The job market is bright for software developers. Demand for coders is expected to grow 24 percent from 2016 to 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. To land a job in the field, you don't need a college degree—you need the ability to write excellent code.
But making a career change, building a network, perfecting a resume, and navigating the job search can be daunting, even for the most capable person.
In tandem with our software development education, we train our students in effective career-building strategies so they can confidently start their job search as soon as (or even before!) they graduate.
From Code 201 through Code 401, students get over 40 hours of instruction and assignments to help them build their personal brand, network, and interpersonal skills. This training helps them become strong team members in the companies they join, and sets them up to become strong leaders in the tech industry.
Our Career Coaching curriculum has seven pillars:
Throughout the entire program, students study each pillar, with assignments ranging from perfecting their professional pitch, to mastering the interview processing with mock interviews, to creating a compelling resume.
Interviews can be intimidating, especially for career changers who aren't used to the tech industry's approach to assessing talent. To qualify for the Career Accelerator Program, get some extra interview practice, and ensure they're ready to start their job search, all Code 401 graduates complete a Qualifying Interview.
The Qualifying Interview mirrors a professional interview setting, and helps our graduates know how to exceed the expectations of potential employers. Just like in the career coaching sessions, we offer plenty of guidance and support to help participants feel fully prepared. Before their interview, we provide a guide for professional etiquette and competency that covers everything from submitting quality application material, to preparing for the interview, to properly closing the interview.
If they don't pass their interview on the first try, graduates are invited to reschedule their interview and try again. Regardless of whether they pass or fail, all participants receive feedback on where and how they can improve their interviewing skills. This service is made available on an ongoing basis, so that graduates can continue to hone their personal pitch and behavioral interview stories, and ensure they are fully prepared for the real-world interview process.
Through the Career Accelerator program, our students get the chance to meet and network with employers after they graduate from Code 401.
The Career Accelerator has three pillars:
To help students prepare for their job search, we offer mentor drop-in hours, professional portfolio reviews, and mock interviews with hiring companies.
We provide opportunities for our graduates to connect with hiring companies through Partner Power Hours with guest speakers from tech companies in the area, software testing workshops where students practice debugging software and logging issues, and industry networking events hosted at the offices of our partner companies.
When graduates are ready to apply, they can create a profile on our Talent Portal, get customized job alerts for open positions, and apply to intern with partner organizations.
Ready to get hands-on help as you enter the tech industry?