The explosion of globalisation in the 21st Century, alongside ever-increasing access to electricity and the internet, means that job markets around the world are becoming saturated by millions of potential workers. It is not uncommon for businesses based in one country to hire employees who live around the world, and this is largely thanks to these advancements in communications technology. This means that, before even potential AI replacement is considered, the level of competitiveness in the job market will just keep rising.
What are Bootcamps?
Both people that are already working, as well as those just entering the world of work, are faced with higher competition than ever before. Everyone, regardless of the sector they are in, requires effective education to upskill and remain competitive – and as a response, vocational course providers are popping up everywhere, both online and in-person. This new model of education, dubbed “bootcamps”, provides these individuals with an accessible and realistic opportunity to improve their career prospects, whether that is brushing up on existing skills and knowledge, or learning a whole new set of skills.
Online bootcamps are focused and specialised part-time courses, delivered to participants over the span of usually 2-6 months. Students on these courses tend to complete them alongside their existing work, as evening or weekend classes, and they are designed to be manageable at this level of engagement. This ‘blended learning’ approach massively increases the attractiveness of such courses, as it provides people with the opportunity to learn flexibly and from wherever they are already based (there’s no need to relocate to complete an online course!)
Together with the completion of all classes and modules, students are expected to complete various assessments throughout the course, and these are used to determine success or failure – much like they would be at college, or university. Whilst they tend to adopt a blended learning approach, bootcamps still offer students a structured programme, which is – for most people – not possible when simply learning alone. This structured course design promotes motivation and interaction, and therefore the chances of success.
In short: Online Bootcamps are short-term, intensive courses, designed to promote relevant job skills for the sector they pertain to. Students of these courses can expect to engage in a part-time, but thorough, learning experience, leading to improved career prospects at the point of completion.
Why are online Bootcamps a good idea?
Whilst there are bootcamps out there that are relevant to a variety of sectors, digital and tech skills are the most commonly used. Being an essential part of how the world – particularly the world of business – functions in this ‘digital age,’ organisations claim there to be a “skills crisis” in the sector, with not enough university and college graduates with relevant experience entering the field.
According to some sources, because of this, tech companies are now putting more emphasis on applicants with bootcamp education rather than college and university graduates alone. This is largely because the bootcamp courses are designed specifically with the job market in mind, leaving students of these with more relevant practical skills than their graduate counterparts. In addition to this (and indeed emphasising the point) is the fact that some bootcamp providers offer to students guaranteed interviews with companies in the digital and tech sectors upon completion of the courses.
Conclusions
Bootcamp courses are created and delivered with the key skills of the relevant sector in mind. They are completed over the course of months, rather than years, and when compared to university or college courses, often provide the students who complete them with a direct line into the job market.
With so many course providers now operating around the globe, choosing the right course can be a daunting task, plagued with questions and potential pitfalls. So, while enrolling for an online bootcamp may be a great idea, actually finding the right course can be challenging for the uninitiated.