Academy Bootcamp is an intensive coding course that learners complete over 12 weeks. Sessions are designed to give students the skills to learn how to code, with the emphasis on ensuring all attendees leave the boot camp with job-ready skills.
Academy Pittsburgh is owned and run by industry professionals who are locally resident and who have decades of experience in the tech sector. This means that Academy Pittsburgh maintains valuable links and affiliations to the region’s tech firms, thereby boosting graduates’ chances of finding work upon completing the training.
There are no upfront tuition fees payable and Academy Pittsburgh offers learners a welcoming, engaging, and inclusive classroom experience.
Promoting diversity is a key part of the Academy Bootcamp ethos – half of the places in each boot camp are reserved for those from backgrounds currently underrepresented in the tech industry.
To apply for a place at Academy Bootcamp, visit the website for full information about the enrolment process, as well as important terms and conditions to be aware of before making an application. You may wish to view the sample participation agreement, also available online, to give you a clear idea of the course requirements.
The application form asks students to give demographic particulars as well as information on any financial hardship they may be experiencing. The application form takes about 10 minutes to complete, and prospective learners are able to save their progress and return to the form later if needed.
As part of the application process, prospective learners will be asked a number of logic-based questions and will be requested to make uploads to Github and Youtube. Scoring will be used to determine which candidates go forward to the next stage of the selection process, and this may involve a face-to-face interview.
For potential learners wanting to find out more, you could consider sitting in on a session or talking to an Academy graduate. Make contact with Academy staff to arrange this.
Academy Pittsburgh usually offers intensive Bootcamp courses that are only accessible in person – there is no online option for training with this provider. During the pandemic, the boot camp was offered remotely, however, in-person learning will resume once restrictions are lifted.
The Academy Bootcamp is a diploma-based program that equips students with the skills they need for entry-level tech roles such as front-end developer, data scientist, UX designer, and web developer. The Academy program is designed to allow learners to work collaboratively, with ongoing support from industry professionals.
During the first week, students learn about the basics of computer programming, and by the end of the training, learners will have produced a final product for an actual, real-world client.
A typical day at Academy Bootcamp starts with a coding kata – a set of movements designed to focus students’ attention and get them in the frame of mind for coding.
Next comes group announcements, including information about upcoming networking events, before moving onto the day’s topic. Demonstrations, question and answer sessions, and whiteboarding all form part of the tuition.
The next part of the day involves splitting into small groups to collaborate on tasks related to the day’s topic, with instructors available to offer support as necessary.
At lunchtime, there is often a visit from a guest speaker who may talk about their experience in the industry, for example, or share some specific expertise.
After the lunch break, students continue working in small groups on the day’s topic, and learners will whiteboard the code they’ve created and receive feedback from tutors and their fellow students.