A large portion of Code Platoon’s focus is soft skills and personal development. Coding Platoon offers a variety of ways courses can be taken, including full-time, part-time or self paced. Graduates have a network of fellow veterans that continue to provide mentorship and job leads.
Code Platoon is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that hosts a bootcamp about full stack software engineering. Because Code Platoon’s mission is to improve employment opportunities for veterans, this bootcamp is only open to veterans and military spouses.
The organization has several goals when it comes to its bootcamp programming. First, Code Platoon seeks to reduce barriers veterans may experience when trying to enter the civilian workforce. Additionally, Code Platoon seeks to raise awareness about the unique skills and backgrounds that veterans have, as well as challenge the assumption that it takes a four-year degree to succeed as a software engineer.
Code Platoon’s bootcamp specifically uses a hands-on and immersive curriculum to thoroughly prepare veterans and their spouses for a career in software engineering. In addition to providing veterans with coding skills, the bootcamp offers professional development opportunities to ease the transition between military and civilian life.
Code Platoon’s in-person classes are held at its campus located in downtown Chicago. Students can also attend the school’s software engineering bootcamp remotely.
Code Platoon teaches full stack software engineering to veterans. You can find out how this course compares to others near you by using Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me tool and searching for software engineering bootcamps.
Code Platoon offers one bootcamp: Full Stack Software Engineering. This bootcamp uses a hands-on format to teach students about coding. The majority of the course provides students with the opportunity to practice their coding and software engineering skills, as each day only an hour or two is spent on lecturing. The bootcamp is split into three main modules, each with its focus.
In the first module, instructors teach computer science and programming fundamentals. During this time, students learn about Python, JavaScript, SQL, algorithm scripting, version control, and object-oriented programming, among other computer science and programming basics.
The second module teaches students how HTML, CSS, and JavaScript work together to create websites. Students also learn how to write HTTP server code in this module. Finally, the bootcamp wraps up its third module with students learning how to create web applications. In this last module, students also learn how to authenticate, test, and use API integration.
Students can take an “Intro to Coding” class and “Bootcamp Prep” course before beginning the Full Stack Software Engineering bootcamp. This equips students with the necessary skills to succeed in the bootcamp, even if they have no prior experience with coding.
Students can choose from several class formats. The full-time bootcamp is offered both in-person at the downtown Chicago campus or live online. Students who participate remotely attend the same classes as their in-person counterparts but do so virtually. The full-time bootcamp meets over 15 weeks.
Code Platoon also offers an evening and weekends format that is held live online. In this program, students go through the same curriculum as the full-time course but meet part-time over 28 weeks instead of 15. This class meets three nights per week and all day on Saturdays.
Finally, students can choose to participate in the free self-paced (on-demand) bootcamp option. This allows students to view pre-recorded lectures and complete coding challenges as they’re able. Code Platoon provides a Slack channel for on-demand students to network with one another. Students who enroll in the self-paced format are not eligible to receive a certificate of completion, nor do they have ready access to faculty.
Students interested in applying to the Code Platoon’s bootcamp can apply online. There are two parts to the admissions process. In the first part, applicants provide Code Platoon with information about themselves, including what session they want to participate in and whether they’ll be applying for a scholarship or VA funding.
After submitting the first part of the application, students receive a link to complete the second phase. Code Platoon’s website does not specify what is included in this second part of the application process.
The cost for Code Platoon’s full-time formats and evening/weekend format is $17,000. Students who enroll in either of these programs must make a $500 deposit to secure their spot. The cost for the self-paced program is free.
Veterans can use their GI Bill to fund the in-person bootcamp. For the other formats, students can use VET TEC and Voc Rehab funds to pay for tuition.
Additionally, Code Platoon offers scholarships, such as a Transgender Veteran Scholarship and Women in Technology Scholarship. Some of these scholarships may cover the full cost of tuition. The median scholarship amount awarded is $12.5,000.
Code Platoon makes career support services an important component of its bootcamp curriculum. Students spend time each day working on their professional development, whether that’s tweaking resumes or building a LinkedIn page.
The Career Services team at Code Platoon offers specific workshop sessions that help develop professional skills for veterans, including building an online presence. Career Services also provides individual resume coaching and holds technical and behavioral mock interviews. In addition to these workshops, Code Platoon offers personal finance and workplace sensitivity workshops to help veterans prepare for post-military life.
Finally, Code Platoon pairs students with industry mentors and has the goal of connecting students with at least ten professional software developers throughout the program. The non-profit also helps connect students who participate in the full-time, in-person bootcamp with paid internships upon graduating.
Code Platoon provides a 2021 Outcomes Report on its website. Graduates of the Full Stack Software Engineering Bootcamp have experienced a salary increase of $25,000 on average, with a median starting salary of $72K. Upon graduating, 82% of students find employment within 180 days.
With a 4.96-stars on Course Report, graduates of the Code Platoon Full Stack Software Engineering Bootcamp are very satisfied with their experiences. Students are especially pleased with their instructors and TAs. They also enjoy the guest speakers and workshops that offer different perspectives about coding and software engineering careers.
Additionally, the curriculum and professional development opportunities do “an amazing job of helping make [the] transition” between military life and the civilian workforce easier. This is largely due to the excellent career services and apprenticeship opportunities afforded to students and graduates of the program.
The program is very fast, however, and “burnout is possible” given the time required to successfully learn the numerous technical skills of full stack development. As such, students who come to the program with some JavaScript and Python experience will be the most well-equipped to succeed, especially when the program first begins.
The pros and cons list below provides some of the key takeaways about Code Platoon’s Full Stack Software Engineering Bootcamp if you’re still undecided about attending.
Pros of Code Platoon
Cons of Code Platoon
Learn more at codeplatoon.org
Veterans and spouses learn to become full stack developers in a one-of-a-kind immersive program taught by professional software engineers. The curriculum includes all technical skills, plus coaching in soft skills to prepare the graduate to enter a career in software engineering.
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