Best Product Management Bootcamps Chicago, IL: Find Bootcamps & Certificates

Key Insights

Product management bootcamps equip students with essential skills like UX/UI design principles and full stack development expertise, preparing them to effectively manage the complete product lifecycle from ideation to market launch.

Chicago's active startup scene and ongoing tech talent shortage drive high demand for Product Managers, who earn competitive annual compensation averaging around $110,000, nearly 10% above the national median.

Online bootcamps, such as those offered by Noble Desktop and Thinkful, provide live, interactive training in specialized areas like UX/UI and Agile project management, delivering flexible alternatives to traditional in-person learning.

Learn More About Chicago Product Management Bootcamps

Although it may sound like Project Management, which is the scientific management of business projects from initiation through completion, Product Management is a largely different field. Whereas project management (as the name suggests) deals with projects of all types (construction, for example), Product Management focuses on the development of products, most especially software ones, from the first flickering of an idea in one of the developer’s minds through to launch, testing, and final market positioning. A Product Manager is responsible for supervising the entire product development lifecycle, and requires a wide skill set, ranging from project management techniques to an understanding of software development and the technology underlying the product whose development is being managed. The ideal Product Manager is a multi-faceted individual with a solid grasp of all the different fields that come together under the product management umbrella.

If you’re interested in making a career in product management, one of the best ways to acquire the range of knowledge you’ll need is by attending a bootcamp. A tech bootcamp isn’t exactly army basic training, but there are similarities: tech bootcamps expect students to work very hard at a fast-paced class that is jam-packed with new information, and to work just as hard on project assignments out of class, both individually and in small groups. The goal of a bootcamp is simple and unequivocal: to prepare students for new careers and for success on the job market. Recruiters tend to look favorably on bootcamp graduates, as they can be sure that bootcamp graduates possess exactly the skills for which they are looking. Many bootcamps actually adjust their curricula to suit current market needs. Some of the longer bootcamps can, as a result, even take the place of a college degree, because what they teach is immediately transferable to the job market.

Chicago Careers for Product Management Bootcamp Graduates

A product management bootcamp is designed to prepare students for careers as Product Managers. The most fertile ground for product management careers is a place that has and continues to nurture a vibrant startup scene, and the Windy City is definitely such a place. Above and beyond the importance of the financial sector to the local economy, for the past decade the city government itself has sought to foster tech development and startups, seeing that the city’s future (indeed, any city’s future) is going to lie in the technology sector.

Chicago, like pretty much the rest of the business world, is also suffering from a shortage of tech talent. The shortage is across the board, from coders to developers on through product managers. The Windy City is an excellent place to begin a career in product management. Product Managers in Chicago are well paid, and pull in an annual compensation package that averages out to approximately $110,000. A sure sign of the need for Product Managers in Chicago is the fact that their salaries lie nearly 10% above the national average. At the opposite end of the corporate ladder, Project Management Interns in Chicago make an average salary in the neighborhood of $43,000 per year.

In-Person Product Management Bootcamps in Chicago

Chicagoans interested in breaking into product management can begin their search for a school by investigating the local options. General Assembly offers instruction in product management at its Near North Side location. Their Project Management Course teaches students the basics of the field so that they may approach project management roles with confidence. The class runs for 40 hours of in-person learning, not counting an introductory online “pre-learning” phase.

Virtual Product Management Bootcamps

Another possibility for acquiring the knowledge necessary to jumpstart a career in product management is an online bootcamp. Online classes are similar to in-person classes: the teacher may be a face on a computer monitor, but is nonetheless teaching live, meaning that you can always ask questions should you get lost. The rest of the class is also live and in real time; you can (and will) interact with them on group projects. Additionally, online learning offers a number of conveniences that aren’t available with an in-person school, including not having to commute to class. That especially means not having to confront Chicago’s rush hour traffic after a long work day if you’re attending an evening class. You also gain the comfort of being able to study in your own space, and are spared the distractions that come with any in-person classroom setting.

The creator of this tool, Noble Desktop, offers a pair of certificate programs that will prepare students for product management careers by teaching them skills critical to the product development lifecycle. Noble’s UX & UI Certificate program (two months, part-time) teaches students the principles guiding the two key roles in any website’s design: User Experience and User Interface. A good Product Manager needs to have a grasp of both disciplines to function effectively. An even more thorough grounding in one aspect of the Product Manager’s craft would be provided by Noble’s Full Stack Development Certificate program (two months, full-time; eight months, part-time) a true bootcamp that, in a short space of time, teaches students how to program both the front and back ends of websites. Not every Product Manager can code to that extent, but the ability to do so will only serve to make one more effective when it comes to assuming a Product Manager’s role.

Other providers of product management bootcamps online include Thinkful, which has a Technical Project Immersion class (50 hours per week for three months) that is specifically designed to get graduates hired as Project Managers. BrainStation has its own product management course, and the Product School offers a variety of courses at various levels to form new product managers or upskill ones who have already been working in the field.

