Dive Brief:
- The University of Oregon is partnering with Trilogy Education to create a bootcamp for adult learners and working professionals interested in web development. The 24-week University of Oregon Coding Boot Camp will be a part-time, non-credit program geared toward adult learners and working professionals.
- Trilogy Education said the partnership aims to meet the growing demand for web developers in the region. Classes for the program will meet at University of Oregon, Portland on two nights during the week and once on Saturdays to accommodate work schedules. Completion of the class will net the learner a non-credit certificate in Full Stack Development. No previous training or experience is required to enroll.
- Tech firms in the Portland area, a regional hub for the industry, are having challenges finding talent in today's labor market, Trilogy Education said. To that end, the bootcamp will cover the basics of coding, algorithms and data structure, along with intensive training in JavaScript and other coding languages. The program begins on Jan. 15, 2019.
Dive Insight:
While demand is high for those with technical skills like software development, talent acquisition has remained a challenge for many employers. Accelerated programs that accommodate the needs of working learners can bridge the need to earn, learn and upskill for the next step in their career trajectories. The skills gap for business is pushing employers to get creative; in some cases, even prisons are creating training programs that graduate in-demand applicants.
Others are taking the challenge on internally, creating their own in-house training for existing employees. At Liberty Mutual, employees are temporarily relieved of their regular job duties to attend classes for tech proficiency and work in areas that are technology-dependent instead.
Experts ranging from economists to attorneys warn that skills gaps will have a more extensive impact beyond keeping employers from meeting head count: They may also impede business growth, for example. But proactive employers are taking steps to attack the problem, looking for creative solutions and moving beyond traditional talent pools to address need for today and tomorrow.
