My Bootcamp Journey: Discovering the Value of Free Bootcamps

In my own experience, I have completed five FREE bootcamps. Choosing a free bootcamp is an excellent way to explore your career options without committing thousands of dollars, only to realize later that it's not your true passion, leading to major changes in your academic path and additional expenses. Personally, I initially pursued coding, but later discovered my love for UX design. I chose to self-teach using YouTube and UX books before enrolling in a UX bootcamp to further enhance my knowledge.

Evaluating Bootcamps: Considerations

In my opinion, if you can find a FREE bootcamp, it's worth considering.

However, keep in mind that in today's job market (2023), a bootcamp alone may not be sufficient for securing your first UX job.

Four-month, six-month, or eight-month bootcamps may no longer be enough. Instead, view bootcamps as a stepping stone for discovering your passion and approach them with an open mind.

Conduct thorough research and connect with alumni from the bootcamps you are interested in. While I have gained knowledge and skills from bootcamps, I also recognize their limitations.

When considering a bootcamp, look for certain criteria that can make a significant difference in your experience:

Validating Bootcamp Quality and Job Placement Support

• Seek bootcamps that offer GUARANTEED job placements and partnerships with companies. Be cautious of bootcamps that claim high success rates without providing verified statistics of actual job placements for their graduates.

Importance of Senior UX Professionals as Instructors

• Another crucial aspect is ensuring that instructors are senior UX professionals. Surprisingly, some bootcamps are advertised by some individuals in Big Tech but lack organization and fail to cover key topics promised in their "comprehensive" curriculum (as experienced in Bootcamp #3).

• Some bootcamps discourage students from exploring other UX courses like the Google Certificate or Udemy, claiming to provide all necessary information, but in reality they fall short.

Bootcamps are popular choices due to the guidance and mentorship they provide, along with a sense of accountability (especially if you’re self-taught).

However, in my case, I chose to return to formal education instead of pursuing another bootcamp. I have reached my limit with bootcamps, and returning to school offers a more cost-effective option with greater recognition compared to a run-of-the-mill bootcamp.

I want to clarify that I'm NOT against bootcamps; in fact, I have completed five of them.

However, I believe there are valid criticisms regarding their structure and the misleading promises they often make.

Bootcamps can potentially be harmful, because they expect learners to absorb vast amounts of information within a short timeframe, particularly in the case of UX design where producing a minimum viable product (MVP) is often required.

Additionally, they can often fall short in providing clear next steps, whether it's job searching, continuing education, or entrepreneurship. In this regard, bootcamps and formal education share similarities.

University Experience and Decision to Return to Formal Education

Choosing to return to school was a challenging decision for me. As a student living with neurodivergence, my university experience was a struggle.

I had to advocate for my accommodations and lacked adequate support. Combined with various health issues, my time at university proved to be stressful.

After graduating, I vowed never to set foot in a classroom again.

However, here I am in 2023, preparing for my second round of post-secondary education, this time entering the Interactive Media Design program at a college.

Ultimately, whether you decide to pursue formal education or a bootcamp, the choice is yours. My hope is that this post has provided you with valuable insights to make a more informed decision about your future.

In fact, I’ve written a Linkedin post about this topic if you want to read more: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/b-campbell-_careertransition-careeradvice-jobseekers-activity-7070051517902290944-90cX?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Before I go, here are some resources from a Design OG, Darren Hood:

Thanks all for this week! Have an amazing day!