Updates to our Beginner Coding Bootcamp (Course Report Q&A)

Studying in a Beginner Coding Bootcamp.

In a recent interview with Course Report, two Hack Reactor leaders discussed recent updates to our Beginner Coding Bootcamp.

Hear from Nicole Amonette (Software Engineering Program Lead) and Daniel Billotte (Director of Curriculum & Classroom Infrastructure) as they discuss the updates, how our curriculum prepares graduates for the current job market, our career services, and much more. Below, we’ve included some highlights from the conversation.

How our curriculum prepares graduates for the job market

Ultimately, coding bootcamp students want to feel confident that what they’re learning will prepare them for jobs in the tech sector. At Hack Reactor, all instructors and curriculum developers are software engineers and many are still active in the industry. They track current technologies and trends and get feedback from the industry to ensure an up-to-date curriculum for each cohort.

In our Beginner program, students become full-stack engineers in 16 weeks through a curriculum that includes algorithms, data structures, networking, and databases. They’ll learn Python and JavaScript, the two most in-demand programming languages, plus state-of-the-art AI tools like GitHub Copilot, which helps students position themselves to compete in an evolving job market.

During the interview, Daniel emphasized that graduates of our Beginner program are trained and well-prepared for entry-level software engineering jobs through this curriculum, projects and portfolio development, and career services. The career services portion of the curriculum is weaved throughout the entire program, culminating in a period of intense job preparation.

“At the end of the program, we wrap up with an intensive career services session where our career services managers guide students through searching for and applying for jobs, conducting mock interviews, and networking,” said Nicole.

Students then receive 180 days of support after graduation from their career coach, including 1:1 guidance, help with salary negotiation, and more.

What it takes to be successful in our Beginner Coding Bootcamp

Course Report asked if there’s such a thing as an “ideal student” for a coding bootcamp. Nicole emphasized that no, there’s no such person, especially for this program, which is open to people with zero technical experience. Our graduates come from a wide variety of life experiences and areas of work or study. What many of them have in common, however, is a sense of purpose and focus, including clear goals for their time in the program. This is far more important than prior technical experience, Nicole noted.

“Most successful students have a strong growth mindset, grit, a lot of curiosity, and a willingness to ask questions,” she said.

Daniel added that “[Students] only need skills in basic computer literacy and arithmetic. No work needs to be done before the course starts.”

What to expect from the program

Learning takes time, and Nicole emphasized that students in the program should expect a full-time commitment, including five to ten hours of study every week outside of class time. But it’s important to note that students won’t be doing this alone. According to Nicole, program instructors make “sure students know that we’re there to support them, and help them to build their portfolio, skill sets, and ability to conduct technical and behavioral interviews.”

Students also work together on hands-on projects that prepare them for professional coding. From start to finish, “instructors encourage them to get creative because that’s the portfolio project they will want to promote to prospective employers,” said Daniel.

This includes learning how (and how not to) use AI. Our beginner curriculum teaches students to use the popular AI tool GitHub Copilot with their capstone projects.

“We put a lot of energy into helping students understand how to use AI tools and how not to use them during the education process. We distinguish the difference between using AI on the job and relying on AI to do the work for you while you’re still learning,” said Daniel.

Finally, Nicole added that one of the most important aspects of having success in the program is not being afraid to fail. Mistakes are bound to happen, but as long as you keep working on your knowledge and skills, you’ll get there, with our support.

For much more, read the entire discussion on Course Report.

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