Product Management Classes in Chicago

A full-on bootcamp isn’t always the best solution for someone seeking to learn about product management. Not everyone’s role calls for such thorough knowledge in the field, while some people may be interested in getting a taste of the field before signing up for more intensive study. This is why product management classes exist, including BrainStation’s Design Thinking Certificate, a weekend program that introduces students to the project development lifecycle by deconstructing the design process. At the other end of the experience spectrum, established product managers and owners can benefit from the 280 Group’s two-day training in Agile project management techniques. BrainStation’s classes are all online and may be taken from anywhere. 280 Group is located in Chicago, its classrooms located at a Magnificent Mile address.

Choosing a Product Management Bootcamp

So you’ve decided to attend a product management bootcamp. Before you sign along the dotted line and show up for your first day of class, you’re going to have to make some decisions as to exactly which bootcamp you’re going to attend. That means choosing, perhaps first and foremost, between online and in-person instruction. Having narrowed your options that way, you'll next have to confront the question of price, as some bootcamps can cost as much as a year’s rent (and sometimes even more). There’s a limit on how much bootcamp most people can afford, which is why you also need to examine what financing and payment plans are available, and then choose carefully among the various options offered.

You also need to take scheduling into account, along with the differences in curricula between the different schools. You should match up what you wish to learn with what’s being taught after some research into what product management actually involves. There are other factors to consider as well, such as guarantees and career counseling, which means that you’re going to be busy for a while picking out exactly which bootcamp is right for you. There may not necessarily be a wrong answer, but there’s definitely one that’s more ideal for every individual’s needs.

Chicago Product Management Bootcamps by School

Here are some of the top Chicago schools offering Product Management training, including General Assembly (1 course). We’ve also included 3 schools that offer live online courses you can take from anywhere, including Chicago.

Noble Desktop

NYC location: 185 Madison Avenue, New York, NY

Founded in 1990, Noble Desktop offers part-time and full-immersion courses on anything you can think of from design and coding to business. Located in New York City and providing courses both online and in-person, Noble Desktop prides itself on accommodating dynamic courses and bootcamps with hands-on learning, time-tested curriculums, and education from top industry experts.
- UX & UI Design Certificate
  - 144 Hours
  - $3,495
General Assembly

Chicago location: 444 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL

General Assembly provides a variety of bootcamps and workshops in digital marketing, user experience design, and immersive courses in software engineering and data science. Students have a choice between part-time, full-time, or online classes, committed to finding you the most flexible fit for your busy schedule.
- Product Management Short Course (Online)
  - 40 Hours
  - $4,500
Thinkful
Locations:
- Live Online
Thinkful aims to prepare students for the world’s fast-paced and job-competitive fields in software engineering, data science, data analytics, and design. Its course are held online, and it hosts events at its locations across the U.S. including California, Texas, Chicago, Florida, Washington, Denver, Boston, and Philadelphia.
- Product Management Flex
  - 6 Months, 25 hr/wk
  - $4,500
- Technical Project Management Flex
  - 5 Months, 20 hr/wk
  - $4,500
- Technical Project Management Immersion
  - 3 Months, 50 hr/wk
  - $9,000
BrainStation
Locations:
- NYC
- Toronto
- Vancouver
- Live Online
BrainStation is an intensive training provider focused on teaching digital skills and offering full-time diplomas, part-time certificates, and other forms of expertise in time frames of one to twelve weeks. BrainStation believes there are different styles of learning and therefore adopts flexible learning options like Online Live, where students can learn virtually.
- Product Management Certificate
  - 30 Hours
  - $3,250

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Chicago Product Management
Corporate & Onsite Training

Upskill or reskill your workforce with our industry-leading corporate and onsite Product Management training programs. Conduct the training onsite at your location or live online from anywhere. You can also purchase vouchers for our public enrollment Product Management courses.

Chicago Careers & Salaries Related to Product Management

Product management is the combination of project management and technical skills. Product management is the strategy behind developing products like video streaming sites, ride-sharing apps, and your smartphone. Understanding product management can help you get started on a career as a Product Manager or boost your transition from a general Project Manager position.

Product Management is one of the core skills needed to secure one of these positions. See the career pages for more information on required skills, tips for landing a job, typical day-to-day work, and where to find job postings.

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UX & UI Design Certificate Learn The Skills Guarantee™

Key Insights

Learn More About Chicago Product Management Bootcamps

Chicago Careers for Product Management Bootcamp Graduates

In-Person Product Management Bootcamps in Chicago

Virtual Product Management Bootcamps

Product Management Classes in Chicago

Choosing a Product Management Bootcamp

Chicago Product Management Bootcamps by School

Product Management Short Course (Online)

Product Management Flex

Technical Project Management Flex

Technical Project Management Immersion

Product Management Certificate

Chicago Product Management Corporate & Onsite Training Noble Desktop

Product Management Training Locations in or Near Chicago

Chicago Careers & Salaries Related to Product Management

Related Bootcamps

Chicago Product Management
Corporate & Onsite Training