Computer Code

Coding bootcamps find homes at accredited universities


IT skill-building bootcamp models are pairing up with accredited universities.

coding-bootcamp-learningComing on the heels of President Obama’s TechHire initiative to close the IT jobs gap (more than 500,000 tech jobs go unfilled in the U.S., says the White House), a prominent cloud-tech provider will begin to offer partnerships between universities and coding bootcamps to better help students gain IT skills branded by influential universities.

The cloud-based tech solution provider, Learning House, today announced its intent to acquire the Software Craftsmanship Guild–one of the nation’s top coding bootcamp providers for training the next generation of software developers, says the company. The companies decided to join forces based on their success offering a bootcamp model that allows students to gain IT skills with an accredited university.

The two companies previously collaborated in establishing a bootcamp at Concordia University, St. Paul in St. Paul, Minnesota. This model allows students to earn credit towards their bachelor’s degree, as well as take advantage of “all of the learning assets of a higher education institution including financial aid, providing a broader educational experience and opening up access to a previously untapped segment of students,” said the company in a statement.

(Next page: Reaching success at university-backed bootcamps)

“The more than 500,000 unfilled jobs today in fields like software development, network administration, and cybersecurity, coupled with President Obama’s TechHire initiative to build the technology workforce highlight a critical need,” said Todd Zipper, president and CEO of Learning House.  “The acquisition of the Software Craftsmanship Guild will position us perfectly to meet these demands, immediately creating an accessible bootcamp offering for students and higher education institutions across the country, and ultimately providing employers with the high tech talent they desperately need. This move will further Learning House’s initiative to develop market-driven curriculum in the technology space and help meet the needs of higher education institutions in a rapidly changing landscape.”

Eric Wise, founder and chief academic officer of the Software Craftsmanship Guild explained that the Software Craftsmanship Guild has a 96 percent job placement rate, and each year classes in Akron, Ohio fill months in advance with students from around the world, “which speaks to the global demand for these kinds of programs,” he said. “It has always been my dream to take the high-quality work we’ve done and bring it to a national scale.  Learning House has the expertise and capabilities to help us accomplish this goal, including the ability to enhance what is already a robust curriculum.”

Learning House plans to replicate this model nationally in a number of cities, as well as use its cloud-based platform to enhance the program’s online modality.  Learning House intends to rebrand the Software Craftsmanship Guild to the Software Guild.

The acquisition comes on the heels of news that put Learning House in the spotlight last week.  The city of Louisville announced that Learning House will be its bootcamp provider, marking the second location for Learning House’s coding bootcamp initiative.

Louisville is one of 21 cities partnering with the Obama administration on TechHire, an initiative to connect middle-class Americans to technology jobs. Louisville hosted the President at a press conference touting the importance of technology, including bootcamp programs, to the city.

“Working with Learning House and the Software Craftsmanship Guild allowed us to offer students in Minnesota an immersive experience that prepares them not only for the jobs of today, but also for the industries of tomorrow,” said Eric LaMott, senior vice president and chief operating officer at Concordia University, St. Paul.  “The development of this program supports our goal of being responsive to the needs of today’s students and relevant to the skills employers seek.”

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