Best Software Engineering Certificates Charlotte, NC: Find Courses & Onsite Training

Learn More About Charlotte Software Engineering Certificates

Originating in the late 1960s, software engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with all aspects of software production, including the concepts, principles, theories, techniques, and tools that can be used for developing high-quality professional software. First introduced at the 1968 NATO Software Engineering Conference in Garmisch, Germany, software engineering focuses on a systematic, disciplined approach to software development and evolution and typically applies to the construction of large software systems (or products).

Software Engineers bring in-depth knowledge of programming, design, and engineering principles to build those software systems and are often tasked with creating web applications, mobile applications, video games, robots, operating systems, and network systems. These professionals can be engineers, developers, scientists, designers, and other creative and technical professionals.

Regardless of the job title, Software Engineering is an ever-growing frontier with endless opportunities for those with the right skills. Studying software engineering can be great career development for established professionals or an entryway for those new to the field. Below, you’ll find more information on software engineering certificate programs to help you get started.

Why Become Certified in Software Engineering?

There are many benefits to becoming certified in software engineering, chief among them being the higher pay. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (the BLS), software developers, quality assurance analysts and testers boast a median salary of $124,000. These roles should see a 22% employment growth from 2020 to 2030, a much faster rate than the national average growth projection for all occupations (8%). High pay and high demand can help ensure a long and successful career.

Software engineering is also more commonly accepting of remote work. You can now collaborate with other team members, attend meetings, create products, and troubleshoot issues from the comfort of your own home. You can avoid frustrating commutes and not be tied to living in places with high costs of living, all thanks to a virtual software engineering role.

Do you love to solve puzzles and find resolutions for problems? Software Engineers design products to fit specific needs, working to eliminate any bugs that may be created as a result. Developing various software programs and products allows you to think in different ways and come up with creative solutions to your employer’s or client’s challenges.

As you can see, there are many reasons to study software engineering. If you’re interested in learning more, read below to learn about the skills you’ll master in a certification course that can help you start your career as a Software Developer, Engineer, or Analyst.

What You’ll Learn While Becoming Software Engineering Certified

Training in software engineering can open up countless doors to fulfilling careers in software engineering, development, and various other scientific fields. By crafting software programs and products, you’ll leverage a variety of hard and soft skills to solve industry problems and provide solutions to customers and clients. Below is a list of the most important skills needed to work in the field of software engineering. If you already possess a few of these, then consider yourself ahead of the game.

Programming Languages

The foundation of software engineering, programming language skills are essential for creating instructions that a computer can execute. You don’t need to know every language, but the four most commonly used software engineering languages are JavaScript, HTML and CSS, Python, and SQL. Having a general understanding of one or more of these will help you learn software engineering more efficiently.

Data Structure and Algorithms

Used to help create efficiently optimized code, data structures and algorithms require a good understanding of math, computer architecture, and dynamic programming. A data structure is a method of organizing data in a virtual system, while an algorithm is a sequence of steps executed by a computer that takes an input and transforms it into a target output.

Data structures you’ll see across different programming languages include linked lists, stacks, queues, sets, maps, hash tables, and search trees. Some common categories of algorithms are search, sorting, graph/tree traversing, dynamic programming, and hashing and regex (regular expression pattern matching). It’ll be important to be proficient in both data structures and algorithms.

Testing and Debugging

Vital to the success of your creations, testing and debugging must be completed before you can release any finalized work. Testing is verifying and validating that a software or application is bug-free, meets technical requirements, and effectively meets the user requirements by handling all the exceptional and boundary cases. Debugging is when you fix any errors you found during the testing process. Defined as identifying, analyzing, and removing errors, debugging begins after the software fails to execute properly and concludes by solving the problem and successfully testing the software.

Project Management

As a Software Engineer, you’ll often be the lead on one or more projects at a time. Being adept at project management will be key to making sure your work is completed on time and to the correct specifications. Risk management, project scope, project scheduling, effective leadership, and problem-solving are just a few of the skills you’ll need to be successful in project management.

Communication and Collaboration

As a Software Engineer, you’ll need to collaborate and communicate with various team members to complete projects. Listening to differing opinions offers new perspectives while being able to communicate clearly ensures that your perspective and position are understood. Both skills will ultimately help you and your team solve problems.

Software Engineering Industries in Charlotte

Known as the Queen City, Charlotte is a thriving city full of Southern charm. Home to nearly 900,000 residents (and growing), Charlotte has many robust industries that bolster the city’s booming economy.

Manufacturing is one of these industries and has been around for more than one hundred years. Today, the Charlotte region is home to more than 3,500 manufacturers employing more than 145,000 professionals, with growth in sectors like automotive parts, plastics, advanced textiles, biomedical, and energy manufacturing. Its strategic location on the East Coast of the United States, equidistant between New York and Miami, allows the city to have the infrastructure to move goods and people efficiently regardless of mode of transportation.

