Can you Learn To Code On Your Own?

As an aspiring web developer, you may be wondering if you can learn to code on your own - after all, you’re likely balancing many priorities and perhaps a current career that you’re hesitant to leave.

With the advent of online learning, this may seem like an appealing option. However, many community-based coding bootcamps, such as Nucamp, offer the benefits of learning to code remotely but within a group environment that helps students learn through collaboration and project-based coursework.

Can you learn coding on your own?

The short answer is yes, however, this takes a level of focus and discipline that, outside of a classroom environment, can be a difficult standard to hold yourself to while balancing other priorities. Without the guidance of an instructor and peers, it may be difficult for some aspiring students to stay motivated in a program that is so individualized.

With so many different, and free, online resources, it can also be difficult to know where to get started. Are you aware of what web development jobs you are interested in, and as a result, what coding languages you will need to learn to transition to those roles? Coding bootcamps such as Nucamp offered a tiered course system, with tracks in Web Development Fundamentals for students who want more of an entry-level introduction to coding, as well as Front End Mobile Development and Full Stack Development for students who want a deeper introduction into those respective coding languages. These programs have clearly defined descriptions that help you understand where to start your coding journey.

As you might expect with any course, students are bound to have questions - and run into tough coding challenges that are difficult to solve if you’re going at it alone. In a community coding bootcamp like Nucamp, students have virtual access to their course instructor and peers along with a weekly in-person workshop to collaborate and solve problems together.

Learning to code remotely

One reason you’re considering learning to code on your own might be because it is a remote option that you can do on your own time. But many coding bootcamps offer this same benefit! Nucamp coursework is done primarily remotely, with weekly in-person workshops for instructors and students to meet together and discuss coursework and projects. Most coding bootcamps are located in large cities, however, Nucamp offers localized meetups so that students who live outside of these cities can attend these workshops without commuting or moving. This enables you to complete a majority of the coursework remotely with a once-a-week workshop session that is located near you.

Another reason you may be considering coding coursework on your own is that you’re not financially ready to leave your current career - and that’s OK! Because of the remote nature of community coding bootcamps like Nucamp, you can complete coursework while working another job.

Coding bootcamp return on investment

When considering any coding program, it’s important to look at its return on investment (ROI) - or the amount of return you get for the time and money you have spent completing the program. What is the program’s employment rate for students post-graduation? Is there data that shows any salary increases pre- and post-graduation? These are important statistics to measure as you consider the difference between learning to code on your own and a community coding bootcamp.

Coding bootcamps have an incredible ROI due to their reduced cost and time commitment as compared to a traditional computer science degree from a university. According to data from SwitchUp, on average, coding bootcamp graduates saw a $19,485 (45.6 percent) salary in their jobs post-bootcamp. The same data shows that on average, 80.9 percent of graduates were employed, 71 percent of which were working full-time. Bootcamps such as these have an edge over self-teaching because they offer instructor-guided coursework at an equally low cost.

Additionally, Nucamp coding bootcamp instructors often work full-time as web developers outside of their teaching roles, meaning that they have up-to-date industry knowledge to share with students - something that a self-guided course cannot necessarily replace.

Networking is still important

As with the entry into any new job field, networking is crucial for your job search. Web development and careers related to coding are no different. A self-guided course, while it may be convenient for your schedule, does not expose you to instructors and other students who are or will work in the field that you can use as resources in your future job search. Coding bootcamps often provide students with other complementary networking benefits as a part of your program - in fact, Nucamp offers students LinkedIn Premium access to help with their job search.

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