As drivers, we constantly get pummelled with recruitment materials and ads for training academies of all different kinds. Why do these companies want to get our attention?
Maybe because they know that being a full-time driver isn’t easy, and most of us don’t intend to drive forever. It’s just something we do until the next big thing comes along.
For many of us, training in a new field makes a lot of sense, and right now the most popular kinds of training academies are coding bootcamps. In this blog post, we’ll focus on these bootcamps, and talk about what drivers should look for when they choose one. We’ll also learn more about the decision process from one of our drivers, Jim, who recently chose a school and enrolled in a program.
Here’s how we’ll break it down:
- Why coding?
- Jim’s story
- 5 things drivers need in a coding bootcamp
- Coding Dojo: the winning choice
Why coding?
Coding, or the art and science of creating the software and apps that run the engine of today’s economy, covers a lot of ground. You can learn everything from how to make an app more pleasant to use, to how to design a database and make it easier for a company to contact its customers.
People who know how to code are very popular with job recruiters these days – and are also well-paid. According to a July 2020 report on Career Karma, coders earned an average annual salary of $63,903 during 2020. Beginning coders got an average of $50,000, and experienced coders pulled in around $85,000. And of course, there’s always room to earn even more.
You don’t have to be a natural-born computer genius to make coding your new profession. All you need is an ability to focus, a desire to solve problems, and the determination to see projects through. It also helps if you like to work with others, because most projects that coders work on require a lot of cooperation.
If you’re reading this while you’re on a break from driving passengers or making food deliveries, you might think there’s a big leap between what you’re doing now and becoming a full-fledged IT professional. While it won’t happen overnight, it’s definitely something many drivers can do. A conversation with a real driver-turned-coder might show you that this kind of game-changing career switch is truly within your reach.
Jim’s story
Jim drives and delivers for Uber, and began doing so straight out of college. He studied psychology in a four-year program, but shortly after graduation he discovered that his career prospects weren’t good. He didn’t want to go on to grad school to become a therapist, and he didn’t see how he could make a lot of money in his field. Just about the only jobs available were research assistant spots at the university he attended, and they paid about $10 per hour.
Driving for Uber made sense because he didn’t like the other options he had – sales and customer service – and he could make more as a driver. Plus, he could choose his hours and get his pay in his pocket within minutes of finishing his shift.
After four years of driving, though, Jim got tired of the grind. He also saw that his income was stuck at a level that wasn’t going to rise unless he worked 50 or 60 hours a week.
Also, he missed the intellectual challenge of being in school, working on group projects and solving problems. He was looking for something exciting, a new path that would lead him toward a career he could count on.
Jim heard about coding through ads he saw for various coding bootcamps. He knew there were a lot of different options and it took some time to figure out which one was right for him, his skillset, and his talents. Also, he wanted a school that would give him the training he needed to jump into a career right away and to be the best at what he does.
There are schools that offer training in user interface, graphics, data management, and software engineering. Many of them provide access to top-notch training, employers, and six-figure salaries. Some require full-time, onsite attendance, while others allow students to study online, and in some cases at their own pace.
Jim’s situation, like that of many drivers, had its limitations. He couldn’t really manage to work full-time and go to school full-time, and he also needed to consider the costs involved. Ideally, he would find a school that allowed him to continue driving when he wasn’t in class or completing assignments.
From our talk with Jim, a real driver, we gained firsthand insight into what to look for in a coding bootcamp. He honed in on the major points that you can utilize for any search for the right bootcamp.
5 things drivers need in a coding bootcamp
Here’s what Jim looked for in his bootcamp search and what you might want to look for, too. These suggestions are not in any particular order, so you can decide for yourself which are most important to you.
- Focus on marketable skills. There are many functions coding professionals can perform in a company, and some schools address all of them. Jim wanted to attend a school that was less concerned about theories, history, or other tertiary topics. He wanted a school that taught him applicable and marketable job skills, as well as one that would give him the ability to be among the best in his field.
- Affordable. Tuition is never cheap, whether at a full-time college or a bootcamp. Since Jim had already gone through college and was still paying off hefty student loans, he needed to go to a school that was reasonably priced, and offered scholarships and/or payment plans.
