A new curated list of coding bootcamps is being made available to the community as a free resource by PLANit Sarasota, a cross-sector group of education and youth services organizations and community partners focused on increasing the rate of area students who pursue a purposeful postsecondary pathway, particularly among those historically underrepresented in higher education. 

A primary goal is to increase the number of Sarasota County residents, 18 to 24, who obtain a high-value certificate, degree, or training experience. The three- to six-month courses offered by coding bootcamp providers are designed for students without previous coding experience as well as those who want to improve their skills. Providers included in the new resource guide focus on training full-stack software developers who combine both front-end and back-end development. “Video games and other applications have millions of lines of codes, and people who like writing those codes can earn good salaries even in entry-level jobs,” said Thomas Williams, PLANit Sarasota director. According to the providers, graduates of the online programs can earn starting salaries around $49K in the current market. The entry-level jobs also can be gateways to evolving, exciting careers that command salaries up to $121K with experience and demonstrated proficiency. While there are open jobs in the Sarasota-Manatee labor market, a person also could work remotely from home and be networked to an employer around the globe.  

In addition to the online coding bootcamps, State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota, a PLANit Sarasota partner, is offering three related classes this fall semester and plans to start software developer and cybersecurity bootcamps in January 2022. Links to the coding bootcamp providers, as well as helpful tips about paying for and choosing a training provider, are available at EdFoundationSRQ.org/planit-sarasota/online-coding-bootcamps.