Busting Myths About Tech Bootcamps: Challenge What You Think You Know

Getting into tech is rarely a linear journey. If you go up to your nearest Engineering or Designing friend and ask them how they got to where they are today, they might have to think about it for a second. “Umm…I sort of got here accidentally…” they may say.

Perhaps you’ve got tech friends who knew exactly what they wanted to do when they went to college. They got themselves a CS degree, joined a Goog le internship program, and the rest is history!

In the near future, you’ll likely find that more and more of your tech friends used bootcamps to break into tech.

But when you hear the word ‘bootcamp’, what instantly pops into your head?

Maybe you’re imagining a group of tech bros whose parents could afford to shell out tens of thousands of dollars to pay for their pricey tuition. Or you’re seeing someone huddled in front of their computer for a couple of hours, learning a few lines of HTML, and printing off their free ‘certification.’

Bootcamps have become an integral part of the tech education scene, and yet there are still so many misconceptions about what they actually are, what they do, and what they’re worth. We're here to bust some of these misconceptions, and challenge what you think you know about tech bootcamps!

What Is A Tech Bootcamp?

Let’s quickly clear up what ‘bootcamps’ are…

💻 Intensive, hands-on training in tech skills

☝️Usually focusing on a particular discipline (Web Development, UX/UI Design, etc)

⏰ Can be full-time or part-time

🌎 Can be in-person or remote

🧑🏽‍🏫 Usually involves being assigned to a particular cohort, and a live instructor

Essentially, bootcamps are like going back to college for a semester, but with a hyper-focus on learning a very particular set of skills rather than general knowledge. (It’s also usually much cheaper than a semester of college!)

The best bootcamps are outcomes-driven, with most students attending with the goal of landing a new job. This is why many bootcamps offer career services, like practice interviews and resume reviews.

So when we talk about bootcamps, we’re not talking about the apps that teach you how to code or the free, on-demand, short courses you can find online. Those have their uses for sure, but they’re not what we mean when we are referring to.

Now that that’s cleared up, and we’re all on the same page, let’s bust some myths about tech bootcamps…

Myth 1 - Tech Bootcamps Are Too Expensive

This is the first, and perhaps most pervasive myth about tech bootcamps. And we're not going to pretend otherwise, for most people the price is an investment. But...too expensive? That we're not so sure about!

Let’s put this in the context of traditional education:

Cost of a CS degree from a US college: $250,000

Cost of an MBA: $60,000-$100,000

Cost of a Web Development bootcamp: $12,500

Now, these are just rough guesses, as where you study will heavily influence the final price tag of a certification. But even so, you can see that a bootcamp costs a fraction of the price of getting educated at a traditional institution.

That being said, it’s still an investment. It’s only a few of us who have $10,000+ just knocking around waiting to be spent! And the point of bootcamps is to make the tech industry more accessible, not an exclusive luxury for those who can afford it. This is where financial aid comes in.

Many bootcamp providers offer some kind of financial aid. At Ironhack, for example, each campus location offers a wide variety of financial aid options by partnering with local governments and private companies. There are pay-later schemes, bursaries, scholarships, and state-sponsored discounts. Depending on where you live, our Admissions team is highly motivated to get you any bursary and discount they can, even for our Remote students around the world.

Myth 2 - Tech Bootcamps Aren’t Worth The Cost

Yes, we're still talking about the price! But this time, we’re tackling a different beast…the value of a bootcamp.

Let’s say for ease that you pay the full $12,000 for a bootcamp, and assume that you’re aiming to get a job as a Front-End Developer in the US after graduation. According to BuiltIn when you land your first Junior Developer role, you’ll likely be earning around $87,840. As you progress, you’ll be earning an average of $105,221.

This isn’t exclusive to those who are breaking into tech for the first time. Bootcamps can also benefit those already working in the industry, who are looking to boost their skills and progress their careers. A 2021 survey of Ironhack’s remote students found that graduates' salaries increased by $5,200-$15,500.

So of course, that’s the main impact on the value of a bootcamp. By choosing a bootcamp with a higher rate of students placed in jobs after graduation, a variety of hiring partners, and careers-focused initiatives, you’re increasing your chances of earning your money back in no time.

