It used to be that information technology (IT) careers started with a degree in computer science, but in today's modern world, it should come as little surprise that you can earn an IT degree without stepping foot in a four-year college. In fact, the creation of coding schools (also frequently referred to as coding bootcamps) has enabled many people to jumpstart their careers in IT without spending four years in college or, in some cases, even stepping foot in a classroom. It is only fitting that an IT career can start online, but the real question is, what do companies think of it?
Companies Love the Idea of Coding School Graduates
It turns out, companies have no problem with their IT employees earning their skills at a coding school versus a four-year traditional college. It is no secret that the US is currently experiencing an unprecedented shortage of IT workers, so companies are willing to hire any employer that has the necessary skills to do their job - regardless of where they learned those skills.
A survey from Indeed.com found that 72% of all employers believe that coding school students are as prepared as college graduates, which is excellent news for anyone that is looking at a coding school as a way to get into the workplace quicker than a four-year college (and with significantly less debt).
IBM is one major tech company that seeks out people from coding schools who emphasize skills and passion over pedigree. About 10-15% of new hires at IBM do not have four-year degrees, a move that Sam Ladah, the head of talent organization at IBM, says is going very well. The rest of Silicon Valley is taking note and also taking the time to refocus recruitment efforts on people who have come up into the tech world via an untraditional route.
What Do Companies Expect from a Coding School Graduate?
Every company values real-world experience and internships, whether or not they are looking at a college graduate or a coding school graduate. Therefore, if you have the chance to get an internship, take it, but what they really need are skills. With the widespread shortage of IT workers, employers need employees that can fix code, write in language, and keep up with daily maintenance tasks.
Most companies are not looking for their coding school graduate hire to fix the server when it goes down; that job is reserved for a senior analyst. They need people who can take care of the daily menial tasks that are a requirement of existing in a technological world. Coding school graduates who learn various programming languages like Ruby on Rails, .NET, Javascript, and Python will be able to compete in most hiring environments.
Does the idea of a coding school appeal to you? Bay Valley Tech is a competitive coding school in Modesto, CA, that offers free programming classes over a 7-month part-time period. Contact us to learn more.