Podcast Summary
Quickly adapting to uncertain times in education: Juno College of Technology pivoted to online learning in March 2020, allowing them to continue providing valuable programming boot camps and continuing education courses to students during the pandemic.
Adaptability is key in the world of education, especially during uncertain times. Heather Payne, the founder and CEO of Juno College of Technology, shared her experience of quickly pivoting to online learning when the COVID-19 crisis hit. With the help of a team member who raised the alarm early on, Juno was able to start making contingency plans in February 2020. By March, they had fully transitioned to remote learning. This quick adaptation allowed Juno to continue providing valuable programming boot camps and continuing education courses to students despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. Payne also reflected on the role of boot camps during a recession, emphasizing their ability to provide job-ready skills in a short time frame. With a team of around 35 full-time employees and a 12,000 square foot campus in downtown Toronto, Juno has come a long way since its founding in 2012. Through it all, Payne has gained invaluable experience, from building a startup with no outside capital to participating in Y Combinator. The latest crisis has presented yet another interesting challenge, but Payne is excited to continue finding solutions and adapting to the ever-changing educational landscape.
Pivoting to online classes during school closures: Quick adaptation to online learning allowed a coding bootcamp to expand its reach and continue providing high-quality education, now planning to offer it permanently.
The unexpected closure of local schools due to the pandemic forced a coding bootcamp to pivot quickly to online classes, challenging their identity but ultimately expanding their reach and ensuring the continuity of their high-quality educational experience. Despite initial resistance to online learning, the team was able to adapt and replicate their in-person experience virtually within a matter of days. The transition was successful, and the bootcamp now plans to offer online classes as a permanent part of their future offerings. This shift not only allows them to help individuals outside their local area but also reaffirms their belief in delivering a top-notch educational experience.
Boot camp evolves to prepare students for corporate roles: Boot camp adapts to industry trends and student goals, focusing on JavaScript, React, and job placement
The boot camp curriculum has evolved significantly over the years, with a focus on JavaScript, React, and tooling. The decision to incorporate new technologies is based on experimentation, industry trends, and the career goals of the students. Initially, the boot camp aimed to prepare students for freelance work, but as graduates began securing full-time developer positions, the focus shifted to job transformation. The switch from WordPress to React was a result of this shift, as React is more suitable for corporate development roles. The boot camp places great emphasis on tracking placement rates and providing career support to ensure student success.
Boot camps adapt to industry changes: Boot camps quickly respond to industry changes through data-driven decisions and selective admissions, ensuring high-quality education and long-term sustainability
A boot camp's ability to quickly adapt and change based on employment outcomes sets it apart from traditional university programs. The boot camp's outcomes team collects data on job placement rates and speaks with employers to understand why graduates were not hired. This information is then used by the curriculum team to make decisions on what to add or remove from the program. This iterative process allows the boot camp to respond to industry changes in a matter of months, compared to the years it takes for universities to see the effects of program changes. The boot camp's selective admissions process ensures a high quality of students, allowing the business to sustain itself for the long term. The boot camp's size and growth are consistent with its capacity to maintain a high standard of education.
Juno's Student Body and Sanity's Role: Juno serves diverse industries, attracts career changers seeking fulfillment, and Sanity offers a flexible CMS for data-driven app development
Juno is a coding bootcamp with a diverse student body, serving industries heavily impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, such as retail, restaurant, music, and aviation. The typical student profile is individuals under 40 years old, making less than 50k prior to joining Juno, and seeking a career change due to dissatisfaction with their previous jobs. Juno's graduates share a common thread of not wanting to settle, making the alumni community unique and dynamic. Sanity, a sponsor of Juno, offers a structured content CMS for headless front ends, allowing developers to host their data and build custom back ends using technologies like GraphQL API and Grok. By using Sanity, developers can have a prebuilt admin tool with the flexibility to code their own components and validation, making it an attractive option for building data-driven applications.
Reporting accurate and comparable outcomes data in coding bootcamps: Transparency through reporting frameworks like SIR helps students compare bootcamps and build trust in the industry, while Juno's consistent employment rates provide assurance.
