CLEVELAND- Jobs in the technology field are growing.
According to the most recent data available from the non-profit trade association CompTIA, there were more than 11.5 million tech workers in the United States in 2017.
That’s up nearly two percent from the previous year.
One avenue that’s helping people earn some of the skills needed for some of the gigs in that industry are coding boot camps.
- Bootcamps aim to grow skills in computer coding
- Computer Coding Bootcamps are offered at Case Western Reserve University
- The 24-week program costs $11,000
Northeast Ohio resident Mark Piscioneri is one of roughly 30 students currently enrolled in a 24-week part time course at Case Western Reserve University that aims to grow or sharpen people's computer coding skills.
“I want to get ahead of that curve, knowing that I still have a lot of hopefully viable years ahead of me in terms of earning and learning," Piscioneri said. "So I just wanted to have that opportunity to really give my family options, and that’s what it comes down to.”
Nearly 200 people have graduated from the school's boot camps since 2017.
It’s structured so people can balance a demanding workload with other commitments in their life -- and, of course, there’s that one familiar constant that comes along with school.
“There is homework every week and it is a very rapid class," said instructor Doug Parsons. "It’s very quick. So students by the end of the 24 weeks, they are tired. But it is a very rewarding thing, and the reality of it is the field itself requires that. You’re always going to be learning, it’s not stagnant.”
Bootcamp officials said one of the goals is to help cities like Cleveland boost their tech workforces and bridge a skills gap.
Case’s program is part of a national trend.
According to tech ed website Course Report, 20,000 people have graduated from the more than 100 boot camps across the country since the first programs were launched in 2012.
While CWRU doesn’t release their job placement rates, instructor Parsons said they do ultimately help students find jobs.
“Reality of it is, we can’t give you a job, coding is something that is a skill," he said. "But what we do is we find companies that are in need of people with those skills and get you down the path to get hired by them.”
The pricetag of the program clocks in around $11,000.
Graduates earn a certification of completion when they finish.
Case Western’s latest boot camp begins Monday.