- Real-world orientation. Jim didn’t want to get stuck in a school that was lost in an academic cloud, with little or no real connection to the real world. While he thought it would be fun to design programs with futuristic or idealistic aspects, he knew that if he wanted to work right away, he’d need something different. He needed a school that knew what employers wanted, and also had connections to people who could get him a real job.
- Fast and flexible. Jim didn’t have another four years of his life to spend in school; he had to have a program that gave him fast results. At the same time, he wanted to continue driving while he was in training so he could still pay his bills. That meant the program of his choice would have to allow him the flexibility to attend class and work at the same time.
- A balance of personalized training and collaboration with other students. While Jim met plenty of people when he was out on his driving gigs, it had been a long time since he’d been involved in a meaningful group project. He missed the days of gathering together with others who were passionate about what they were learning, and who enjoyed sharing their findings.
He also knew he’d need personalized attention from time to time because coding would be so new to him. It would be great if he could have access to instructors in case he got lost at sea while navigating his way through the program.
Coding Dojo: the winning choice
There are numerous coding bootcamps, but few really offer everything drivers need. We’ve looked through the offerings of a ton of bootcamps, and we can see that Coding Dojo is the one school that hit all five of the basic requirements for drivers, and offers even more.
Coding Dojo was founded by Michael Choi, whose entrepreneurial projects in Silicon Valley revealed to him how hard it was to find top-notch software engineers. He opened Coding Dojo because he knew how much he needed skilled professionals. He knew that other companies were looking for them too. He designed the Coding Dojo curriculum around the goal of giving students what they needed to be as competent and successful as possible, with his real-world knowledge of what makes good software engineers.
Choi used scientifically based learning technologies to build Coding Dojo. This makes this coding bootcamp one that not only provides information, but also teaches students in ways they can truly learn and apply the teachings. Here’s how Coding Dojo measured up to the rest of the items on what we see as the driver’s must-have list:
Coding Dojo has a software engineering focus. Coding Dojo is oriented toward the more technical end of the coding continuum. Programs give graduates expertise in three stacks, which are combinations of programming skills that ensure familiarity with the front and back ends of a program, as well as the database. Students are taught what each has to offer, how they differ, how they are similar, and most importantly — how to use them to create digital products, which makes it possible for students to apply their knowledge in the real world. Coding Dojo’s programs in software engineering and data science are dedicated to keeping the focus on the high-tech, in-demand skills drivers need to create new careers.
Coding Dojo is affordable. At a price of $7,700, Coding Dojo’s 2-stack online program is within reach for most drivers. Available onsite options go into even deeper depth, but starting with the online option and then later investing in more training might make sense for many drivers. It’s easier to know what you need to learn once you get into the field and start making money. Also, with scholarships and payment plans, there’s no need to pile on student debt in order to pay for tuition.
Coding Dojo is oriented toward the real world. With real-world experience driving the design and execution of the Coding Bootcamp program, Coding Dojo students learn skills that are applicable in the workplace, and also in high demand. In fact, 89.1% of Coding Dojo graduates find relevant jobs within six months, and 95.3% find relevant jobs within one year.
Coding Dojo is fast and flexible. With on-campus and immersive online programs that teach three stacks in 14 weeks, full-time bootcamp students can get done in just a few short months. The online flex program goes for 28 weeks is a great one for drivers, too, because they would only need to be in classes for 10–15 hours per week. With the online flex program, you could continue driving, and making money, while you’re in training.
Coding Dojo offers personal attention and group interaction
Even in the online program, it’s always possible to get one-on-one attention from an instructor whenever it’s needed. Also, the program assigns students to teams as they set out to solve problems they are sure to encounter in the real-world, team oriented workplace.
Change your life with Coding Dojo!
Could it be that you’re growing weary of the driving routine? If so, take action now. Jump into coding bootcamp with Coding Dojo. It’s definitely a winning choice.
Get a course packet here, and before long, you could be on your way toward a lucrative, challenging, and fulfilling coding career that will get you out of the gig driving grind – and change your life.