Transparency and external validation are crucial in the post-graduate experience for coding bootcamps. Wes from Juno College discussed the importance of reporting accurate and comparable outcomes data, which was previously lacking in the industry. The Council for Integrity in Results Reporting (SIR) emerged as a nonprofit body that created a framework for bootcamps to report on their results, allowing for fair comparisons. Juno joined SIR and began submitting reports, providing transparency to students and helping build trust in the industry. Juno's pre-COVID target was 70% employment by 3 months and 90% employment by 6 months after graduation, which they consistently achieved. The impact of COVID on placement rates is uncertain, but Juno aims to minimize the decrease and regain their market-leading placement rate once the crisis passes. This level of transparency is essential as there are numerous coding bootcamps, and it can be challenging for students to determine which ones to trust. Inflated claims from some bootcamps make it vital for students to have access to reliable and accurate data.
Consider hard data when choosing a coding bootcamp: Evaluate graduation rates, job placement statistics, and independent job search skills to make informed bootcamp decisions
When considering joining a coding bootcamp, it's important to look at hard data such as graduation rates and job placement statistics to make an informed decision. While personal experiences and alumni testimonials are valuable, data provides an objective perspective on the bootcamp's success rate. Additionally, the interview preparation process for web developers involves tracking job search progress in a spreadsheet, setting activity targets, and learning how to find job opportunities independently, rather than relying on the bootcamp to deliver jobs directly. This approach equips graduates with lifelong skills and increases their chances of finding employment after completing the program.
Applying to a high volume of jobs daily and weekly increases your chances of securing interviews: Aim for 2-4 job applications per day and 10-20 per week to boost your job search success and maintain momentum, while also utilizing the support and accountability of a job search boot camp.
The key to a successful job search in today's competitive market is to apply to a high volume of job applications daily and weekly. The speaker suggests aiming for 2-4 applications per day, which equates to 10-20 applications per week. By doing so, you'll increase your chances of securing phone interviews and maintaining the momentum of your job search. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of accountability and support during the job search process, which is often provided by joining a boot camp. These camps not only help you stay on track with your application numbers but also offer interview preparation and tips to give you an edge in the hiring process. By focusing on the numbers game and having a support system, you can increase your chances of finding a job and feeling confident throughout the process.
Follow up on applications and show enthusiasm to increase chances of getting hired: Small professional gestures like following up on applications and demonstrating enthusiasm can make a big difference in the job application process. Stay informed about resources and support to navigate employment challenges.
Making a good impression during the job application process goes beyond just having the necessary skills. Small professional gestures, such as following up on applications and demonstrating enthusiasm, can significantly increase the chances of getting hired. It's unfortunate that these actions are necessary, but they can set applicants apart and signal to employers that they are dedicated and reliable employees. In the current economic climate, with fewer people looking at job applications due to layoffs and increased workloads, these small actions become even more important for standing out in a positive way. Additionally, in response to the current job market, it's essential for recent graduates to stay informed about available resources and support, such as the Canada Emergency Student Subsidy, to help navigate the challenges of finding employment.
Financial support for recent Canadian graduates: The Canadian gov't offers a CAD 1,250 monthly benefit to graduates from May-Aug 2021. Employers receive wage subsidies to hire graduates, and graduates can take on flexible employment options.
The Canadian government is providing financial support to recent graduates, including those from coding bootcamps, in the form of a CAD 1,250 monthly benefit from May to August 2021. This comes as the job market is expected to take longer to recover from the COVID-19 crisis, and graduates may face challenges finding full-time employment right away. To further support graduates, there are wage subsidies available to employers, making it more appealing for them to hire recent graduates. Additionally, there's a shift towards being more flexible with graduates' employment options, allowing them to take on shorter contracts, freelance projects, or part-time jobs. The ultimate goal is to help graduates gain experience and continue learning while they wait for the economy to improve and the demand for skilled workers to increase.
A promising career path despite economic challenges: Despite economic difficulties, web development offers long-term benefits and job security. The shift to online businesses and services post-pandemic brings new opportunities. Income share agreements provide an affordable entry point.
