Free Coding Bootcamps with Job Placement Success Stories
Coding bootcamps are intensive training programs that teach people the skills they need to land a job in the tech industry. They are becoming more popular as a way to switch careers, upgrade skills, or break into a high-demand field. According to Course Report, coding bootcamp graduates increased by 43% in 2020, reaching a total of 33,959.
But coding bootcamps can also be expensive, ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 or more. That's why some people may be interested in free coding bootcamps that offer the same quality of education without the hefty price tag. Some of these free bootcamps even provide job placement assistance, meaning they help their graduates find and secure jobs after completing the program.
In this blog post, we will share some of the best free coding bootcamps with job placement success stories. We will also give you some tips on how to choose the right free bootcamp for you and how to ace the job placement process.
Free Coding Bootcamps with Job Placement Assistance
There are many free coding bootcamps out there, but not all of them offer job placement assistance. Job placement assistance can include services such as career coaching, resume and portfolio review, mock interviews, networking events, employer referrals, and job matching. These services can make a big difference in your job search and help you land a job faster and easier.
Here are some of the free coding bootcamps that offer job placement assistance:
- Lambda School: Lambda School is an online coding bootcamp that offers a full-stack web development course and a data science course. Lambda School is free until you get a job that pays at least $50,000 a year. Then, you pay 17% of your income for two years, up to a maximum of $30,000. Lambda School claims that 86% of its graduates get hired within six months of graduation, earning an average salary of $70,000.
- App Academy: App Academy is another online coding bootcamp that offers a full-stack web development course and a software engineering course. App Academy is also free until you get a job that pays at least $50,000 a year. Then, you pay 15% of your income for three years, up to a maximum of $31,000. App Academy claims that 98% of its graduates get hired within six months of graduation, earning an average salary of $101,000.
- The Odin Project: The Odin Project is a self-paced online coding bootcamp that offers courses in web development and full-stack JavaScript. The Odin Project is completely free and open source. It does not provide direct job placement assistance, but it has a large and supportive community of learners and mentors who can help you with your career goals. The Odin Project claims that many of its graduates have landed jobs at companies such as Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Spotify.
- Revature: Revature is an online coding bootcamp that offers courses in Java, .NET, DevOps, cloud computing, and data engineering. Revature is free for students who commit to work for Revature for two years after graduation. Revature provides paid training and relocation assistance to its students. Revature claims that it has placed over 7,000 graduates in more than 300 companies across the US.
- Ada Developers Academy: Ada Developers Academy is an in-person coding bootcamp that offers a software development course for women and gender-diverse people. Ada Developers Academy is free for students who commit to work for one of Ada's partner companies for at least one year after graduation. Ada provides tuition assistance, stipends, mentoring, and internship opportunities to its students. Ada claims that 90% of its graduates get hired within six months of graduation, earning an average salary of $88,000.
Success Stories from Free Coding Bootcamp Graduates
If you are wondering whether free coding bootcamps are worth it or not, you may want to hear from some of the people who have gone through them and landed jobs in the tech industry. Here are some of the success stories from free coding bootcamp graduates:
- Jessica: Jessica was a stay-at-home mom who wanted to pursue a career in web development. She enrolled in Lambda School's full-stack web development course and learned HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Node.js, Python, and more. She graduated from Lambda School in June 2019 and got hired as a front-end developer at Zappos in August 2019.
- Kevin: Kevin was a college dropout who worked as a waiter and a bartender. He enrolled in App Academy's full-stack web development course and learned Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, React, SQL, and more. He graduated from App Academy in December 2018 and got hired as a software engineer at Airbnb in February 2019.
- Sophia: Sophia was a graphic designer who wanted to learn how to code. She enrolled in The Odin Project's full-stack JavaScript course and learned HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, Ruby, Rails, and more. She graduated from The Odin Project in March 2020 and got hired as a web developer at Shopify in April 2020.
- Daniel: Daniel was a mechanical engineer who wanted to switch to software engineering. He enrolled in Revature's Java course and learned Java, Spring, Hibernate, SQL, and more. He graduated from Revature in June 2019 and got hired as a software engineer at Bank of America in July 2019.
- Maya: Maya was a math teacher who wanted to pursue a career in data science. She enrolled in Ada Developers Academy's software development course and learned Python, Django, Flask, SQL, and more. She graduated from Ada Developers Academy in September 2019 and got hired as a data analyst at Expedia in October 2019.
