuss open source contributions. Onsite visits to development teams at local companies, plus global networking opportunities
Location: 8501 N Mopac Expy #100, 78757
Length of program: 12-week Immersive
Tuition: $10,000
Remote or In Person: Both available
Courses: Web Development 100 (full time) HTML & CSS, JavaScript
Ruby on Rails, AngularJS, PostgreSQL
Front End 101 (part time)
User Interface and User Experience Design 101 (part time)
Hiring Partners:
Xxaxis
Uncubed
Location: 118 Nueces Street
Length of program: 24-week Immersive
Tuition: $21,000
Remote or In Person: In person
Languages: HTML
CSS & JavaScript;
Node, Express & SQL
Angular; Algorithms
Career Services: All Galvanize locations have a Career Services Manager and a Partnerships Relations Manager dedicated to preparing students to network and interview with hiring companies both regionally and nationally.
Location: 1705 Guadalupe St., 78701
Length of program: 19-week Immersive
Tuition: $12,700
Remote or In Person: Both available
Languages:
Ruby
JavaScript
Rails
SQL
HTML
CSS
Career Services: All graduates gain access to Dev Bootcamp's networking platform called Employ, which connects them to hundreds of hiring companies throughout the country, including Salesforce, Airbnb, Buzzed, IBM, and Indeed. Their curriculum also includes interview training and planning.
Location: Thompson Conference Center at UT Austin
Length of program: 12 weeks and 24 weeks
Tuition: $10,000
Remote or In Person: In person
Languages:
HTML
CSS
JavaScript
jQuery
Node.js
Career Services: Students receive the chance to participate in experiential learning opportunities with employers providing access to new employment paths, plus career coaching, recruitment support, and an engaged network of hiring partners. Hiring partners include: IBM, Indeed, Sandbox, Mutual Mobile, OnePay, Conde Nast, Help.com, Creditcards.com, Notley, and Modernize.
Images provided by Shutterstock and Facebook.
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