Coding Bootcamp Job Guarantee: What Exactly Is It and Who Offers It?

Although it takes less time than university education, a coding bootcamp is a major undertaking. You need to put in effort, time, and money to achieve your career goals. In most cases, you will want to enter the tech industry after the program. One way to guarantee that you can find a job after a bootcamp program is by enrolling in a coding bootcamp that offers a job guarantee. 

Coding bootcamps with job guarantees allow students to focus on their training while being prepared for the job search in the tech industry. Some bootcamps even have structures in place to ensure that the students find a job. This article will highlight what a coding bootcamp job guarantee is and which bootcamps offer this feature.

What Is a Coding Bootcamp Job Placement Guarantee?

A coding bootcamp job guarantee is when a bootcamp provider refunds student tuition if they are unable to secure a job within a certain period of time. Most bootcamps that stop short of guaranteeing jobs still assist students in finding salaried positions or apprenticeships.

Some coding bootcamps give students a partial or full tuition refund if they cannot find a job after about six months of graduation. However, the terms differ by bootcamp. The guarantee often has extensive conditions, such as a minimum number of job applications per week or a stipulation that the bootcamp graduate must accept certain types of job offers.

Also, some bootcamps offer apprenticeship opportunities or a guaranteed entry-level position with an employer partner. Others do not receive upfront payment until the bootcamp graduate succeeds in landing a job in the field.

Why Choose a Bootcamp with Guaranteed Job Placement

Job guarantees are attractive in the coding bootcamp industry because they reduce the fear of wasting time and money and not being able to secure a job after graduation. A few of the many reasons to choose a bootcamp with this feature are outlined below. 

Strong Career Support 

Bootcamps that offer job guarantees often have strong career support services. They support the student to ensure that they make a great first impression on recruiters. The bootcamp may offer resume reviews, LinkedIn optimization, and mock interviews. Some online bootcamps even help graduates with things like preparing for interviews and negotiating their salaries.

Excellent Curriculum 

Bootcamps with job guarantees have to teach useful and in-demand skills to make it easier for a bootcamp student to find a job. They tend to emphasize hands-on experience, which is a more trusted approach in the tech industry. They work with employers and update the curriculum when necessary. If the bootcamp fails, it will have to issue a tuition refund.

Assurance 

Attending an in-person coding bootcamp with a job guarantee assures you that your hard work will pay off and you’ll be able to start a career in tech after graduation. You can easily focus on your training without worrying too much about how to search for jobs or where to find openings. 

Things to Watch Out for in Job Guarantees

While job guarantees are helpful, especially where students attend without paying tuition upfront, there are a lot of grey areas you should look out for. Be sure to read the fine print to determine if the school is guaranteeing a job or just a job offer. You should also research the requirements for graduation, such as the project work, final exams, and other commitments.

It is also important to know if a part of or the entire course can be repeated and what the job search requirements entail. Find out if you need to report your progress to the bootcamp’s career team or if there is a time limit to the application. 

The terms that qualify as offers should be clear. Are part-time, contract, or other non-tech jobs considered as offers? You should also know if the bootcamp offers a partial or full tuition refund and how to qualify for the guarantee. Knowing all these requirements will help you to make an informed decision before enrolling in the bootcamp. 

Job Placement Guarantee vs Deferred Tuition

While job placement guarantees are similar to deferred tuition programs, there are some key differences. In deferred tuition programs, students attend the program without paying any tuition costs upfront. However, they must cover the cost after they complete the program. They only pay when they get a job in the field and earn a certain amount per year. 

Income share agreements are also different. This type of agreement is a form of deferred tuition that obligates the student to pay a fixed percentage of their monthly earnings to the bootcamp for a period of time. The amount ranges from eight to 25 percent depending on the bootcamp. Some coding bootcamp graduates share their income with the bootcamp for up to four years.

Both deferred tuition and income share agreements are different from job guarantees because the latter comes with an explicit promise of a job. If a bootcamp does not offer a job guarantee, an income share or deferred tuition agreement is a great alternative because it’s kind of like an indirect guarantee. If you don’t get a job, the bootcamp won’t get paid. 

Top Coding Bootcamps with Job Guarantees

Several bootcamps offer job guarantees to their students. Some of the notable ones include Kenzie Academy, App Academy, Springboard, and Lambda School.

App Academy

App Academy is one of the top web development bootcamps. It covers full stack development and software engineering. Students learn to build mobile apps and websites as they learn some of the most in-demand programming languages. 

Some prominent languages covered in the program include Java, Python, C++, HTML, and C#. Students can choose to learn in person or online depending on their needs. The physical bootcamp also offers financial aid and other payment methods to ease the financial burden. Students have access to career services.

App Academy Job Guarantee

The bootcamp offers a job guarantee with unique terms. Students who are unable to secure a full-time job within 36 months of completing the program will qualify for the bootcamp’s tuition forgiveness program. However, students who paid upfront for the tuition will not qualify for this feature. 

Byte Academy

Byte Academy offers onsite and remote training programs for people who want a career in tech. The topics its courses cover include data science, full stack Python development, blockchain, and fintech. The full-time program lasts for 14 weeks while part-time programs are completed in 24 weeks. It also has flexible scheduling options for remote courses.

Byte Academy Job Guarantee

Students of Byte Academy have a job guarantee from this bootcamp that goes into effect six months after graduation. However, students must complete the program without repeating it and take part in the recommendations from the career services representatives. If you still cannot get a job, your tuition will be refunded in full.