Despite the current challenging economic climate, becoming a web developer remains a promising career path due to the increasing demand for online services and systems. This period of transition may be difficult, but the long-term benefits and job security are significant. Furthermore, the ongoing shift towards online businesses and services post-pandemic is expected to bring about a boom in new opportunities. Additionally, income share agreements offer a flexible and affordable payment option for those seeking to enter the field of web development. Overall, the future looks bright for those willing to invest in their education and adapt to the changing economic landscape.
Flexible Payment Option: Income Share Agreements: Students pay a small upfront fee and make percentage-based monthly payments after earning a certain salary, with payments pausing if income drops. The goal is to make 24 payments within 5 years, after which no more payments are due.
The school offers income share agreements as an alternative to upfront tuition payment. With an income share agreement, students pay a dollar upfront and then make monthly payments equal to a percentage of their income once they earn over a certain salary. The payments pause if their income drops below the threshold. The goal is for students to make 24 payments within a 5-year period, after which no more payments are due. The school currently funds a limited number of ISAs from its profits and is launching a "pay what you can" ISA option. This innovation allows students to pay a portion of the tuition upfront and reduce their future payments accordingly. The income share agreement model offers flexibility and reduces financial burden for students, especially during uncertain economic times.
Juno College's New Flexible Income Share Agreement Model: Juno College introduces a flexible ISA model, enabling wider access to tech education by offering lower ISAs and a calculator to determine total investment.
Juno College has introduced a more flexible Income Share Agreement (ISA) model, which extends their budget and allows them to help more students by offering lower ISAs. This innovative and student-friendly approach, launching on the 28th, enables individuals to access Juno's tech education programs regardless of their upfront financial capabilities. By providing a calculator on their website, potential students can determine their total investment. This new ISA model is a significant step towards increasing socioeconomic diversity in their programs and bringing tech education to a broader audience. Juno College now offers free online workshops for those interested in exploring their programs further.
Choosing the right coding bootcamp: Curriculum, instructors, alumni, and ownership matter: Consider a bootcamp's curriculum, instructors, alumni, and ownership for a quality learning experience. Support companies that prioritize student success and use tools like Sentry.io for error tracking and logging.
When choosing a coding bootcamp, the curriculum and the people teaching it are of the utmost importance. The quality of a bootcamp can vary greatly, and being owner-operated ensures a vested interest in students' success. Additionally, considering the alumni community and the background of the bootcamp's ownership are essential factors. The speaker emphasized the importance of supporting companies that prioritize their students' learning. Furthermore, using tools like Sentry.io for error tracking and logging can significantly improve the quality of code produced during and after bootcamp training.
Team shares 'sick picks' for effective tools: Century.i0 team members discuss and recommend helpful tools for communication, collaboration, and productivity during their meetings, such as Whereby.com, Zoom, and Istat Menu.
Century.i0 offers a variety of features catering to different team members, including marketers, GitHub managers, and developers. During their team meetings, they share "sick picks" - recommendations for helpful tools or items. Heather suggested Whereby.com, a virtual office collaboration tool that allows real-time Google Doc editing and face-to-face communication. They also use Zoom for online classes. Another team member shared their upgrade from a quart to a gallon cold brew maker, emphasizing their appreciation for the product. Lastly, they shared Istat Menu, a Mac application for monitoring CPU, GPU, and network usage. During the meeting, they also shared their personal projects and websites, including Heather's new website, westboss.com. Overall, the team values effective communication, collaboration, and productivity tools to enhance their team's work experience.
Explore Figma and Juno for tech skill development: Figma offers design system courses, while Juno provides flexible continuing education options for various tech skills
Both Figma and Juno offer valuable resources for individuals looking to level up their skills in various areas of technology, from design systems to web development, JavaScript, full stack, UX, and data science. Figma's design system course equips learners with the tools to create robust design systems, making it accessible for those who may not consider themselves designers. Meanwhile, Juno's continuing education courses offer flexible learning options for those who prefer evening or weekend classes. These platforms provide opportunities for individuals to expand their knowledge and potentially advance their careers. So, whether you're new to design or looking to enhance your existing tech skills, consider checking out Figma and Juno's offerings.
