The Bootcamp Resource Center

Ask A Bootcamp Leader: Will Shandling of Designation

Will Shandling of the Chicago-based Designation opens up about the unique offer of a design-oriented bootcamp.

While many emerging schools and bootcamps have begun to develop strong programs around web development, fewer have set out to make digital design the center of their curricula. DESIGNATION, a Chicago-based bootcamp, is one of the first organizations to offer an immersive "Full-Stack Design" ...

Jonathan Lau

Your Video Primer to Choosing A Coding Bootcamp

An interview with Switchup.org CEO Jonathan Lau on finding the right coding bootcamp.

Today's opportunities are ripe and the offerings diverse for a coding education, but choice can be overwhelming. Switchup.org CEO Jonathan Lau recently spoke to Marlon Marescia of SSW FireBootCamp about his own experience attending a bootcamp in Boston, tips for choosing the bootcamp that's ...

Michael Suen

How to Prepare For Career Change

Switching careers can be a daunting task. Here are a few concrete strategies for tackling the transition.

We’ve received more than a few messages that go something like this: “I'm currently a graphic designer and would like to add some skills and training to get a better job. I'm not sure where to start.” “I have so many ideas and am excited by all these possibilities, but at the end of the day I ...

Michael Suen

Ask An Entrepreneur: Hao Chen of Apitronics

The Director of Web Services at Apitronics reflects on his entrepreneurial journey into agriculture and offers invaluable startup advice.

We've interviewed both students and founders of immersive programs, and will continue to do so. Today, however, our focus lies in life after school with the debut of our new feature, Ask An Entrepreneur, where we interview technologists willing to take a chance on new ideas. Unfortunately, many ...

Jonathan Lau

The Top Programming Languages of 2014

IEEE Spectrum ranks programming languages by popularity, employer demand, and more.

"What programming language should I learn first?" That's one of the most common questions we hear from new students, though the right answer may be more difficult than you think. Programmers may offer any number of opinions: C may be a machine-level language that will teach you how to code ...

Michael Suen

Ask A Graduate: Joanne of Bloc, Maker Square, and Refactor U

A three-time alum of coding programs reflects on her learning experiences.

In the few weeks since the launch of Switch’s beta, we’ve spoken to many aspiring developers and designers about their goals, motivations, and concerns when it comes to their coding education. In these conversations, we’ve found that while interest in immersive bootcamps and online courses has ...

Joanne

10 Things You Need to Know Before Applying To A Programming Bootcamp

Advice for prospective students from our co-founder Jonathan, a former bootcamp student at Launch Academy.

1. No, it’s not a scam. Please allow me to end all the confusion once and for all. Yes, it’s possible to become a junior software developer after just 12 weeks of training. Not saying it’s easy. Not saying you don’t need to put in tons of work. 2. Not all bootcamps are created equal Culture, ...

Jonathan Lau

Interview: Michael Kaiser-Nyman of Epicodus

Epicodus founder Michael Kaiser-Nyman talks about the unique experiments he's running to distinguish his bootcamp.

We spoke with Michael Kaiser-Nyman, founder of Epicodus. 1) What motivated you to start a bootcamp? I started Epicodus to help people get jobs, and to help companies hire great developers. I had the idea for Epicodus a couple years ago after starting a software company and discovering that ...

Jonathan Lau

How I Left A Four-Year Career In Finance And Became A Software Engineer In Five Months

Hackbright Academy alum Gulnara Mirzakarimova charts her journey from banker to engineer.

Gulnara currently works at Jibe as a software engineer. She attended Hackbright Academy in the spring of 2013. Prior to Hackbright, she spent four years working at a bank on the commercial credit side. She is actively growing the Washington DC Nightowls group, the District’s after hours ...

Gulnara Mirzakarimova

Interview-Eric Wise of Software Craftsmanship Guild

Interview-Eric Wise of Software Craftsmanship Guild Software Craftsmanships Guild founder opens up about learning to code Despite the call to meet a nationwide demand for software engineers, companies continue to struggle to find the right talent! Eric Wise, founder of the Software Craftsmanship ...

SwitchUp Team