Author Topic: DevBootcamp. Grads make 80k after 9 weeks (Read 1791 times)

s2srea · « **on:** February 11, 2014, 06:10:52 PM »

I just read about this school in a few parts of the country (San Fran, NY, and Chicago) that is a very intense 9 week course on web application development. Some students come out with 80k a year jobs. I thought the idea was cool. All the good stuff of 'college' (by worldly standards) and non of the junk that is supposed to make you 'well rounded'. It costs 12 grand, but it seems as if there is a great opportunity to recap on your investment.

http://devbootcamp.com/

Matthew · « **Reply #1 on:** February 11, 2014, 06:14:35 PM »

This is the kind of "college" men should consider. Basically trade school.

Forget the pseudo-university education they're trying to sell you. It's not university quality anyhow.

When most men can handle so-called "higher education" that education isn't very "higher". It becomes what high school used to be.

Get whatever training is necessary to become a trained professional, but try to avoid the "well rounded" siren song of college. It's too expensive, and too risky.

There are plenty of ways to avoid college, with so few exceptions that they're almost not worth bringing up.

Tiffany · « **Reply #2 on:** February 15, 2014, 06:07:36 AM »

I wish my ds could go to something like this. He is smart and interested in programming.

I've checked out a few beginning Java books for him but he has exhausted everything I can get from the library and the textbooks are $$$.

Graham · « **Reply #3 on:** February 15, 2014, 08:02:42 AM »

Not to put the suggestion down, but no business would knowingly hire a programmer with 9 weeks' training for that kind of money. Probably wouldn't even get an interview, HR needs to tick its check boxes after all. Other experience and education would be required to land even the 50k job.

The IT business is unfair in that immigrants with diploma mill pedigree will get hired, but Westerners - unless they bring extensive experience and/or rare and proven skills - need the 2/3/4 year degree to get past HR.

If your boy wants to be a programmer but you don't want him away at school, think real degree with distance education.

s2srea · « **Reply #4 on:** February 15, 2014, 11:41:49 AM »

Quote from: Graham

Not to put the suggestion down, but no business would knowingly hire a programmer with 9 weeks' training for that kind of money. Probably wouldn't even get an interview, HR needs to tick its check boxes after all. Other experience and education would be required to land even the 50k job.

The IT business is unfair in that immigrants with diploma mill pedigree will get hired, but Westerners - unless they bring extensive experience and/or rare and proven skills - need the 2/3/4 year degree to get past HR.

If your boy wants to be a programmer but you don't want him away at school, think real degree with distance education.

I think that's very subjective.

This course has some obvious weight and positive publicity behind it. Persons in the industry will know who these graduates are because of where they went to school. Not to mention there is a demand for this type of skill. Does that mean everyone who attends will make the same amount of money or is guaranteed a job? No. But there is no school that exists like that. There are many other factors. I think someone like Matthew, who is already in the field, would have a more objective opinion than any of us, which is why I pm'd him to comment.

Not to mention that those students who attend regular distance education will come out with quite a bit more debt, not to mention take longer to get there. They're loosing out, in terms of their return on investment. In the time that they're still in school for 3-4 years, these students are working in the field, making money and, far more important, gaining experience. While the student via distance education pays (I'm being very conservative here) 40k for their degree, the student here who invested 12k, made (being very conservative again) 50k over 3 years(for a total of 150 k). Again, were speaking of the same student; intelligent, able to grasp this information, and who is disciplined.

Graham · « **Reply #5 on:** February 15, 2014, 03:38:42 PM »

I'm only saying that the average IT company wouldn't hire a man with a 9 week, unaccredited course under his belt, if that's all he had, let alone hire him at a senior engineer's salary. He wouldn't get past the box-ticking ladies in HR. Maybe things are different in Southern California.

Graham · « **Reply #6 on:** February 15, 2014, 04:06:46 PM »

Reading more about it, this sounds less like a school and more like a recruitment firm cleverly disguised as a school.

s2srea · « **Reply #7 on:** February 17, 2014, 07:38:29 PM »

Quote from: Graham

I'm only saying that the average IT company wouldn't hire a man with a 9 week, unaccredited course under his belt, if that's all he had,

Here's the thing you need to keep in mind Graham: this isn't a traditional degree. I'm not sure if you've seen posts made by Matthew, wherein he mentions he is constantly re-learning his field. That industry changes quickly and drastically, according to my understanding. its not like you're dealing with a hard science- math, engineering, etc.- where pursuing a traditional degree is warranted.

Matt can correct me if I'm wrong, but I see this as learning a new language, and it can be done rather quickly. The Mormons send their missionaries to school to learn a new language in 12 weeks, amongst the falsehoods of their sect, and are rather proficient. Two of my highschool friends did as much: one learnt Thai, and the other Spanish. There isn't much 'thinking' involved in this. Creativity may certainly come into play, and, no, you can't teach that. But again: for someone who already has the attributes necessary to be successful in this industry, this would be a good choice, in my opinion.

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let alone hire him at a senior engineer's salary.

I think you'd find 80k/ year hardly senior engineer salary. Its more correctly a 'good' entry level wage (not great).

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He wouldn't get past the box-ticking ladies in HR. Maybe things are different in Southern California.

Its northern California for these guys (Silicon Valley).

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Reading more about it, this sounds less like a school and more like a recruitment firm cleverly disguised as a school.

Well if I started a school, I'd hate to present it with a bland manner. Perhaps because you're so passionate with the higher arts and fine education (I'm assuming here) its difficult to see that this is a 'trade', albeit an 'a-traditional' one. But that's just what it is. Do I believe these students can get into computer engineering? No.

Graham · « **Reply #8 on:** February 17, 2014, 10:09:45 PM »

I work in IT. I've never seen anyone hire a junior programmer for anywhere near that kind of money, let alone a guy out of a nine week course. Granted that salaries are higher in California. Still I doubt any responsible manager would do that, unless the candidate has other experience or qualifications, because there's a huge risk that the guy doesn't really know his stuff and will hack up whatever project he's put on.

If they/you had billed this as a way to get your feet wet or quickly improve an existing skill set, my reaction would have been different. The manifestly exaggerated claim has made me doubtful of the whole operation.