Home to the second-largest banking center in the U.S., Charlotte has the fastest-growing employment rate in financial services among major metropolitan areas in the past five years. The industry employs 105,000 residents, contributes more than $28 billion to the region’s economy, and is home to the operations of global financial institutions like Bank of America, Truist, and Wells Fargo.

Another top contender is the life sciences industry, employing 22,000 professionals with a 22% growth rate over the past five years. More than 20 higher education institutions provide training programs specific to life sciences, ensuring a strong talent pool for future growth. And, with more than 60 innovation and research centers located in the region, there are plenty of career opportunities available for those fresh out of college and those established in the field.

Software Engineering Careers in Charlotte

There are several jobs that you could pursue once you’re certified in software engineering. The most common job title you’ll see is Software Engineer, a role where you will create different types of software, from games to operating systems. As a Software Engineer, you could work in almost any industry and get to collaborate with a team of Designers, UX and UI professionals, management teams, sales teams, and Developers. A new Software Engineer can make $75,000–$100,000, while a Senior Software Engineer can earn upwards of $150,000.

You could also become a Staff Engineer once you have enough experience. A senior contributor within an engineering team that usually specializes in civil, industrial, mechanical, software, or electrical engineering, you could make $120,000–$159,000 as a Staff Engineer.

You could also become an Engineering Director. Compared to a Software Engineer or a Staff Engineer, the Engineering Director contributes to the technology research and development for the company. You can expect to make anywhere from $171,000 to $210,000 in Charlotte as an Engineering Director.

Should You Pursue a Certificate or Certification

Certificate and certification programs both offer a quality education, but they do have some key differences that you should keep in mind. Understanding these differences will help you decide which option is right for you.

Often categorized as continuing education or professional development, a certificate is awarded at the end of a course or training. Mid-career professionals acquire certificates to enhance or develop high-demand skills in their industry, while novices might be looking to change their careers and gain much-needed new knowledge from a certificate program.

Certificates are noncredit programs sponsored by educational institutions but typically require fewer credits than an associate degree, as they involve fewer courses in a particular subject matter area. With designated learning objectives and a specific curriculum, certificates are held in regular classrooms or taken online and are typically shorter than other graduate programs. A certificate can add value to your resume, but it’s important to note that it won't carry the same weight as an associate or bachelor’s degree, which is commonly required for many jobs.

In contrast, a certification is a professional credential that you earn through a professional training program or assessment. These typically culminate in a final exam or test, and many jobs and fields require specific certifications for promotions or career advancement.

Certifications can lead to increased pay, potential promotions, and enhanced professional expertise. For many professions, certifications must be renewed at regular intervals to prove you are up to date on current industry standards and guidelines. Some companies may even pay for your training or certification exam, as these credentials can bring value to the workplace.

So, what do these differences mean for you? If you want to change career fields entirely and need to learn as much about your new industry as possible, then a certificate could be the right choice. If you are established in your career and looking to gain a new title or increase your pay, then a certification course is probably the right route.

How much money and time you can commit will influence your decision as well. If your company requires a certification for you to advance in your career, they will most likely pay in full or offer assistance for your certification course. If they don’t, it’s best to know your budget before you begin your search. Both certificates and certifications can vary in length, so it’s also important to be mindful of how long the program will take you to complete. If you’re looking to change careers quickly, a shorter certificate program can be a great choice.

Regardless of whether you choose to pursue a certificate or a certification, both can give you an upper hand in your professional development and expand your skill set, making you highly desirable within your current field or a new one.

Top Software Engineering Certificate Programs in Charlotte

A certificate in software engineering has many benefits—setting you apart from other applicants, helping you create a portfolio of work, and thoroughly preparing you for a new career—but choosing the right certificate program can seem challenging.

While there aren’t currently any in-person software engineering certificate programs in Charlotte, there are plenty of top-quality online options that will fit the bill. Each of the below certificate programs and bootcamps will teach you everything you need to know to gain an entry-level position as a Software Engineer.

Software Engineering Bootcamp

If you’re looking to fully immerse yourself in all things software engineering, then look no further than this online General Assembly bootcamp. This full-time bootcamp consists of 12 weeks of live coding instruction, one-on-one career coaching, and connections to top employers to get you hired. You’ll learn the fundamental Software Engineer skills needed to build full-stack web applications: computer science framework, collaboration tools, and the programming languages modern employers demand. Throughout the course, you’ll apply essential object-oriented programming concepts, leverage JavaScript libraries like React, incorporate functionality from third-party APIs, and add complexity and nuance with Python, Django, and more.

Private loans, payment plans, tuition assistance, and scholarships may be available to you to help make this program more financially accessible. Tuition includes access to technical interview prep, including resume reviews, mock interviews, and whiteboarding practice. You’ll also have access to exclusive alumni discounts, networking events, and career workshops, and you can connect with a professional network of instructors and peers. There are no prerequisites for this course, so whether you’re new to the field or looking to formalize your practice, you can gain fluency in the programming languages, frameworks, and libraries that modern employers demand.

