blog article
12 Takeaways from our Women in Coding Bootcamps Panel
Written By Liz Eggleston
Last updated on July 17, 2015
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Written By Liz Eggleston
Course Report strives to create the most trust-worthy content about coding bootcamps. Read more about Course Report’s Editorial Policy and How We Make Money.
Course Report strives to create the most trust-worthy content about coding bootcamps. Read more about Course Report’s Editorial Policy and How We Make Money.
This Wednesday, our friends at LiquidTalent hosted a spectacular panel of women who discussed their experience at New York coding bootcamps and transitioning into their first jobs. Course Report was lucky to moderate the panel- here are 12 things we learned from this rockstar panel of lady developers!
The Panel:
Very few panelists were "techies" growing up, but rather found programming during or after college. Alexandra worked with programmers on a data visualization project in college before attending General Assembly and Chelsea worked her way up from a receptionist at a tech company to SCRUM Master before enrolling in Flatiron School.
Most of our panelists went to a meetup or workshop specifically for women before diving into a coding bootcamp. Corey found out about Dev Bootcamp while attending a Girl Develop It workshop, which is a nonprofit organization that provides affordable programs for adult women interested in learning web and software development in a judgment-free environment. And Rachel recommends Women Who Code, which hosts free technical training and connects women with mentors.
Our emotional needs are all different. Sarah described her time at App Academy as all-work, all-the-time. Corey told us about addressing micro-agressions with Enginnering Empathy sessions at Dev Bootcamp, which still fuel her healthy relationships today (Dev Bootcamp also has a therapist on-hand for weekly sessions). Some of those sessions even specifically called out male privilege and get everyone on an even playing field. Chelsea described Feelings Fridays at Flatiron School. Every student needs a different level of support- and there's a bootcamp that will offer the structure you're looking for.
This means finding women in the classroom both as instructors and students. Before committing to Flatiron School, Chelsea got coffee with the then-CTO, Sarah Chipps, who was proof that a woman could be a programmer, tech authority, and role-model. If finding a female mentor during a bootcamp is important to you, make sure they exist in the classroom!
Alexandra said that the Opportunity Fund covered ~90% of her General Assembly tuition- see more about the Opportunity Fund here. Most bootcamps have an automatic scholarship to encourage female applicants- don't miss out on these!
Alexandra shared an interesting anecdote about women in her cohort naturally gravitating towards each other during group work at General Assembly. While it may feel natural to team up with the other women in your cohort, especially if your voice isn’t being heard in a co-ed team, push yourself our of your comfort zone, join the guys’ team, and speak up! Chances are, once you land your first job as a developer, you’ll be working mostly with men, so get practice during the bootcamp.
Sarah identified with Alexandra's story as she was one of two women in her App Academy cohort, and questioned whether it was the healthy choice to always pair program together. App Academy instructors saw the issue and had students draw randomly for their pairing partners.
There's a fine line between finding that supportive community at your bootcamp and missing out on an opportunity.
We got amazing tips for the email lists you should be on to find jobs in New York and beyond. Here are a few:
Alexandra found a job after General Assembly by cold calling Content.ly (must be the former-journalist in her), but she was definitely the anomaly of the panelists. Most found their current jobs through warm introductions from their bootcamp instructors, classmates, or alumni.
Rachel was connected to her boss at Refinery29 through a Startup Institute instructor. And Tara joined Priceline after three other Fullstack Academy graduates got jobs there.
Sarah is a Dev Ops Engineer at Amplify; Rachel, a former graphic designer, is now a Web Designer at Refinery29; Tara works on the mobile team at Priceline. Just because you go to a Full-Stack Web Development bootcamp doesn’t mean you won’t land a gig in a different field.
Chelsea’s employer decided to send her to Flatiron School with the caveat that she rejoin their team if there was a job open for her. This is always worth a shot!
If you have a gap between graduation and a full-time developer job, freelancing can be a great way to fill the time and build your portfolio. Check out sites like Liquid Talent, which is a marketplace that provides a platform for professionals to connect in real-time, based on location to effectively match projects with the right talent.
Once you’ve entered the tech world, you’re well-equipped to inspire other women and girls to follow in your footsteps. Speak at conferences, sit on panels, teach or TA at local meetups and workshops, and coach at your alma mater. Sarah teaches at Railsbridge; Corey coaches at Dev Bootcamp and teaches at Girl Develop It; Rachel teaches in the Basic HTML/CSS and RampUp's part-time Web Design course at Startup Institute; and Alexandra volunteers with Coder Dojo.
Thanks to all of the panelists for talking about their experiences as women in tech and in coding bootcamps, and to Kanwal & Liquid Talent for hosting this event!
Liz Eggleston is co-founder of Course Report, the most complete resource for students choosing a coding bootcamp. Liz has dedicated her career to empowering passionate career changers to break into tech, providing valuable insights and guidance in the rapidly evolving field of tech education. At Course Report, Liz has built a trusted platform that helps thousands of students navigate the complex landscape of coding bootcamps.
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