In a recent article for the Wall Street Journal, Lauren Weber (@laurenweberWSJ) writes that although online program badges and boot camp certificates can show an eagerness to learn, that employers are ultimately unimpressed with such credentials when hiring…at least for now. And while that may be true with other bootcamps, when it comes to Hack Reactor, we have to disagree
Weber says that managers don’t pay much attention to online-based or bootcamp achievements largely because they don’t trust the many websites and bootcamps which are causing a chaotic environment with a wide variety of curricula with different goals instead of one clear, uniform industry standard. She offers two solutions to this perceived issue–create more uniform industry standards, or have more employers test applicants’ skills before hiring them. This may be an issue facing other sites and bootcamps, but we haven’t experienced it. We’ve become a trusted source of professional, skilled, and independent software engineers for a wide range of employers. All of this without badges or certificates.
Hack Reactor grads leave with the skills to succeed as software engineers..
The article successfully argues for the idea that without broad standards, certificates don’t mean much to potential employers:
“‘This market is basically chaos,’ said Anthony Carnevale, director of Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce. ‘With these credentials, there’s no one body setting a standard.'”
At Hack Reactor, however, we already know the standards employers are looking for and have integrated them into our curriculum, giving employers much more than affirmation of our students’ drive to learn. We focus on making sure our students leave with the skills employers need; skills that lead to a 99% hiring rate and an average $105,000 salary.
We agree that the industry would benefit from more uniform standards when it comes to nontraditional education as there are so many choices available. However, we offer our students a clear path, through all the clutter, to success.
Hack Reactor doesn’t give our students certificates or badges for completing our intensive, three month course. Instead we equip our students with the know-how to let their work speak for itself. This has led employers ranging from innovative startups to some of the most well known companies in the world to hire our grads. They recognize what our program offers and trust Hack Reactor grads to get the job done.
Want a rewarding career in computer programming? Apply to our program today.
Read More:
HR Alumni to Potential Student: “Hack Reactor is Worth Every Penny”
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