The current generation is very comfortable with shopping, studying, and working online. As the digital age is upon us, demand for tech jobs has been growing while companies try to keep up with consumer trends.
This demand for online accessibility is what is leading to a hiring boom. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the software development job market is expected to grow 22 percent by 2030.
If you’re interested in other tech-related fields, there’s quite a bit of demand there, too. For instance, the BLS has indicated that by 2030, the job market for digital designers and web developers is projected to expand by 13 percent. In the same period, jobs for cybersecurity professionals are expected to increase by 33 percent.
All these fields are growing significantly more than the average eight percent across the entire job market.
Although these job markets continue to grow, there is an underlying problem: there aren’t enough people to fill the posts that are being created. This phenomenon is known as the digital skills gap, a problem that has been persisting for some time.
The past 18 months have seen demand for digital workers spike as more companies continue to move completely online, according to a study from RAND Europe and Salesforce.
What is viewed as a looming catastrophe for companies all over the world, in turn, presents a unique opportunity for career changers. Owing to the low supply of skilled digital workers and an all-time high-demand job landscape, workers in digital fields are seeing strong wages amid a red-hot job market.
Online bootcamps are a popular educational path for people who want to enter digital fields. These bootcamps offer high-quality training with a quick turnaround and lesser tuition than getting an associate or bachelor’s degree. But how do you know which one is right for you?
Certainly, you can learn the skills you need in UI/UX design, software development, data analytics, and more at almost any online bootcamp. However, there are a few digital skills bootcamps that offer something more to help you stand out from the competition as new job listings in your area get flooded with applicants.
What Is a University-Backed Tech Bootcamp?
A university-backed digital skills bootcamp is a fast-paced learning program that offers attendees an edge when entering a new career. While these bootcamps don’t grant degrees from the universities that host them, they are likely more credible than other bootcamps.
As you enter your local job market with a credential from these bootcamps, you are showing that you’ve mastered a skill set that is backed by the university. The credential is especially useful if you’re looking for a job near the university where you completed your bootcamp.
This added credibility often comes at an accessible price as other digital skills bootcamps. The cost factor is a bonus as you are acquiring a credential from a university with hundreds of years of history at a price that’s similar to a bootcamp that may have only been established for a few years.
If you’re ready to launch a new career, you’ve got options in various disciplines that would give you a university-backed experience.
Top 5 University-Backed Digital Skills Bootcamps to Start Your Tech Career
Cybersecurity, user interface and user experience (UI/UX) design, digital marketing, data science, and software development are five of the most important disciplines in the new tech landscape. Below, we explain the benefits of some of these bootcamps and suggest a few university-backed tech bootcamps that could assist your entry into these fields.
Cybersecurity Bootcamps
As more of our activity moves online, it has become more important to keep information safe. As we mentioned above, cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing job markets in tech due to its increased demand. There are a few digital skills bootcamps that cover the basic tools you’ll need to know if you’re going to conquer cybersecurity, including the Linux command line, penetration testing, and more.
Here are a few university-backed cybersecurity bootcamps that provide a rigorous education at an accessible price:
- California State University, Long Beach Cybersecurity Bootcamp
- Kansas State University’s Cybersecurity Bootcamp
- University of Michigan’s Cybersecurity Bootcamp
- New York University’s Cybersecurity Bootcamp
- University of Wisconsin’s Cybersecurity Bootcamp
UI/UX Design Bootcamps
UI/UX design is a combination of two interrelated fields; user interface design, and user experience design. The user interface is the way that the user directly uses a product, as in its buttons, dials, sliders, and more. The user experience is the entire encounter that a user has with a product, including discovering it, using it, and the final result after using the product.
Many digital skills bootcamps focus on one discipline or another, but a few educators cover the whole process in one course. Here are a few bootcamps that teach what you need to know to earn a UI/UX job:
- California State University, Long Beach UI/UX Design Bootcamp
- Kansas State University’s UI/UX Design Bootcamp
- University of Wisconsin’s UI/UX Design Bootcamp
Digital Marketing Bootcamps
Digital marketing is a still-evolving discipline in the advertising field. With digital marketing, experts use all the tools at their disposal, including ads on social media and other sites, blogs, and more to bring in new customers. Digital marketing is not only a profession, it’s also a tool that many business owners can add to their skill set.
Here are a few of the quality university-backed bootcamps that can prepare you for a digital marketing career:
- California State University, Long Beach Digital Marketing Bootcamp
- Loyola University – New Orleans’ Digital Marketing Bootcamp
- Kansas State University’s Digital Marketing Bootcamp
- New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Digital Marketing Bootcamp
- Old Dominion University’s Digital Marketing Bootcamp
- American University’s Digital Marketing Professional Program
Data Science & Analytics Bootcamps
Data analytics and data science are key tools for any modern business that wants to compete in their industry. They are two branches of the same discipline that help organizations determine their current places in the industry.
Data analysts look at the past performance of an organization and its initiatives to provide reports. Data scientists look at past performance and trends on the market to help organizations project future performance.
There are quite a few bootcamps that can teach you key data analytics and data science skills:
- California State University, Long Beach Data Science & Analytics Bootcamp
- Kansas State University’s Data Science & Analytics Bootcamp
- University of Wisconsin’s Data Science & Analytics Bootcamp
Software Development Bootcamps
Software development is the backbone of the current tech boom. These individuals are responsible for building everything from sites to desktop applications. Because this field covers so many different skill sets, it’s important to choose a bootcamp that matches your aspirations. Before choosing a digital skills bootcamp, be sure to research the tools you need to enter your dream development discipline.
Here are a few software development bootcamps for aspiring web app builders:
- California State University, Long Beach Software Development Bootcamp
- Kansas State University’s Software Development Bootcamp
- University of Wisconsin’s Software Development Bootcamp
Earn a Credential from a Respected Institution
As noted above, there are many enticing opportunities in the digital realm, and several university-backed digital skills bootcamps to help you claim them. Regardless of the discipline you’re interested in, there’s likely a bootcamp in your area that offers the credibility of a university-backed credential.
If any of these programs interest you, reach out to the school to learn more about their programs and financing options.
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.
