There’s a lot to rave about when it comes to Nucamp Coding Bootcamp; its innovative learning model, flexible financing options, solid e-learning platform, and leadership formed through years of expertise. Nucamp was initially established to fill in the market gaps, making tech education accessible to enthusiasts located in areas often overlooked by other bootcamps.
The school, founded by former Microsoft executive Ludovic Fourrage in 2017, also offers arguably the most affordable coding lessons in the US—from just $349. In spite of this, quality takes front and center at Nucamp. The school employs talented local professionals who share a passion for teaching, making it possible to keep tuition low. Read more about Nucamp instructors here.
“Nucamp is a solution that people are looking for because we are the only bootcamp that is truly affordable, flexible, and accessible in many cities across the US. Our price point is only 15% of traditional bootcamp average tuitions and our students can actually take our bootcamp while continuing to work.
“What gets me excited every morning is talking to our students and hearing from them how we have helped change their lives…With Nucamp, I can see the direct impact on individuals and their families. They now have access to better opportunities,” co-founder Mr. Karim El Naggar said.
Nucamp offers three courses: Web Development Fundamentals (Beginner), Front End Web and Mobile Development (Advanced), and Full Stack Web and Mobile Development (Advanced)—all below $2,000. Prospective students are recommended to take a quiz to determine their level and subsequently, find a program that suits their existing skills.
The school is well on its way to train 7,000 students in 2020 in over 170 cities across the nation. This is an impressive jump from 700 students in the previous year, which says a lot about the school’s credibility.
With that said, this article is going to take a closer look at what students and graduates have to say about their Nucamp experiences, and hopefully find the answers to all your questions about the school.
What Students Love About Nucamp
As previously mentioned, there is a lot to love about the school. Everything that we’ve heard about the school seems to be ticking all right boxes. However, the question remains, “Can Nucamp truly deliver?” According to tech aspirants who are either currently enrolled or have graduated from the school, the answer is a resounding yes.
Affordable and flexible programs that suit everyone—even new mothers
Maiko Kuroki is one of the thousands of flight attendants worldwide affected by the pandemic. Several months ago she was on maternity leave but uncertainty from Covid-19 forced the airline to extend her leave until September 2021. Although she has no tech background, she decided to take up coding in the hopes of launching a new career.
“I am currently on unpaid leave and my job security is threatened because of the whole situation. I knew I needed to find a new career in a field that is resilient and that is tech. I looked at a few bootcamps and by far, Nucamp was the most affordable school. On top of that, the school received a lot of great reviews.
“When I was starting the bootcamp, my son was only six months old so I needed flexibility with the classes. With Nucamp’s online course, I was able to take the classes anywhere, anytime. That was the biggest selling point for me as a new mother,” she said.
Ms. Kuroki also added that her experience was made better with the help of Nucamp’s talented and highly responsive instructors, along with the encouragement she received from her peers.
“Overall I am very satisfied with Nucamp. The school gives a proper guide on how to learn effectively. Having a designated teacher is nice, too. When you have questions during the week, you always have someone to refer to and the instructor responds quickly. Having classmates’ support is a big plus as well.
“Since this is a bootcamp, we learn a lot in a short period of time. Having no tech background, I was learning something new every day so there were many times where I was confused. But my instructor was very engaging and encouraging, she told me that it’s okay to feel lost as long as you keep learning. I did. In the end, I was able to build an app for my favorite coffee shop!”
Nucamp is invested in your success
Brendan Roman is a freelance web developer with a background in operations management, training and education, and psychology. Prior to enrolling, Mr. Roman was skeptical about Nucamp, especially since the price point is significantly lower than its competitors. After a month of research, he decided to give it a go due to the positive reviews from current and previous students.
“All I can say is I’m so happy with my decision to enroll at Nucamp. I personally feel as though my investment was very much worth it,” he said.
He particularly raved about Nucamp’s Slack channel which consisted of students and staff that genuinely care about each other’s success. This, he said, was the support that he never knew he needed.
“The enthusiasm, positivity, compassion, inclusivity, and quality of the instructors and community coaches completely blew me away from day one. I’m not someone who is particularly good at networking, but I found myself overwhelmed by the amount of support I received from instructors and other students who were further along than I was.
“I was making connections very easily because instructors and peers were naturally interested in helping others. I made very good friends with instructors and peers, and can’t understate how valuable it is to have other people on the same page as you. So many people were invested in my success, and that kind of kindness is contagious. It’s why I learned so fast, why I didn’t quit when things got hard, and why I was inspired to become an instructor.”
Overwhelming support from the entire Nucamp community
Lina Jehane is a cancer researcher at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in NYC. With a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, coding was completely new to Ms. Jehane. Just like any other tech newcomer, she was struggling to tackle the challenges that come with coding and came close to giving up. She then had a change of heart after receiving encouragement from peers and instructors.
“I remember in my first month, I had a moment of doubt and I was not sure if I will be able to finish the fundamental course. I shared my doubts in the Slack channel and everyone—from my teachers to my classmates and everyone else in the community—responded with positive words and were really supportive. At that moment I realized how important it is to have a great community of support that can encourage and motivate you at such a fragile moment,” she said.
After completing Nucamp’s fundamental course, Ms. Jehane found that the learning model and the classroom environment really helped her find her footing in tech and decided to pursue an advanced course at the same school. She is currently enrolled in the Full Stack Web and Mobile Development course while working at the cancer center.
