The need for developers is growing, but with the increasing number of graduates, boot camp leavers, and self-taught junior programmers, is the lower half of the market saturated? Boot camp graduates, in particular, seem to churn out increasingly more talent – is some of it being wasted?
Here are some facts and figures to help assure you that’s not the case, especially in NYC. In fact, if you’re an aspiring developer, boot camp may be the best option possible for you!
The New York City Tech Market
Along with the San Francisco Bay Area, New York City is one of the largest tech hubs in the United States. In seven years, 53,000 jobs were created in NYC for software and tech developers – a 65% increase! The rise is not slowing, which means that more junior engineers are needed.
Silicon Valley is famous for its early-stage tech investments, but NYC follows closely behind. Over 7,000 tech start-ups exist in the Big Apple, as well as over 100 incubators. AI, web engineering, product, and AR/VR are the hot trends, with a unilateral rise in companies seeking new talent.
Why boot camps?
Although coding boot camps are producing more and more junior engineers, so too is the tech job market requiring more and more talent! The boot camp programs help train people with specific skills to close the gap between demand and supply of workers. Unlike a university program, they are more able to change and update their curricula and approaches as the market and employer needs change!
The numbers
Though around two and a half thousand engineers graduate NYC coding boot camps annually, these engineers are entering a market of over eight thousand open entry-level jobs!
Computer science degree graduates totaled around 90,000 across the whole US three years ago, with more every year since, but that doesn’t mean boot camp graduates are challenged! In fact, The US Bureau of Labor placed the number of open tech jobs this year at over a million – plenty of work for everyone and more.
As well, not every computer science graduate goes into coding or software engineering and may use their skills in several other IT fields. Bootcamps, meanwhile, produce graduates with specified talents.
Why do people think the market is saturated?
There are a few reasons for this, including:
Outsourcing is becoming more popular: Customer service, manufacturing, and design aren’t the only things outsourced anymore. In the current gig economy, employers are seeking cheaper, highly skilled foreign workers in other countries. However, they still need workers on US soil!
The rumor mill: The minute someone suggests that it might be hard to get a job, that idea will spread like wildfire, especially within a closed situation like a boot camp. Yes, some of the tech giants may not need applicants – but it isn’t only tech companies who need engineers anymore.
How boot camps have changed the tech industry
Since 2012, boot camps have helped those who are unable to attend university and attain a four-year Computer Science degree to still re-enter the job market. As of now, the largest tech giants no longer require a CS degree. As well, creatives, scientists, and diverse hires with interest in tech are now much more likely to be able to break into the market.
Bootcamps over scholarships and grants to underprivileged or minority students, which is changing the face of a white middle-class male-dominated industry. Diversity is vital in a field where creativity and progress are essential. NYC is the top of 50 global cities for women-owned businesses – more than 2x more than any of the others!
Companies are also able to be more selective – with more well-trained candidates, they can be picky!
Getting ahead
The market isn’t saturated, but you still might want to follow some tips to put yourself ahead of the crowd. Here are some of the top ones.
You need to be open to working in different industries and geographical locations as a junior developer. You’ll face less competition with a broader net!
Don’t underestimate the importance of networking. Follow your tech heroes on social media, go to events, join groups specific to your demographic. In short, do anything you can to make yourself known and make sure people know you’re searching and skilled.
Consider untraditional jobs, such as fields that have never really been related to tech in the past.
Make sure they know all of your hard skills, so your capabilities are never in question, but make sure you demonstrate a plethora of soft skills too. They’re almost as relevant in today’s market. As well, don’t shy away from the skills you’ve learned in other industries.
Most importantly, show your enthusiasm. Show you love the work, that you want to keep learning, and that you’ll only continue to be a greater and greater asset as your employment continues.