CareerFoundry

CareerFoundry is a coding bootcamp that trains people to become web developers, UX designers, and data analysts. It has a dedicated bootcamp for each subject, and its immersive programs all start by teaching the foundations and then going deeper. 

This bootcamp also offers introductory courses for people who have no experience at all. Students can learn front end software development, data analytics, UI design, and UX design basics. Advanced learners can take Voice User Interface Design, UI for UX Designers, or Frontend Web Development for Designers.

CareerFoundry Job Guarantee

This bootcamp guarantees that its graduates will secure a job within six months of graduation. If they cannot get a job, then the bootcamp will refund the full tuition cost. This guarantee only covers students in North America and Europe. 

Codeup

Codeup offers online and in-person bootcamps for tech newbies pursuing a web development or data science career path. The programs are completed in 22 weeks and students are prepared for entry-level roles in tech fields. 

Students who want to pursue a career as a computer programmer or web developer will learn in-demand programming languages and tools. Data science students learn Python, data visualization, and data modeling.

Codeup Job Guarantee

Codeup offers a job guarantee for graduates who are unable to get an employment offer within six months of graduating. The online bootcamp refunds 100 percent of the tuition to those who are unable to secure in-field employment. 

Kenzie Academy

Kenzie Academy is an Indianapolis-based online school. It has both online and in-person training for students. This bootcamp offers web development and UX/UI design programs for prospective software developers and designers.

Students in this bootcamp learn programming languages like CSS, HTML, Python, SQL, and JavaScript. When they graduate, students still receive follow-up material to ensure that they remain updated on new trends in their field. 

Kenzie Academy Job Guarantee 

For its Software Engineering Program, Kenzie Academy is currently offering a job guarantee to prospective students. Students who live in one of 39 approved metropolitan areas will be entitled to a full refund if they cannot get a job within 180 days of completing the program. Bootcamp grads are expected to track all their job search activity while applying to seven jobs or more per week.  

Lambda School

Lambda School offers live online training for its full stack web development and data science programs. The programs take place in real time and students can also get recordings of the training to ensure that they keep up with the program.

Students learn in-demand programming languages and tools. The bootcamp also has career development teams to assist students with job search and the application process after graduation. The career advisors offer tips on salary negotiation, resume assistance, and interview prep. 

Lambda School Job Guarantee

This online coding bootcamp’s job guarantee comes in the form of an income share agreement. Graduates are expected to make 24 monthly payments after getting a job. However, if the graduate is unable to get a high-paying job, then they do not owe the bootcamp anything at all. Graduates who do get a job will never pay Lambda School more than $30,000. 

Revature

Revature is a Virginia-based training company that offers 12-week programs for people who want to pursue a tech career. The programs are fast-paced and require 40 hours of work per week. It teaches in-demand programming languages and skills like Java, CSS, and data management.

During the course, the students get a minimum wage and work for the company for two years on an apprenticeship program. They earn an annual salary of $50,000 to $65,000 and work as software engineers on a contract basis in banks and the retail sector.

Revature Job Guarantee

Revature has a unique job guarantee program and offers placement assistance. Students do not pay any tuition at all to start the program. Instead, they get a job as a contract software engineer immediately after the training program. However, students who do not complete their apprenticeship program will pay the tuition to cover the bootcamp’s costs.

Springboard

Springboard is an online bootcamp that offers part-time training for working professionals. The bootcamp is specifically made for working adults looking to start a career in tech. Students are required to have basic knowledge of coding and a background in statistics and mathematics to enroll.

The bootcamp offers several online programs in its main disciplines of design, data, cyber security, and coding. The programs use a project-based curriculum to help students build their portfolios before the program ends. It also comes with personal career coaching, a dedicated advisor, and a mentor to support students during the program. 

Springboard Job Guarantee

Springboard offers a job guarantee for its students who cannot find a job six months after graduating. The qualifying graduate gets a tuition waiver. However, some payment options may not be eligible for the tuition waiver, so it is best to check the terms before settling on a financing method. 

Texas A&M University Bootcamp

Texas A&M University Bootcamp in Kingsville offers online training for students who want to take up tech roles. It is designed to provide skills training for college students and working professionals who have a flair for technology. 

The bootcamp has a flexible schedule and students are required to dedicate 30 hours per week. This way, they can still maintain their jobs or other engagements while gaining new skills.

Texas A&M University Bootcamp Job Guarantee

Students in the program enjoy a job guarantee. They receive full access to career services for six months after completing the program. If they fail to secure a job within this period, the bootcamp refunds the entire tuition cost. 

Thinkful

Thinkful is an online bootcamp that offers digital marketing, software engineering, product management, UX/UI design, technical project management, and data analytics training. Students enrolled in the school can choose between the part-time program and the full-time immersive bootcamp. 

The online bootcamp also covers in-demand programming languages like C, Java, C++, and JavaScript. Students also benefit from having access to a career services representative, one-on-one mentorship, and community support. 

Thinkful Job Guarantee

Thinkful offers a job guarantee for students who don’t get a qualifying job offer within 180 days of graduation. These graduates get a 100 percent refund for their tuition. It is important to note that this job guarantee does not apply to students who use the deferred tuition or income share agreement option offered by the bootcamp. 

Students are only eligible for this program if they live within an hour of an approved city. They are also expected to apply for 10 qualifying jobs per week and attend five networking events per month. 

Should You Enroll in a Coding Bootcamp with a Job Guarantee?

You should enroll in a coding bootcamp with a job guarantee because you will get solid training and excellent job support. Bootcamps with this guarantee do everything possible to ensure that you will get a job. However, you should be wary of the terms of the guarantee. Make sure to do your research so that you can make an informed decision that benefits you.