Bootcamp or Intro Course: Which is right for me?

Lighthouse Labs has a host of online programs and courses in web development, cybersecurity, and data. With so many options and schedules to choose from, it can be overwhelming to try and choose which is the right fit for you. That’s why we made this handy guide to make the decision as easy as possible for you.

Bootcamp vs intro course: 3 things to consider

First up, you need to ask yourself, “What are my goals?”. Are you motivated to change careers right now with adequate time to dedicate to months-long education? If so, then a Bootcamp or Flex Program may be for you. If you’re someone who’s just looking to give tech a test run or a professional wanting to add a specific skill set to your toolbox, then you’d want to head in the direction of an intro course.

1. Time Commitment

Bootcamp

Bootcamps are 8-12 weeks of full-time study. Lectures are five days a week with around 50 hours of outside work and projects. Each Bootcamp (Web Development, Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, and Data Science) also has a Flex version. Flex Programs follow the same curriculum and have all the same benefits of a Bootcamp (more on that later), but are part-time, between 18 and 30 weeks in length. Although still intensive, Flex students are only required to attend two lectures per week and have around 22-25 hours of outside work and projects to complete weekly.

Intro courses

In comparison, intro courses are only six weeks long. You’ll set aside two, three-hour evenings per week as you learn the basics of either web development or data analytics.

2. Career Goals

As you make your way through your career, your goals and aspirations change. You may even realize that your current path isn’t what you want to spend the rest of your working life doing, and that’s ok. Whatever your goals are, our programs and courses can get you where you want it to be.

So first ask yourself, what are your goals?

Change careers - Bootcamp or Flex

If you’ve come to the decision that it’s time for an all out change, Bootcamp or Flex is the right way to go. These programs will have you job-ready in just 8-12 weeks (Bootcamp) or 18-30 weeks (Flex). In addition to learning all the right technical and soft skills required to land an entry-level job in tech, you’ll also gain access to a lifetime of Career Services. That’s right, you can come back to the team that’s achieved an 85% employment rate for our job-seeking grads for relevant advice at any point in your career.

Gain some new skills for current role - Intro courses

Entrepreneurs, business owners who interact with technical teams, website owners, HR specialists, and those curious about tech are all great candidates for an intro course. Intro courses cover the need-to-know basics of either web development or data analytics (we also have a course especially for HR peeps). They are a great and accessible way to add necessary technical knowledge to your arsenal without infringing on your current career.

3. Breadth of knowledge

The world of tech is a black hole when it comes to how much there is to learn due to its constantly-evolving nature. So it begs the question, how much of that knowledge do you need or want to know to advance your career to its ideal next stop?

In-depth, thorough knowledge to make a career change - Bootcamp or Flex

You want the full caboodle as they say. You’re ready to dive in and learn as much as possible about web development, cybersecurity, or data. Your end goal is to master these skills so you can change careers. This is a pretty good indicator that a Bootcamp or Flex Program is for you. You’ll learn industry-relevant skills from passionate instructors that will set you up for long-term success and set you apart from the crowd when it comes time to job hunt.

You’ll also interact regularly with mentors who, in addition to helping you through technical problems, are also important first contacts within the tech industry (networking, anyone?).

Explore and add to your current skill set - intro course

You may need to know the ins and outs of designing beautiful web pages and seamless design as a graphic designer. You could also be a marketer or a real estate agent looking to stay ahead of trends and put your company above the rest. Either way, these courses will give your career the necessary boost. Technical skills are also in demand, even in non-technical roles, so these courses could provide you the necessary know-how to get promotion ready.

Ready to jump in? Check out our programs and courses below to get started.