FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (Reuters) — A group of students in South Florida have enrolled in 10-week intensive course at Wyncode, an accredited school that aims to transform people with little or no computer coding experience into programmers with enough knowledge to get a job in the growing technology sector.
Until now, a job in technology would require a university degree in computer science. Wyncode promises their students that they can teach them enough to attract employers in in 10 to 12 weeks.
Schools like this are popping up all over the United States. It’s a boom industry — but it’s also controversial. Many students don’t have university degrees, just passion and hopefully aptitude.
24-year-old Walter Latimer is a success story. Two years ago he was an arts school drop-out who learned he was HIV positive.
“It was definitely the ‘Alright, time to get your act together’ moment,” he said.
Walter signed up for a boot camp style coding course at Wyncode, graduated, and is now a product manager at an education company in Silicon Valley.
He says technology moves so fast that universities cannot keep up, but coding schools can.
“There is a really great opportunity for people who maybe don’t have that traditional schooling, or get into the top schools, but have it in them to really succeed because it really is more merit based at this point,” Latimer said.
Coding schools are largely unregulated and quality of education varies, but Wyncode has pledged to be transparent about student employment rates and staff qualifications.
“We look for real-time feedback from all of our hiring partners and we ask those 100 partners what is the technology you need these individuals to know and learn,” said Johanna Mikkola, co-founder and managing director of Wyncode Academy.
Some employers are still reluctant to hire from coding schools rather than universities – building credibility will be important if these students are to get the jobs they hope for.
