Ways to Help Students Complete Their Coding Bootcamp Certification

7 Ways Coding Bootcamps Encourage Student Engagement to Improve Success Rate

Coding bootcamps are becoming a more popular and successful route to a career in tech.

These accelerated online courses make graduates job-ready in a few months, as opposed to a 4-year degree.

At the time of this writing, the demand for software engineers outweighs the supply.

As a result of this labor shortage, many companies are removing their degree requirements for recruiting software engineers and are hiring coding bootcamp graduates.

Many students start with DIY, MOOCs, or try to learn to code at their own pace which is usually watching on-demand recordings, access to information worksheets, and recommended online resources.

This may seem convenient, but they don’t hold participants accountable to study and complete the coursework.

Udemy has some online coding courses by good instructors, but they are just recordings, there’s no interaction with the instructor or collaboration with other students watching the same course.

No one is nudging you to finish the full online course.

Many resources indicate that only 30% of purchased Udemy courses are completed.

That’s not a great return on investment.

Alternatively, coding bootcamps have a much higher completion rate.

Here’s why.

7 Ways Coding Bootcamps Encourage Student Engagement to Improve Success Rate

1. Affordability:

Perceived value increases with personal investment.

Coding bootcamps are much more affordable than a 4-year degree, but they aren’t free, and range in cost from $500 to $20,000.

But students are more likely to engage and complete a course if they’ve made a personal investment.

They want a return on their investment, and coding bootcamps can help them achieve that quickly.

Students can learn to code in a matter of months, rather than years with a computer science degree.

2. Accountability:

Establish and enforce deadlines.

Coding bootcamps keep students engaged and on track so they continue to progress in their learning.

Homework assignments are due weekly and are graded.

Many have exams to make sure students understand the material before moving on to the next lecture.

Hands-on development projects force students to build and debug code.

This practice is an important part of learning and understanding the subject matter.

3. Flexibility:

Combine live/interactive and independent learning.

Most coding bootcamps are remote online courses.

Many have part-time and evening schedules, which is great because students can continue to work while they’re learning to code.

But the convenience of a flexible weekly schedule doesn’t mean you can miss a deadline.

The live workshops with dedicated instructors and fellow classmates, motivate students to set aside time to focus on their coursework so they don’t fall behind.

4. Dependability:

Encourage teamwork, not solitary learning.

Being able to interact in real-time with an instructor and classmates is a huge benefit offered by coding bootcamps.

Having access to an instructor to help if a student gets stuck on a topic is so important in the learning process.

Students don’t have to wait until the live class to ask questions.

The ability to collaborate with a community of fellow classmates who are working on the same material enhances the learning experience.

5. Visibility:

Provide guidance and feedback.

Most coding bootcamps put a limit on the instructor to student ratio for each cohort.

This allows the instructor time to give individual attention to those who need it.

Many programs also have very active alumni communities who are happy to help through collaboration platforms like Discord.

Having so many real-time support options makes the learning process less daunting.

Just knowing there will be someone there to help if you need it is reassuring and can make learning new concepts less stressful.

6. Attainability:

Acknowledge and reward accomplishments.

Give students something to strive for.

It can be earning a certification to put on a resume.

Showcasing exceptional projects developed by students is a great way to celebrate their accomplishments.

Graduates of coding bootcamps are happy to share their career successes and lessons learned during their job search.

Seeing how so many other graduates achieved their career goals after the coding bootcamp is great motivation to complete the course.

7. Employability:

Assist with reaching career goals.

Coding bootcamps focus on specific in-demand skills that employers need.

Career services offered by coding bootcamps include career coaching, resume writing, interview practice, and much more to help graduates with their job search.

Most bootcamps have relationships with hiring companies and recruiters.

Students get access to national job boards and networking opportunities.

The hands-on assignments developed during the courses help build coding project portfolios to list on resumes.

According to CIRR 79% of bootcamp graduates are employed within 180 days.

There are no reliable stats on job placement rates for purely online recorded coding courses.

Key Takeaways:

Coding bootcamps are worth the investment.

They set students up for success by helping to keep them on track with their studies and offer live support from instructors, alumni, and their fellow classmates.

Graduates can absolutely get a job after a coding bootcamp.

The job placement rates are high.

And these programs have career support services to help graduates prepare for their job search.

Attending and completing a coding bootcamp puts you in a great position to land a job in tech.

If you’re interested in attending a coding bootcamp but don’t know where to start, our 7C’s blog can help you understand what to consider when choosing a coding bootcamp that’s right for you.

For more in-depth information about coding bootcamps, our Ultimate Guide to Coding Bootcamps is a great reference.

Ready to start your career in tech?

Nucamp offers the top-rated and most affordable coding bootcamps.

Learn web development on your schedule, without breaking the bank.

At Nucamp, we know we can help you upskill or make that career shift successfully.

We’re confident that our online web developer courses are the best the industry has to offer.

To learn more about how Nucamp can help you achieve your career goals, please schedule a call with a Nucamp advisor.