How to Choose the Right Free Coding Bootcamp for You
As you can see, there are many free coding bootcamps that offer job placement assistance and success stories. But how do you choose the right one for you? Here are some of the factors you should consider when choosing a free coding bootcamp:
- Your goals: What do you want to achieve by attending a free coding bootcamp? Do you want to learn a specific skill or technology? Do you want to switch careers or advance your current one? Do you want to work for a specific company or industry? Your goals will help you narrow down your options and choose a free coding bootcamp that aligns with them.
- Your preferences: How do you prefer to learn? Do you like online or in-person learning? Do you like self-paced or structured learning? Do you like individual or collaborative learning? Your preferences will help you choose a free coding bootcamp that suits your learning style and needs.
- Your commitment: How much time and effort are you willing to invest in a free coding bootcamp? Do you have the availability and flexibility to attend a full-time or part-time program? Are you willing to relocate or work remotely for a job placement opportunity? Are you willing to pay back a percentage of your income or work for a specific employer for a certain period of time? Your commitment will help you choose a free coding bootcamp that matches your expectations and obligations.
How to Succeed in the Job Placement Process
Once you have chosen and completed a free coding bootcamp, the next step is to find and secure a job in the tech industry. This can be challenging, especially if you are new to the field or have no prior experience. Here are some of the tips on how to succeed in the job placement process:
- Update your resume and portfolio: Your resume and portfolio are your first impressions to potential employers. They should showcase your skills, projects, achievements, and personality. Make sure they are clear, concise, relevant, and professional. Highlight the technologies and tools you have learned and used in your free coding bootcamp. Include links to your GitHub, LinkedIn, personal website, or blog if you have them.
- Prepare for interviews: Interviews are your opportunities to demonstrate your knowledge, skills, and fit for the role and the company. Prepare for common interview questions, such as behavioral, technical, and situational questions. Practice your coding skills on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or Codewars. Research the company and the role you are applying for. Dress appropriately and be confident.
- Network with others: Networking is one of the best ways to find and land a job in the tech industry. Connect with your peers, mentors, instructors, alumni, and employers from your free coding bootcamp. Attend events, meetups, hackathons, or workshops related to your field of interest. Reach out to people who work at your target companies or roles. Ask for referrals, recommendations, feedback, or advice.
- Keep learning and improving: The tech industry is constantly evolving and changing. To stay competitive and relevant, you need to keep learning and improving your skills. Follow the latest trends, news, blogs, podcasts, or videos related to your field of interest. Take online courses, read books, or watch tutorials on topics that interest you or challenge you. Build personal projects or contribute to open source projects that showcase your skills or solve real-world problems.
YouTube Video Links:
General Motivation and Overview:
- "My Journey from Broke to Stoked: Self-Taught Programmer Success Story" by Dylan Cole: https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/going-from-broke-to-millionaire/
- "FreeCodeCamp: Changing Lives One Line of Code at a Time" by FreeCodeCamp: https://m.youtube.com/c/Freecodecamp
Specific Bootcamps and Success Stories:
- "Lambda School: Free Tuition Until You Get Hired" by Lambda School: https://...
- "App Academy: From Waiter to Airbnb Software Engineer in 6 Months" by Kevin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK2000bGHio
- "The Odin Project: Building a Career in Tech Without a Degree" by Joao Bitu: https://www.theodinproject.com/success_stories
- "Revature: Paid Training and Guaranteed Job Placement" by Revature: https://www.youtube.com/c/lifeatrevature
- "Ada Developers Academy: Empowering Women in Tech" by Ada Developers Academy: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPt8SGST94VJCJb9LnjOeZw
Job Search Tips and Resources:
- "Cracking the Tech Interview: Tips from a Google Engineer" by Pramp: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JeT2tXqp4m0
- "Building a Killer Tech Portfolio" by Frontend Masters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUfiRZKlRgo
- "Networking for Tech Jobs: Tips for Introverts" by Tech Interview Prep: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kI5w-qBNEMA
Conclusion
Free coding bootcamps are a great way to learn the skills you need to land a job in the tech industry without paying upfront tuition fees. Some of them even offer job placement assistance that can help you find and secure jobs faster and easier. However, not all free coding bootcamps are created equal. You need to do your research and choose the right one for you based on your goals, preferences, and commitment. You also need to work hard and smart to succeed in the job placement process.
If you are interested in exploring free coding bootcamps as a viable path to a tech career, we encourage you to check out some of the resources we have shared in this blog post.

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