Software Engineering Certificate

Offered by Noble Desktop, this online program is divided into front-end development, React Development, and Django (Python) Development. You will learn HTML to mark up webpages and CSS for styling, the fundamentals of JavaScript and Git, and how to use Flexbox and Grid to layout, align, reorder, and adapt webpage content to different size screens. You’ll then move on to the fundamental JavaScript programming concepts, including variables, data types, loops, and DOM. Plus, you’ll cover topics like React, a powerful JavaScript library for web development, and master Node.js, MongoDB, and Express.js to round out your JavaScript development skills.

By creating a portfolio of projects, preparing for common interview questions, and polishing your resume and LinkedIn profile, this course will have you ready to pursue a new job in software engineering in as little as 20 weeks (on a full-time schedule). One-on-one mentoring and a free one-year retake are included in the cost of this course. Payment plans and tuition assistance are available, and this training requires no previous experience, making it great for beginners.

Python Developer Bootcamp

Also offered by Noble Desktop, this three-week online course teaches Python for software development with Django, Django REST, and other developer tools like Git and SQL. You’ll start by learning the basics of Python including its lexical syntax, then move to more advanced topics like dictionaries, custom functions, and sorting algorithms. In week two, you'll learn object-oriented programming, how to work with APIs, and get an introduction to web databases using SQL. By creating projects that can be added to your portfolio, you’ll master URL dispatchers, querying models, and automating tasks with Django, as well as how to work with images, authentication, and use API endpoints with Django REST.

It’s recommended that you are comfortable coding HTML and basic CSS. You should possess equivalent knowledge of Noble Desktop’s Web Development with HTML & CSS class, and mastery of another programming language is helpful, but not required. Payment plans and financing are available, in addition to extra perks like one-on-one mentoring, a free one-year retake, and a verified digital certificate included with your purchase.

Coding Bootcamp

You can become a certified Software Engineer in as little as 15 weeks with this online bootcamp from FlatIron. You’ll gain hands-on experience with JavaScript programming, interacting with the DOM, and event listeners. In addition, you’ll study how AI models can help you debug issues faster, as well as how to leverage AI chatbots through prompt engineering to clarify misconceptions. This course teaches both front and back-end development, so you’ll also learn all about ReactJS, AI SQL Builder, Flask, and JSON API.

This course is held live online for full-time students and on-demand for part-time students. While there aren’t any prerequisites for this course, before the start of class, you’re required to complete around 40 hours of coursework called Prep to learn the basics of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript so you are prepared to get started straight away. Financing options and scholarships are available for those who need them.

Intermediate Full-Time Coding Bootcamp

Designed for those with some existing experience, this online bootcamp from Galvanize will help you build on your existing skills and become a Software Engineer in as little as 12 weeks. You’ll master a variety of tools and programming languages: JavaScript, ExpressJS, SQL & MongoDB, GitHub Copilot, Node.js, GitHub, React, HTML, and CSS. In the first part of the course, you’ll turn software requirements into a running application with JavaScript, React, and Node.js; write HTML and CSS to build interactive web applications; use a relational and non-relational database to store and retrieve data for an application; build and use RESTful APIs; and leverage existing APIs to bring real data to life in dynamic websites.

The second portion of the course focuses on building, deploying, and testing scalable applications and architecture with back-end performance tuning. You’ll learn how to effectively use the AI-powered tool GitHub Copilot, apply the latest design and technical principles to create microservices, and create standalone web application front-ends using JavaScript and React. The course culminates with job search preparations, including 1:1 coaching sessions, mock interviews, portfolio and resume building, professional development workshops, networking exercises, and access to a broad alumni network.

Top Certificate Programs

Top Courses

Top Certificate Programs

Top Certificate Programs

Top Courses

Top Certificate Programs

Top Courses

Software Engineering Certificate Learn The Skills Guarantee™

Key Insights

Learn More About Charlotte Software Engineering Certificates

Why Become Certified in Software Engineering?

What You’ll Learn While Becoming Software Engineering Certified

Programming Languages

Data Structure and Algorithms

Testing and Debugging

Project Management

Communication and Collaboration

Software Engineering Industries in Charlotte

Software Engineering Careers in Charlotte

Should You Pursue a Certificate or Certification

Top Software Engineering Certificate Programs in Charlotte

Software Engineering Bootcamp

Coding Bootcamp

Intermediate Full-Time Coding Bootcamp

Charlotte Software Engineering Corporate & Onsite Training Noble Desktop

Software Engineering Training Locations in or Near Charlotte

Charlotte Careers & Salaries Related to Software Engineering

Charlotte Software Engineering
Corporate & Onsite Training