The Best Online Tech Certificate Programs

An online certificate program might be the best option for a young professional looking to enter or advance their career in the tech industry. 

Taking an online certificate program has many advantages, such as more flexibility and less financial strain.

However, it’s not always easy to find an online program that is right for you and also credible within the tech industry. The cost of the program, student learning outcomes, future job opportunities, the length of the courses and class sizes are all topics that need to be considered when searching for an online program. 

We have compiled a list here of the best online tech certificate programs to make it even easier for you to choose a program and launch the next step in your tech career.  

1. Bloc: Bloc sets itself apart from other coding bootcamps by allowing its students to work at their own pace. Additionally, students can juggle their busy lives and lessons through the flexibility of the engineering and UX/UI design programs. Furthermore, Bloc offers a tuition reimbursement guarantee, meaning if its students do not find a job in 180 days after finishing their program, tuition is refunded in full.

2. Codesmith: Codesmith is an online bootcamp that aids software engineers in their quest to move up the ranks quickly at their current employer. Since Codesmith is focused on training young professionals looking to advance their tech careers, classes are often paid by an enrollee’s employer. This online certificate program has a rather extensive admission process, but for good reason as it only accepts the very best. A significant advantage of attending Codesmith is that it offers a comprehensive hiring program which guides students through interviews, resumes and networking strategies. 

3. DataCamp: DataCamp is the first online learning program that offers courses in data science. Moreover, it even offers free courses for beginners who are looking to see if data science is the right field for them. At DataCamp, students are taught through short, expert videos with hands-on-the-keyboard exercises. Additionally, before graduating from these programs, students will have completed more than nine million interactive exercises. DataCamp proudly boasts that it has trained more than 560,000 data scientists.

4. Designlab: Designlab is a self-paced online design program that offers UX/UI design skills. Its courses range from four-week, short courses to a 28-week UX Academy. In the academy, students complete more than 480 hours of work while developing their portfolio and working with their one-on-one mentor. Designlab offers career services to its students, and if they are still job hunting six months after graduating, it offers a tuition reimbursement guarantee.

5. Lambda School: Lambda School is one of the more unique online courses. There is no upfront cost when attending the school; it only charges students tuition if they earn a certain amount in their first job after graduating. The tuition is then taken out at a certain percentage from your income for two years. Furthermore, the online coding school offers classes in computer science, CSS, HTML, JavaScript, Python and more.

6. The Software Guild: The Software Guild allows students to choose from a 12-week, full-time program or a 10- to 14-month part-time program. Its programs focus on languages that are the most in-demand by Fortune 500 companies. Another great advantage of Software Guild is that it has an employer network, including Target, Best Buy and Progressive.

7. Thinkful: Thinkful allows its students to be flexible when deciding on their online courses. Students can choose from full-time or flexible part-time courses. Some of the courses it offers include software engineering, UX/UI design, data analytics, product management and digital marketing. Throughout their courses, each student receives an experienced mentor to help them through their classes. Depending on the course, students can be eligible for tuition reimbursement.

8. RMOTR: RMOTR offers a four-month online evening program. Students can still work during the day and attend online classes at night, where they will interact with teachers, classmates and program mentors. Students have the option to learn through real-life projects while building their Python, web development or data science portfolio.

9. Product School: Product School sets itself apart by being the world’s first technology business school. It offers part-time online programs in coding, data analytics, product management, product leadership and more. The instructors are product managers themselves who are employed by leading tech companies such as Snapchat, Google, PayPal, LinkedIn, Netflix, Facebook and Airbnb.

10. Ironhack: Ironhack recently launched its instructor-led online program. The program offers the option to enter breakout rooms for individualized student support. It offers nine-week, full-time classes to 24-week, part-time programs in web development, UX/UI design and data analytics. Furthermore, Ironhack designs its curriculum with a balance between theory and practice.

Questions to Consider When Choosing a Program

It can be challenging to decide which online program to attend. While comparing schools, it may be crucial to answer the following questions:

1. Will I be able to balance a full-time program or should I enroll part-time?

2. What is the tuition cost and will the school offer tuition reimbursement if I am not able to find a job?

3. Does the online program I am attending offer mentorship?

4. What type of career services will the program offer?

5. How long will the course take me to complete?

6. Does the school have statistics on students who received a job offer after graduating?

Career Karma can also be a valuable resource to anyone looking to enter the tech industry or expand their expertise in a current role. Download the Career Karma app today to get started.