How to Attend a Coding Bootcamp While Working Full-Time

If you’ve been paying attention to the business world over the last decade or so, you’ve seen how important programming skills can be. Web development bootcamps are a great way to get those skills, but it can be tough to attend coding bootcamp while working full-time. Knowing how to manage your time at a coding bootcamp while working can help you get valuable training without compromising your finances. 

This article will help you develop a plan for making it through coding bootcamp while employed full-time. In this guide, you’ll get advice on selecting a coding bootcamp and financial arrangement that work with your income. We also give you some crucial tips on how to achieve a good work-life balance so you can maintain a healthy personal and professional life.

Attending a Coding Bootcamp While Working Full-Time

Attending a coding bootcamp while working full-time is challenging. While bootcamps offer students flexible learning schedules, such as remote, part-time programs, the coursework for bootcamp courses is incredibly time-consuming. Furthermore, coding bootcamps are costly, whether it be tuition costs, cost of living, or both. 

If you have a full-time job and are interested in upskilling or career switching, you should consider attending a part-time coding bootcamp while working. You must pick a program with a schedule that won’t get in the way of your job. However, not only do bootcamps have an intense workload, but they also require learners to spend a number of hours outside of the classroom too.

Create a Schedule

If you are working full-time and plan on attending a coding bootcamp, you will need to create a realistic schedule to help you plan your time. A good schedule will ensure you don’t fall behind in your studies or lose your job. Finally, when planning a schedule, you must consider downtime, so you don’t suffer from burnout.

Plan Out Your Finances

Coding bootcamps can have high tuition costs. Furthermore, you may be required to buy resources such as books or programming software. While working full-time, you will have to carefully manage your finances. Luckily coding bootcamps offer flexible payment options, such as monthly installments. These payment plans are a fantastic option if you need to take the pressure off so you can focus on your studies.

One of the best options for learners who need some assistance covering costs is income share agreements (ISAs). ISAs allow bootcamp graduates to pay back tuition costs when they land a programming job that will net them enough to pay back bootcamp costs. This allows you to use your full-time job to pay cost-of-living expenses. 

Make Time for Your Personal Life

When you get into a coding bootcamp, you’ll likely find yourself feeling overwhelmed at first. Bootcamps cover a lot of material in a short space of time. Even part-time coding bootcamps are intense and demand a lot from learners.

You’ve got to stay emotionally healthy to do well in bootcamp. That means getting enough rest time. Making time for family and friends will improve your ability to train while you continue to work full-time. You can also let potential employers know about your work-life balance and time management skills.

Tell Your Supervisor

You should discuss your educational and career goals with your supervisor at work. Some full-time positions will encourage you to attend bootcamps and upskill. However, even if you plan on a career switch, you must discuss it with your boss. If they are understanding, they may allow you more time off and understand if you are occasionally late for work.

In some cases, employers will even help you pay for your bootcamp if the skilled instruction is relevant to your job. If you already work in the tech industry or an adjacent field, check with your supervisor to see if they offer extra support or financing options.

Be Realistic

Do not put too much pressure on yourself. Learning programming from scratch is no easy task. Balancing a full-time job, a personal life, and a coding bootcamp is very difficult. If you are struggling, don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you fall behind in your bootcamp program, don’t be afraid to talk to your supervisor or mentor.

Life commitments often get in the way of career goals, so you should be realistic about the extra time you need to attend to those. A bootcamp mentor or prospective employer will appreciate your honesty, and communication is always an effective option for change.

Best Coding Bootcamps for Working Professionals

A coding bootcamp for working professionals will offer flexible programs. If you have a full-time job, you will have to enroll in part-time coding bootcamps. Classes for these courses take place on weekday evenings and weekends. There are also self-paced bootcamps which are ideal for those working full-time, especially if your job isn’t nine to five. Continue reading for the best coding bootcamps while working full-time.

Flatiron School

• Cost: $16,900
• Format: Online, in-person, hybrid, full-time, part-time, self-paced
• Topics covered: Software engineering, data science, cyber security, product design

Flatiron School offers students multiple learning programs in a variety of formats. Their flexible part-time programs are ideal for full-time professionals and allow students to set their own schedules. These part-time programs use asynchronous learning, but students can still interact with instructors and peers using Slack. 

Le Wagon

• Cost: $10,000 to $10,400
• Format: Online, in-person, hybrid, full-time, part-time, self-paced
• Topics covered: Web development, data science

Le Wagon offers small classroom sizes, real-world projects, and lifetime access. Learners can study online or in person across 40 different locations worldwide. Both bootcamp programs come with 40 hours of prep classes to ensure students of all levels are prepared for the intense learning programs on offer.

Kenzie Academy

• Cost: $10,000 – $20,000
• Format: Online, full-time, part-time, self-paced
• Topics covered: Software engineering, UX design, full stack web development, cyber security

Kenzie Academy offers online education that is ideal for learners with full-time jobs. The curriculum for each course at Kenzie focuses on both the current and future needs of the industry. All classes are led by tech professionals to teach students in-demand technical and soft skills required for professional roles within tech.

