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theodesp profile image
Theofanis Despoudis

So how would you suggest to solve the technology gap? There has to be some disruption on the field as universities are too expensive and offer too little compared to boot camps. IT needs more brains.

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theoutlander profile image
Nick Karnik

That's a very good question. I agree that we need disruption in this space. I have in fact been working on designing a boot camp to solve this issue, but the biggest challenge manifests when you try to scale. As you alluded to earlier, we need more brains, not laborers.

While I might not have an answer to all the problems, I have identified potential areas of concerns with boot camps:

  1. Cramming too many topics and being too generalized

  2. Over-committing and under-delivering on various fronts - job placement, providing 1:1 support, etc.

  3. Sub-par instructors with very little experience and professional background

  4. Making it appear like it is legit - vetting applicants

  5. Combining this as a destination boot camp

  6. False advertising. Showcasing students as case-studies without revealing that they have had prior exposure to programming.

  7. Focusing on irrelevant things. Frameworks instead of fundamentals.

In my opinion, we need to focus on fundamentals, problem-solving, and relevant topics. We should make them highly-skilled in one or two areas and cultivate a culture of just-in-time learning. All that needs to be coupled with hands-on experience.

 
theodesp profile image
Theofanis Despoudis

That's true, unfortunately, if you want to make quick bucks you have to oversimplify, cut corners and hide the scary stuff. That's why coding in bootcamps should be done as part of a holistic plan and not as the only way to learn programming.