We Can Code IT Pre-Bootcamp

Problem:  Software Developers are in such high demand that employers cannot fill the seats they have in this area due to lack of qualified candidates.  Meanwhile, many young adults who have the capacity to excel in these roles with the right training are left out, because they haven’t had access to computational thinking training and tech resources.  

Solution:  Pre-bootcamp is a program designed to bridge the gap these students face, by providing free, accessible introductory coding and technology training prior to enrollment in our software development bootcamps in order to level the playing field.

Impact:  This program could allow students who are capable of filling these roles with the right training to successfully complete an intensive software development bootcamp and enter a new, in-demand, well-paying career quickly, while alleviating both a known skills gap, and emotional barriers to entering this field due to previous lack of access.

Lack of access to technology and software development training is wide-spread in our area.  Schools simply do not have the capacity often times to provide the equipment for students to use, nor are they in a position to hire software developers to train students to code in their elementary or high schools.  This issue specifically effects populations that are already under-represented in tech at a disproportionate rate.  This is resulting in fewer of these students pursuing opportunities in this industry, despite an ever-growing demand for these skills.  

Pre-bootcamp looks to address both the skills and access gaps many students in our community face, as well as enabling learners to make informed decisions about jobs and career pathways available to them.  This program provides students with a free introductory, hands-on opportunity to experience the work they would be doing as a software developer, while building skills they may currently lack due to lack of access in their schools and homes.  Students attend sessions either held in community spaces where they are already comfortable, or online during COVID, where they are led through simple software development projects using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to lay the groundwork for programming and computational thinking skills.  This also provides an opportunity for students who have not had as much time on a computer to gain experience and increase their comfort level with the tools and technologies they'll need to be successful in the technology industry.  Upon completion, students will have gained confidence in their abilities, and know that they can enter our bootcamp on a level playing field with their classmates.  Furthermore, it allows students the opportunity to try out a new industry before committing financially, and to make fully informed career decisions.

We Can Code IT is committed to social equity through technology by providing industry-driven software development education.  We've already made a significant impact through inclusive teaching and admissions strategies, as well as internal scholarship and grant offerings, but we see too often that students who are capable of excelling in this industry choose not to start or complete the program because they feel unprepared.  Many local districts in the cities our campuses are located are only able to provide limited access to technology and computer science, software development, and computational thinking training, leaving students feeling uncomfortable stepping into this industry.  These students have the intelligence and raw talent to excel in this industry, but without opportunity to gain skills and understand of this field, they are hesitant to pursue it.  Pre-bootcamp is designed to offer students their first step into software development, and a chance to develop new skills in an inclusive and welcoming environment.  This program is hands on, so they can experience frequent small-wins as they learn to code, and, where possible, is held in spaces that are familiar to the students, so that they are in a safe space while stepping outside of their intellectual comfort zone.

This solution directly increases access and information to students and career changers in a low-risk environment.  Those who haven't had access to this technology or skillset in the past are offered the opportunity to try it out without a career-long commitment.  This serves both to increase access to high quality education opportunities, as well as promoting informed involvement in non-degree programs with proven results and outcomes.

Four full-time staff members are involved with this project, as well as 2 contractors.  This includes curriculum and community leads, as well as software development instructors.

We Can Code IT’s passion as an organization is to change the face of tech and to bring underrepresented groups to the table. Our goal is to have 70% of our student body come from underrepresented groups in tech, including women, people of color, and members of the LGBT community. 

Before our students enroll, we help those who might not otherwise have access to the education we provide, through linking eligible students to grants and loans, and offering internal scholarships for underrepresented or low-income students. Our dedicated Student Success Team works with students, helping them with networking and interview preparation, two skills underrepresented students may have otherwise found themselves lacking. 

Internally, the We Can Code IT team is always discussing new ways to help students who might be struggling purely because of their background. We also participate in regular cultural competency exercises to build our skills and understanding.

This solution is innovative because of the depth of support offered to students in gaining skills and making an informed decision about their future career pathway.  This program is offered to students with a consistent instruction team of developers, with 25+ hours of class time, and access to technology provided without pressure to enter a full program.  Additionally, this program is most innovative because of our approach of meeting our students where they are.  Students are provided laptops and access to software and internet during the program so that anyone who is interested has this opportunity, and, wherever possible, is offered in community spaces where students are likely to already feel comfortable.  We seek to partner with local organizations that already have the trust of their communities in order to ease worries of students are stepping well outside their comfort zone to try this out.  These strategies, as well as our team's commitment to inclusivity, have shown promising results as we've piloted this program.

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The video provided above shows our pilot pre-bootcamp program, delivered in the Fairfax Neighborhood in Cleveland, OH.  

This solution is still in it's early stages, but we're seeing promising results.  2 students from the initial pilot were able to enter into, and graduate, our full-stack software development bootcamp and enter into software development roles after graduation, and two others took the basic web-design skills learned and applied them to their current roles or to entrepreneurial pursuits.  This meets our goals not only of providing pathways into the software development industry, but also of providing them to fully informed students.  In 2020, approximately 33% of students who attended a pre-bootcamp session are currently enrolled in full-stack software development programs.

