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We all want to take our businesses to the next level, and you can do just that by hiring a coder. These computer-savvy techies can do everything from working at an IT service desk to creating digital products, but is there any reason why employers should favor bootcamp graduates?

Why Employers Should Hire Coding Bootcamp Graduates

According to multiple studies, coding bootcamp graduates have a placement rate of 74% to 90%, so it’s clear that other employers see them as valuable employees. Here’s why.

1. Coding Bootcamp Graduates Have Past Experience

The average coding bootcamp graduate is in their 30s, meaning they have many years of experience in other industries. More likely than not, bootcamp graduates are switching careers. Instead of hiring someone new to the workforce, you could onboard a workplace veteran.

Even if their personal experience doesn’t have anything to do with coding, they can still bring something new to the table that other coders may not be able to offer. For example, a teacher turned coder can help with the recruitment process, as they can teach hires about their role.

2. Coding Bootcamp Graduates Have a Growth Mindset

Coding bootcamps are immersive experiences. In order for students to thrive, they need to adopt a growth mindset that focuses on mastering complex tech concepts independently. 

For example, a full stack web development course from Altcademy is 25 weeks long, which is 23 weeks shorter than a bachelor’s degree course if you don’t account for breaks or time-off.

Students have to work very hard to finish a bootcamp within a reasonable time frame, as coding subjects are often challenging. By hiring a bootcamp graduate, you’re choosing someone who’s dedicated several months to perfect their code and persevered despite their many mistakes.

3. Coding Bootcamp Graduates Have Needed Soft Skills

Employers often underestimate the value of soft skills in careers that value independence. But if your coders have to collaborate on projects, they’ll need to possess strong communication and teamwork skills. For this reason, pair programming is an essential part of boot camp curriculums. 

Pair programming helps coders communicate their ideas out loud, make compromises on projects, and gets them familiar with team-based goal setting. A programmer can still be shy, but they at least need to be able to express their needs and work with their coworkers effectively. 

4. Coding Bootcamp Graduates Have Practical Skills

Earning a bachelor’s degree is still essential for many roles. However, a computer science major has to take a lot of courses that aren’t applicable to their new role or the tech industry.

But that’s not even the worst part. Professors don’t often have the authority to change their curriculums, meaning most of what’s taught is out of date. That’s a big problem for coders.

On the other hand, coding bootcamp graduates only learn the most up to date skills for their industry. Students graduate with a broader understanding of computers, the workplace, and the projects they’re going to work on, but the same can’t be said for college or university graduates. 

5. Coding Bootcamp Graduates Have to be Learners

It isn’t easy to upgrade your skills, but if you can find employees who are willing to do it anyway, you’ll create a future-proof workforce. Coding bootcamp graduates have already shown that they’re eager to put their nose to the grindstone and upskill despite time or money constraints.

When you hire a bootcamp graduate, you’re bringing someone onboard who understands the importance of the pursuit of knowledge. Plus, bootcamps equip students with the skills they need to keep learning about their field after graduation, which is absolutely essential in tech.