“At first, I did not believe the price and I had to really look at the syllabus. I compared Nucamp’s with other bootcamps’ that are charging over $20k and they are really similar!
“Above all that, Nucamp is flexible. Most of us have full-time jobs and raising kids so it’d be impossible to do a bootcamp full-time. Nucamp provides this chance of learning while maintaining other responsibilities. My experience here has been great.”
A collaborative environment, made possible with the hybrid learning model
Brandon Curtsinger is an online grocery pickup order filler for Walmart, with a background in general labor at Keystone RV. He graduated from Nucamp’s Full Stack Web Development program and couldn’t be more excited about a future in tech. He said that the collaborative and responsive environment not only groomed him into a better techie but also improved some aspects of his interpersonal skills.
“I really enjoyed the way they actually took the feedback we submit after each week. An example would be that we asked for them to add additional challenges/videos when the studies were extra tough and the next week or two they had added extra,” he said.
“Another example is that they started introducing breakout rooms, where they take the students from the class and make two groups do the workshop assignments together. It really helped open us up to what it will be like in the real world coding at a job!
“Also it helped me open up and feel a part of the conversation when discussing code. But to take the feedback and help the students learn better and be more interactive is a great way to teach,” he added.
Mr. Curtsinger said he managed to follow the lessons, complete a final project that benefitted a local business, and walk away from Nucamp with invaluable technical skills, all thanks to the well-informed instructors who are also industry experts.
“I would absolutely recommend Nucamp to anyone trying to broaden their knowledge as well as careers. The teachers for me were very knowledgeable (Evan Daly, in particular) and filled the gaps on parts that I was struggling with.
“When you have that “AH HA!” moment, it feels pretty good. The gain from a bootcamp isn’t just through the bootcamp but after as well. The information they give is all accessible after you graduate. The people you meet are just as great.
What Does It Take to Ace a Coding Bootcamp?
You’ve probably heard this more than once—coding is difficult. This makes perfect sense because ultimately you’re trying to learn new languages to communicate with computers and to get them to perform the tasks that you are trying to accomplish.
So, what does it take to successfully launch a rewarding tech career through bootcamp education? According to Nucamp graduates, it’s dedication and hard work. They also recommend putting your doubts aside, raise your hand, and ask for help when needed.
“Programming is hard work, and the learning curve is no joke. A mentor constantly reminds me that if learning to program was easy, the job market would be oversaturated with developers, and the pay wouldn’t be nearly as good. Everyone would do it!
“I’ll say that you will truly get out of any bootcamp what you put into it. The same goes for Nucamp. Everyone learns at a different pace, and for me, I had to really grind and spend time googling, trouble-shooting, and asking questions outside of the scope of my class,” Mr. Brendan Roman said.
Echoing the same sentiment, Ms. Lina Jehane said: “Be patient and try to learn at your own pace and keep in mind that coding is not easy, so do not give up so easily. Make sure to surround yourself with a great community and teachers.”
Meanwhile, Ms. Maiko Kuraki said research is very important. She also stressed the importance of outlining your personal and career goals before finding the right resources that can help you achieve them.
“Do your research on what language you want to learn first. Think about your career plan, pick the company you want to work for, and then research which language is used or required by the company.”
Do You Have What It Takes?
The answer is yes. Nucamp has a welcoming policy that encourages tech enthusiasts from all walks of life to pursue their dream careers. With unmatched affordability, flexibility, and support, you, too, can join Nucamp and get the skills you need for a rewarding career in tech. The school also has an impressive track record—78% of its graduates have found employment just three months after the bootcamp—so rest assured, you’re in safe hands
Jumpstart Your Career With Nucamp
Nucamp is committed to be with you every step of the way. The number speaks for itself: the school boasts a 75% graduation rate in the last two cohorts. Now, Nucamp graduates can take advantage of the school’s newly-announced career-related initiatives to get one step closer to their dream careers:
1:1 Career Coaches
Upon graduation, students will be connected to a career coach who can guide them on their job search process. This includes resume tips, interview preparation, optimization of LinkedIn profiles, and more. Nucamp Career Coaches are also highly-experienced instructors who were rigorously vetted.
Exclusive Job Board
Every month, the school reaches out to 1,000 companies—from large to small-to-medium sized—to curate jobs for its graduates that are a good match for junior developer positions. This ensures graduates get exclusive access to job vacancies.
Monthly Hackathons
To promote life-long learning, Nucamp is collaborating with Mintbean, a software developer talent incubator, to organize online hackathons so its graduates can continue to build their technical skills even after graduating.
These additions, the school said, were also an immediate response to the widespread job loss triggered by the pandemic. Co-founder and CEO Mr. Fourrage said that he hoped the extra reinforcements will ease the transition into tech, especially for career shifters.
“At Nucamp, we want to help those most harmed by the pandemic to find new careers in software development. Doing that requires that we go beyond access to affordable higher education, but also help students get the job they want. That’s why we’re excited to announce new job placement and training services for added competitive advantage.”
If you’re interested to learn more about the school, read our Deep Dive: Nucamp article or head on over to the school’s website. All you have to do is click “interested” on a bootcamp and an Advisor will be reaching out to you shortly.
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.