Existing problem:  Many members of our communities have the capacity to fill in-demand software development roles, but have not had the access or opportunity to step into those spaces.  Many organizations are looking to grow their teams of developers, and are committed to having diverse teams, but struggle to find those individuals prepared to enter the roles they need.

Desired state:  Students, particularly those from populations under-represented in technology, will have engaging and inclusive opportunities to explore the software development industry without financial risk, and those who discover a desire to pursue this work will have opportunity to enter and complete training on equal footing with classmates who may have had expanded access in their schools and homes.  Additionally, students who complete the introductory program and choose not to continue will have foundational skills that can be applied in a variety of industries, and will choose other pathways due to their own abilities and preferences, rather than being excluded before they've had those opportunities.

Change:  We need to offer these opportunities in a way that allows students to take advantage without a lot of risk.  They need to be inviting and inclusive, to meet the students where they are, to deliver content in ways that address all experience levels and learning styles, and they need to provide several positive outcomes, including a pathway into software development, or to other fields that can utilize the skills.  

In the next year, we hope to deliver monthly pre-bootcamp sessions to students considering entering the software development field, and to continuously build stronger partnerships in the communities we serve to spread information of our programming.  It is our intention that at least 33% of students to enter pre-bootcamp will choose to enter a software development certificate program and ultimately, become a software developer.  We strive to have 70% of our students come from groups underrepresented in the tech industry.

In 5 years we hope to be well on our way to helping 10,000 students complete software development training and enter this industry.  Our hope is that a program like pre-bootcamp will make this field accessible to many students who haven't had on-ramps to this industry previously.  

We face several challenges.  Financing is always a challenge, as we want to provide this opportunity to students regardless of their personal finances.  In particular, it can be challenging to provide students with the equipment and internet access they need, particularly during the current pandemic.  

Marketing is also a challenge.  We are asking students to take a chance on entering a field where they may have no role models currently, and don't see developers who look like them working, which we are seeking to change.  Finding the best way and places to attract students is a continued effort.

Finally, there are challenges with helping students get comfortable with technology on a more basic level.  Many students have had little access to computers, and need help with the basics of operating the equipment before they can get into even simple programming exercises.  While we do refer students to other opportunities for basic computer training, they are often difficult for students to access, and we'd like to be able to expand pre-bootcamp to support these efforts as well.

Financially, we continue to seek partnerships and grants in our communities to support pre-bootcamp, and to provide scholarships and grants to students who use the program as a springboard into training in the software development industry.  

Our marketing efforts continue to lean into working with, and expanding partner relationships in order to gain visibility for our programs.  Many organizations have been extremely welcoming in inviting us to speak to their constituents at events, and even through their own media sources, and they advocate for our programs individually.  We are excited for this to continue to grow.

We continue to search for partners to help with more basic computer skills for our students affordably.  We anticipate these opportunities increasing as we are able to attend classes and events in person moving forward.  Ideally, we'll be seeking out a partner who specializes in this area to assist.

Because the program is so new, we've had quite a bit of success in tracking short-term data on students who completed pre-bootcamp and chose to move forward with software development.  We don't currently have the capacity to track this data long term, but would like to see where these students are professionally several years out of training.  Additionally, we would like to track benefits and outcomes for students who completed pre-bootcamp, but did not choose to enter the software development industry.  It is our hope that these students are also benefiting from the experience, even if that success looks different than our main focus. 

We've been working to provide pathways to software development careers for underrepresented students for the past 5 years, and have helped several hundred graduates successfully enter this industry from a variety of careers and backgrounds.  We're excited to expand this success to students who many have overlooked in the past, and may be scared or hesitant to explore this option.  Most of our team have focused on inclusive education opportunities throughout our careers.

We currently partner with a number of local non-profits, as well as the Cleveland Neighborhood Transformation Initiative and Cleveland Foundation to help fund these efforts.  Our work with non-profits has been mostly focused on connecting with the constituents, while NTI and the Cleveland Foundation have been primary funding partners throughout this work.

Partners can help us overcome financial challenges of scaling this program, including assistance with providing technology and internet access to participants, with financing additional curriculum development opportunities, and seeking additional, qualified instructors to deliver this programming.

We also hope that partners can help in connections with organizations that can assist with providing basic computer training to help students prepare for more work with a computer and programming.

Finally, we hope that partners can assist with ideas and resources for spreading information regarding this offering so that more students are able to benefit from this opportunity.

We hope to continuously expand partnerships to work with organizations that will open this opportunity to more students, and can help provide opportunity, space, and support for this program in their communities.  We also hope to develop partnerships to help with more basic computer skills that our students may be lacking upon entering into our programs.

We don't have specific targets right now.  We've worked very closely with partners in our local communities with quite a bit of success, but would be very interested in guidance and suggestions on organizations that can assist with both financing and expanding our reach.