This document summarizes key lessons learned from attending a coding bootcamp program. It outlines expectations both before, during, and after the program. While the program claimed high employment rates, the presenter found actual employment outcomes to be lower. They also realized full-stack development was harder to learn than expected in the short program. Additionally, the promised partnerships for job placements did not fully materialize. Overall, the presenter learned to do more research on program support and expectations after graduation.

1. Everything I Need
To Know About Life
I Learned at Code
School
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2. ● Recent Graduate, Full Stack Web Dev, BrainStation
● Instructor, Sheridan College & Mohawk College in Web
Design (including WordPress) and Capstone Project
● Serial WordCamper. Went to 7 the last three years,
including Mumbai. Including Co-organizer, WordCamp
Hamilton, 2015-6, Toronto in 2015 and Milwaukee 2016
● Contributor, The WPCrowd
● “Lead Dudette” defined as: "a young woman or girl who
is very popular or admired by her peers”. Thanks
@modmatt!
About Me
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3. Here’s what
we’re going to
look at...
Before
the
camp
During
the
camp
After the
camp
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4. 1. 80% of grads were hired within 30 days of graduation,
95% within 90 days
2. Upon completion, competency as full stack web
developers
3. There were partnerships with companies that would hire
grads from the program
4. That there was post-graduation support
Expectations
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5. 1
Before
Your research and preparation before going to a camp
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6. Ultimately, you don’t have to, but I highly recommend it.
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Have some prior
experience in
code

7. What technologies? How much experience? Front End/Back End/Full Stack?
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Know what
employers are
looking for

8. Connect on LinkedIn, ask the school for some people and where they have been placed
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Seek out former
grads of the
program

9. 2
During the
Camp
This is what you need to do while you’re attending.
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10. Don’t leave all
the teaching to
your instructors
Try a YouTube video, like FunFunFunction or read an article on Medium
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11. You are a
student
You will not have much time for anything else. But alcohol helps. #BallmerPeak
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12. Build your portfolio
on your website and
on Github...early
Don’t just leave it until the last minute.
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13. 3
After
Things to do after the camp
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14. Code Every Day
Otherwise, you will forget
14Photo credit: BrainStation

15. Keep in touch with
your classmates and
educators
They will be your biggest fans and continued advisors
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16. Don’t call it a
“Final Project”
It’s a project. Thanks to Shaharris Beh of HackerNext for this little tidbit.
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17. Hardest Lesson
You may NOT become a developer
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18. Expectations
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Let’s review...

19. 1. 80% of grads were hired within 30 days of graduation,
95% within 90 days
2. Upon completion, competency as full stack web
developers
3. There were partnerships with companies that would hire
grads from the program
4. That there was post-graduation support
Expectations
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20. 80% of grads were hired within 30 days of
graduation, 95% within 90 days
● Actual numbers: 66% within 90 days of
graduation.
BrainStation has since changed this expectation as of August, 2017 to say 92% within 180 days,
85% within the field of study.
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21. WDFT June 2017 Cohort Stats
21Thanks to Sholan Narine for providing these stats.

22. Upon completion, competency as full stack web
developers
● “Full Stack” is not what I thought.
● Impossible to learn in 10 weeks
The types of technologies that are being sought are not what I was taught.
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23. Only 14% teach .NET, 39% teach JS 23
Source: 2017 Coding Bootcamp Market Size Study

24. There were partnerships with companies that
would hire grads from the program
● The school didn’t provide the leads to the
companies that would hire us that I thought,
including the parent company
More on this in a moment...
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25. That there was post-graduation support.
● This is on me. I should have done more
research on what they provided as support
after graduation.
But hey, you’re going to learn from my mistakes
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26. ● How to survive a coding bootcamp and maximize your chances of getting hired -
Per Harald Borgen
● DevTO #69: Everything I Need To Know About Life I Learned At Code School -
Open Mic (July, 2017)
● Student Outcomes Report - BrainStation WDFT August 2017
● Why Coding Bootcamps Don't Work - Geoffrey James, August 27, 2017
● Want a Job in Silicon Valley? Keep Away From Coding Schools - Bloomberg,
December 6, 2016
● 2017 Coding Bootcamp Market Size Study - Course Report, July 19, 2017
References & Reading
Here’s some of the stuff I used to come up with this presentation.
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27. Thanks!
Any questions?
You can find me at @ShantaDotCa & shanta@shanta.ca
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