Welcome to the January 2017 Course Report monthly coding bootcamp news roundup! Each month, we look at all the happenings from the coding bootcamp world from new bootcamps to fundraising announcements, to interesting trends. This month we applaud initiatives that bring technology to underserved communities, we look at employment trends, and new coding schools and campuses. Plus, we hear a funny story about an honest taxi driver. Read below or listen to our latest Coding Bootcamp News Roundup Podcast.

General News

• The InformEd blog produced an in-depth piece on why bootcamps exist, and how to approach them.
• We read a story from the Philippines about a cab driver in Manila who returned forgotten luggage to an Australian businessman, then the businessman awarded the taxi driver a scholarship to the coding bootcamp (Coder Academy) where he works as a reward!!

Bootcamp Founders

• Product Hunt’s podcast interviewed App Academy Founder, Kush Patel, about running a bootcamp with no upfront fees.
• Toronto-based BrainStation coding bootcamp founder Jason Field was highlighted in the Forbes 30 under 30 in Education.
• We learned about the founder of Trilogy Education, Dan Sommer, who has opened coding bootcamps at universities around the US (New York Business Journal).

Tech for Underserved Communities

• PlayStation is backing a coding bootcamp for teenage girls in the UK to help inspire more women to get into the tech industry. (via Develop Online)
• An instructor from coding bootcamp Zip Code Wilmington was on the judging panel for “I Have A Dream”, a business pitch competition this month won by three young black men. (via Technically Delaware)
• Women in Pakistan will soon be able to learn to code at SheSkills, a 6-week digital skills bootcamp which also includes digital design and digital marketing. (via TechJuice)
• Nairobi-based coding bootcamp Moringa School plans to open coding bootcamps in three more African Countries this year to meet the huge demand for software engineers in the continent.
• Salesforce CEO and founder Marc Benioff backs a coding bootcamp in Gaza, joining other Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. They are currently fundraising for a power generator as electricity can be unreliable in the area.

Employment

• Tech Republic explored whether coding bootcamp graduates can compete with CS grads for jobs. The journalist talked to coding bootcamps, recruiters, and tech companies to find that bootcampers often have more practical skills, whereas CS grads have more theoretical foundational knowledge of things like algorithms.
• A new bipartisan bill in congress seeks to implement guarantees from colleges similar to job guarantees offered by bootcamps like Flatiron School. (via US News)
• We had an update on TechHire, an initiative launched by President Obama to build a pipeline of tech talent and new jobs to local economies. (via Arizona Capitol Times)

Initiatives We Love

• Lighthouse Labs is aiming to teach 2,500 Canadians to code for free with its HTML500 in nine cities around the country.
• Flatiron School has launched a new scholarship in partnership with Birchbox to encourage more women to enroll. The initiative, called Women Take Tech, is dedicating $100,000 in scholarship for women. (via Observer)
• Netflix is sponsoring an Android Development Bootcamp to meet the demand for Android developers in the Bay Area. The part-time bootcamp is run by CodePath in San Francisco.
• Galvanize coding bootcamp is teaming up with the Colorado Department of Transportation to bring more technology to the transportation sector.

Bootcamp Updates/New Coding Bootcamps

• Springboard online data science coding bootcamp is now offering a job guarantee or a 100% refund for its graduates.
• A live-in coding bootcamp is launching in Medellin, Colombia aimed at teaching students web development and the skills to become a digital nomad.

New Schools

• Application University in Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco
• 2020Shift in NYC
• Mayden Academy in Bath, England
• Cyber Retraining Academy in London, England
• Case Western Reserve University Coding Boot Camp in Cleveland, OH
• Southern Methodist University Coding Boot Camp in Dallas, TX
• University of Arizona Coding Boot Camp in Chandler, AZ
• Framework in Los Angeles
• GoCode Academy in Buckinghamshire, England
• Sun Training Center in Miami, FL
• Parallax Code Academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Cleveland Codes in Cleveland, OH

Favorite Pieces on the Course Report Blog

Imogen Crispe: Alumni Spotlight: Marisha Schumacher-Hodge of Hackbright Academy

Lauren Stewart: Ultimate Guide to Security Bootcamps

Liz Eggleston: 8 Companies Who Actually Love Hiring Coding Bootcampers

Further Reading

• November 2016 Coding Bootcamp News Roundup + Podcast
• October 2016 Coding Bootcamp News Roundup + Podcast
• September 2016 Coding Bootcamp News Roundup + Podcast

About The Author

Imogen is a writer and content producer who loves writing about technology and education. Her background is in journalism, writing for newspapers and news websites. She grew up in England, Dubai and New Zealand, and now lives in Brooklyn, NY.