Certifications#
Working towards certifications is a fantastic way to practice your craft while gaining documented experience. A great place to start looking for developer certifications is at companies such as Microsoft and Google. Passing an exam to achieve a certificate focused on a reputable company’s preferred technology demonstrates to employers that you have obtained the necessary skills and knowledge.
For example, passing Amazon’s AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification indicates foundational fluency in cloud technology and AWS. Other companies that use the cloud computing services of AWS would view that certification as a huge plus on a resume. To continue displaying AWS knowledge, keep completing higher-level certifications as your skills grow.
Projects#
Sometimes, the best way to learn is by doing. Working on open-source projects across the programming community is ideal for proving your worth as a programmer in the form of a tangible contribution. They’re also outstanding for providing an environment to practice hands-on with the concepts you’ve been learning about. GitHub provides a platform to dive into programming projects in various languages and collaborate with a community of open-source developers.
Projects you complete on your own are another option for getting real-world experience. For example, you can build different kinds of websites and web apps or complete tutorials and projects you find online while storing your code in GitHub repositories. Doing this kind of solo work in addition to contributing to open-source projects can show off an ability to work on your own, as well as complete projects from the idea stage to the finished product.
To get an idea of what it’s like working on projects, take a crack at Creating an E-learning Website Using Django!
Bootcamps#
If you want to learn popular technologies and skills with a rigorous curriculum in a short time (for a fraction of the cost of tuition), then attending computer science bootcamps is a reliable option to consider. Bootcamps range from $7,800 to $21,000[2], with the average full-time coding boot camp costing around $13,584, and expected completion is usually around 14 weeks.
These camps focus on providing extensive hands-on practice with the newest and most relevant practices, technologies, and languages. Bootcamps tend to focus on specific languages, technologies, or career paths. For example, you can find boot camps specifically for front-end web developers and some just for back-end web developers. Attending a bootcamp is like working a full-time job, so make sure you budget your time and bandwidth accordingly before embarking on this path.
Much like a computer science degree, completing a bootcamp is not the single solution to all your learning. Bootcamps are a great resource to supplement with other learning options because of their specificity, but 14 weeks of practice is not going to provide you with the education you need to enter the workforce. It’s important to continue your learning with other resources after the bootcamp has been completed to maintain and increase your knowledge.
Unsure how to select the right bootcamp? Check out this guide from the Educative blog to ensure that you’re making the correct choice for yourself!