Performing well in almost any career requires some degree of training or education, as well as experience, and the tech industry is no exception. However, the range of career possibilities within the digital and tech industry is vast and from coding to data analysis to cybersecurity, tech is a broad field with many different facets.
There are lots of different training opportunities available for those interested in starting a career in tech. No matter what stage of your career you are currently at, or which industry you might have some experience in so far, there is a tech path for you. There are, however, a few fundamental differences between tech bootcamps and university courses in areas such as digital technology and computer science, like the length of study, affordability, and scope.
While university courses are extremely in-depth and allow students to specialize in a particular area, bootcamps are designed to provide the essential and most in-demand skills to get started on a particular career path:
Bootcamps are generally intensive and contain a lot of condensed information, combining both theoretical and practical elements.
University courses let you study a greater range of subjects in depth over a longer period of time.
Both may also offer the possibility to intern or study abroad in another city.
In this article, we’ll go through some of the main differences between tech bootcamps and university degrees, focusing on the following areas: duration, entry and previous knowledge, course content, career outlook, and flexibility and location.
Course Duration
At a university, an IT, web development, or cybersecurity degree may take between three and five years of full-time study, depending on where you’re located. And as is the case with most university courses, a degree in computer science, data analysis, or other areas of tech offers students the chance to explore a range of areas within those fields.
Bootcamps, on the other hand, can generally be completed in a number of weeks or months, part or full time, allowing you to build your practical skills in a relatively short amount of time and prepare you with hands-on skills for the working world.
Entry and Previous Knowledge
To better break down the process of enrolling in a bootcamp or university, let’s split this section into two parts: access and financial commitments.
Beginning your studies at a bootcamp or university also varies:
For university courses, you generally need proof of final year exam results or complete an entrance exam in order to be accepted.
Bootcamps can be done by anyone with an interest in the subject, and there are no academic requirements to gain access.
And financial commitments also differ significantly:
College courses require a huge investment both in terms of time and also of money. Between college and exam fees, books, and accommodation while studying, university courses are expensive to undertake and the financial burden can be significant over the years.
In addition to being more affordable than university courses, bootcamps get you career-ready much faster, helping you gain a salary sooner.
Theoretical vs Practical Teaching
College courses cover a lot of in-depth theoretical information and involve written assignments such as essays and reports; bootcamps cover the essentials and will have a strong practical element. Any submissions for a bootcamp will generally be a working example of a piece of code, for example, or a data analysis report. The emphasis is placed on results and building a portfolio, rather than writing essays.
When it comes to what your learning plan will look like, it’s important to note that:
University courses let you explore a wide range of subjects and different aspects of a discipline before you can choose to specialize. This lets you test out different areas of tech, although you may not actually use all of that knowledge once you graduate and begin your professional career.
Bootcamps, however, are much more specialized, permitting you to center your efforts in one specific field.
Career Outlook
University courses, as previously mentioned, typically last years and you’ll most likely wait until you’ve finished your course to start the job hunt. Completing a bootcamp, on the other hand, will let you get started in the working world much faster. After that, it will be a case of learning on the job and gaining experience:
Experience is crucial when it comes to fields such as cybersecurity, data analytics, and web development. The digital world is constantly changing and evolving.
Staying up-to-date with new developments is essential, and the best way to do that is with hands-on learning.
Learning to run a data analysis when developing a new web tool, for instance, is something that is best learned on the job. Once you know the basics and how to perform an analysis of the requirements for a new tool or piece of software, the best thing to do is put them into practice.
Flexibility
When it comes to flexibility of both time and location, we find yet another difference between bootcamps and universities. Unlike traditional universities which require you to live on-campus for at least part of your time there and attend classes throughout the day full-time, bootcamps offer the option of studying remotely, which is a huge benefit for many people. In addition, lots of bootcamps offer part-time options for those who want to continue working while studying or simply can’t commit to a full-time course load.
If you are wondering whether bootcamps are better than university, it normally depends on your goals and needs. For areas such as coding and other tech topics, they generally are. They are far more cost-effective and let you start in the job market much quicker. And with areas such as programming, design, analytics or cybersecurity, gaining experience and practical skills is often more valuable than further study.
The demand for tech professionals is on the rise and developing your tech skills with a bootcamp can make your CV stand out from the crowd, teaching you the essential information in an intensive and efficient way.
We can’t decide for you though: the best choice between bootcamps and universities depends on your long-term goals. If you want to dip your toe into an area of tech and explore it as a career option, a bootcamp is the best choice; you will be equipped with essential and marketable skills and figure out if this is where you want to dedicate your career.
Ironhack offers bootcamps in web development, UX/UI design, data analytics, cybersecurity, data science and machine learning, AI engineering, and DevOps and cloud computing. No matter where your interests lie, there’s something for you here.
Take a look at our bootcamps and let us know: where will you begin your tech career?