Careerist

• Cost: $3,799 to $4,499
• Format: Online, part-time, self-paced
• Topics covered: Manual quality assurance (QA), QA automatic, tech sales, sales engineering 

This tech school offers life-changing education and practical training and promises to land students a career in tech. Careerist offers a full refund to learners who fail to land a job in tech within one year of graduation. The instructors have real-world industry experience and have worked at top companies such as Facebook and Google.

General Assembly

• Cost: Up to $15,950
• Format: Online, in-person, hybrid, full-time, part-time, self-paced 
• Topics covered: Business, career development, coding, data, design, marketing

General Assembly is committed to teaching in-demand skills and turning students into leading-edge talents. Clients and hiring partners include Google, Microsoft, and Visa. Each course provides students with mentorship from industry professionals. Furthermore, part-time learning can be taken online or on-campus and provides full-time professionals with flexible schedules.

Test Pro

• Cost: $2,500
• Format: Online, in-person, part-time
• Topics covered: Software QA, software development engineers in test (SDET)

Test Pro uses real-world projects, hands-on experience, and extensive career services to train students as professional quality assurance testers. This school also offers a higher-level course in SDET for current QA professionals looking to upskill. Full-time employees can take advantage of part-time, online classes and a short intensive time commitment.

Nucamp

• Cost: $458 to $5,445
• Format: Online, part-time, self-paced
• Topics covered: Web development, backend development, front end development, full stack development, software engineering 

Nucamp offers flexible classes that run part-time or on weekends. This adaptable schedule is perfect for full-time workers looking to break into tech or upskill. Nucamp is incredibly affordable and has multiple payment plans to allow you to learn with no risk. Online bootcamps group students together locally to allow real-time interaction and better communication.

Hack Reactor

• Cost: $17,980
• Format: Online, full-time, part-time, 
• Topics covered: Software engineering, Python, JavaScript

Hack Reactor offers an intensive software engineering bootcamp. The course can be taken as a 36-week part-time program. Classes are instructor-led and take place on weekday evenings or weekends for a total of 11 hours of class time. This flexibility is perfect for full-time professionals looking to enroll in immersive bootcamps.

The Tech Academy

• Cost: $5,300 to $11,660
• Format: Online, in-person, hybrid, full-time, part-time, self-paced
• Topics covered: Software development, cyber security, front end web development, Python, C#, .NET

The Tech Academy offers a wide range of bootcamps with flexible schedules for busy full-time professionals. The excellent bootcamps teach students in-demand skills, and the online programs offer the same level of education as in-person courses. The self-paced learning is a great option for full-time workers and allows them to study on their own schedule.

Ironhack

• Cost: $7,500 to $12,500
• Format: Format: Online, in-person, full-time, part-time, 
• Topics covered: Web development, UX/UI design, data analytics, cyber security

Ironhack has a massive community on Slack for online learners that offers access to professional networks. Furthermore, online students can interact with peers, TAs, and instructors via Zoom. The curriculum for each bootcamp at Ironhack is frequently updated, and the school promises a diverse learning environment.

Other Ways to Make Money While in a Coding Bootcamp

• Find a paid internship. One of the best ways to make money while in a coding bootcamp is to apply for paid internships. If you can find an internship opportunity in your field of study, it will also help you practice the technical skills you learn. Furthermore, once you graduate from coding bootcamp, you may be able to turn your internship into a full-time job.
• Apply for scholarships. Scholarships are typically available for low-income or underrepresented students. For example, Women Who Code often has scholarships for women who want to break into tech. Scholarships can pay for a portion or the entirety of your tuition. They may also include stipends for cost-of-living. 
• Pick a bootcamp that offers stipends. Some bootcamps such as Thinkful not only offer students deferred tuition but also include monthly stipends to help them pay for expenses such as food and housing. Students pay these costs back when they find employment in the industry.
• Talk to your employer. If you have a full-time job, you can talk to your employer and ask about getting reduced hours without having to quit your job. You might be able to go down to part-time hours or just work on the weekends to allow you to focus on your studies and complete your bootcamp quicker.
• Use freelancing websites. Coding students can use websites like Fiverr and Upwork to find freelance work. You can even use these sites to find simple coding work to help you gain real-world experience as well as make some money. You can use these hands-on projects for your portfolio as well.

Should I Have a Job During My Coding Bootcamp?

You should have a job during coding bootcamp if you need money for tuition or living expenses. While some bootcamps offer flexible payment options such as deferred payment, students will still need some sort of income to live off during their studies. After that, most bootcamp students earn a high annual salary in a wide variety of jobs.

Managing coding bootcamp while working full-time is challenging and will require you to look at part-time bootcamps. If you want to enroll in a full-time program, you should look at reducing your work hours to go part-time. Furthermore, there are other ways to make money and help pay for education, such as scholarships and deferred stipends.

Attending a Coding Bootcamp While Working Full-Time: FAQ