Myth 3 - Tech Bootcamps Are For ‘Code Bros’

This is a myth that has leaked over from the more general myth about the tech industry being male-dominated. And there’s no sugar coating it, the tech industry does have a long way to go when it comes to Diversity Equity, and Inclusion. There aren’t enough women, people of color, or LGBTQ+ people in the rooms where the tech used by everyone is being built. And that’s a problem.

But the tech industry recognizes that it’s a problem, and is working on it. And bootcamps can be part of the solution to filling those rooms with a wider variety of people.

By making tech education more accessible, and by not looking for students with a particular background or profile, bootcamps are a perfect entry point to tech careers that are more difficult to get to by traditional means.

And it entirely depends on the bootcamp that you’re going for! Did you know that Ironhack’s UX/UI Design bootcamps usually have significantly more female students than male? (Fun fact, women also make up more than half of our global staff!)

Any bootcamp worth its salt has DE&I built in at the core.

Myth 4 - Self-Teaching For Free Is Just As Good

Can you self-teach yourself tech skills? The short answer is…yes, kind of.

Self-teaching is a decent option for certain people. If you really do have serious time and budget limits, self-teaching for free is better than not learning anything at all. But it comes with its own limitations…

• Lack of structure. How many times have you downloaded an app, used it for a few days, then deleted it? Having no structure or deadlines makes it difficult to stay committed and actually progress.

• No quality control. You might accidentally learn something that’s completely outdated, or just straight up wrong!

• No community. ‘The journey is not about the destination, but the people you meet along the way.’...or something like that! Basically, the people you meet are a true highlight of taking a structured bootcamp or course.

• No career services. Bootcamps are about much more than just learning hard skills.

• No proof of education. When you graduate from a recognized bootcamp or course, you’ll get a certification or certificate of completion that serves as a stamp of approval on your LinkedIn profile/resume. Which you don’t get from learning on YouTube for free.

Let's not undervalue the experience of learning side by side with other learners either. Some apps can give you a sense of community, it's true, but it's nothing compared to the atmosphere on campus...

Far be it from us to judge the way someone learns. If all you have available to you is an app and you learn for 15 minutes every day, that’s better than not trying at all! But those looking for real progress and quantifiable results should look for a more complete solution.

Myth 5 - Bootcamps Take Too Much Time

Time is relative. We’ve all heard that, but it’s true!

If you’re looking for a quick fix to get you your dream career in tech, we’re about to break your heart…there isn’t one. That being said, bootcamps may not be as time-consuming as you think.

First of all, consider the alternatives. A college degree takes years, and even an MBA can take two years of full-time study. You have to be in a position where you can financially support yourself through full-time study, and not many of us have that luxury.

The other alternative is not getting a tech education at all and waiting for your tech career dreams to come to you. Maybe you get lucky and you manage to work your way through your current company and land a tech job. But that’s a risky bet to place.

If you’re interested in chasing your dreams instead of hoping they find you, you can graduate from a bootcamp in as little as 9 weeks (full-time) or 24 weeks (part-time).

Myth 6 - You Can’t Learn Tech Skills That Quickly

You’d actually be surprised with what you can achieve in 9 weeks! Bootcamps are hyper-focused on getting you the skills you need to actually work in tech, without all of the useless waffle and endless theories around them. It’s intense, sure, but you’ll have so much knowledge jammed into your brain that you’ll just be itching to flex your new tech muscles.

We’ve seen the results of this at our Hackshows, where students show off their final projects. They’re always so surprised by what they’ve been able to make after such a short time learning.

So…What Do You Know About Bootcamps?

Hopefully, this has given you a better idea of what bootcamps are all about! They’re not a magic ticket to tech career success for a lucky few. Rather they’re a stepping stone, acting as a bridge and a guide through the messy muddle of job hunting. They give you structure and community and best of all, they are a partner that wants you to achieve the career of your dreams.

They’re accessible, they’re welcoming, and there’s usually always a beer in the fridge for a thirsty developer!

If we’ve managed to change your mind about the value of a bootcamp, we hope you’ll check out Ironhack!