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Welcome to the panel discussion led by Mike Gehard. We have Elaine Marina, who has just finished the DaVinci Coders program, Jim Denton, who is involved in building educational programs, and Tom Frei, who talked earlier about the DaVinci Coders. Each of our panelists will share their background, experience, and insights into improving the training of software developers.
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I'll go ahead and start with myself. My name is Mike Gehard. I've been working with Jumpstart Lab as an instructor for LivingSocial's Hungry Academy, which was a pilot program designed to train people and help integrate them into engineering teams. Prior to that, I worked with smaller Ruby and Rails consultancies like Edge Case.
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Hi, I'm Elaine Marino. I recently completed the DaVinci Coders class, an 11-week intensive course where I learned Ruby on Rails and other technologies along the way. I had no prior programming experience before this; my background is in marketing. I worked as an account director in advertising for several years. About two years ago, I transitioned into the startup scene in Boulder, where I realized that to succeed in technology, I needed to understand it better. I made the decision to pursue coding and completed the course. Now, I'm seeking my first apprenticeship.
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Hi, I'm Jim Denton. I started learning Ruby and web development in January. Before that, I was a technical director for a nonprofit theater company in Denver. In late March, I began my apprenticeship with Groupon and have been working there ever since.
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Hi, I'm Tom Frei. I run the DaVinci Institute in Louisville, which we started back in 1997. Before that, I spent 15 years at IBM, where I was involved in retraining engineers as programmers. We had to take an aptitude test that was heavily focused on math, and I was retrained as a Pascal programmer to work on mainframe computers. The DaVinci Institute has been providing education as a 501c3 nonprofit organization.
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I learned about Codecademy in Chicago last year from my son, Darby, who works for Groupon and was mentoring at Codecademy. Inspired by that, we decided to create a program similar to Codecademy, which turned into an 11-week full immersion program. Our first class began on June 4 and wrapped up at the end of August. Elaine exemplifies the immersion experience we aimed for, where information comes at you like a firehose.
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It's interesting to see different types of education represented here. I have a master's in computer science and a bachelor's in chemical engineering. I worked for an engineering firm doing computer-based research and realized my interest in programming when I got my first computer, a Commodore 64, as a kid. I eventually returned to school for my master's degree in software engineering, attending classes at night while working. We also have a variety of coding boot camps, such as Hungry Academy, which is a five-month program funded by LivingSocial.
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Hungry Academy had about 650 applicants for only 24 spots, which was quite competitive. All the participants were actually hired as LivingSocial employees during the program, receiving benefits. Then, we have the DaVinci Coders, Dev Bootcamp, General Assembly, and others that offer immersive programs for those looking to get into software development.
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Matt, can you share how the Hungry Academy participants have been doing? Of the 24 students accepted from around 650 applicants, all of them are now working on the engineering teams at LivingSocial. Despite some opinions suggesting it meant the program was too easy, I assure you that the program was rigorous. The students worked long hours, sometimes 16 to 18-hour days, and it was a significant commitment.
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How was your experience in this program, Elaine? You just completed an 11-week program; what was it like going in, during, and coming out? Well, the course consisted of ten hours of class time each week, not including the time spent on projects, homework, and learning new concepts. Although I thought it would be manageable with a part-time job, I quickly realized the intensity of the workload was overwhelming, even for those who were not working.
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From day one, the learning curve was steep, especially because many of the concepts were completely new to us. We covered 28 different topics at a fast pace, including Ruby, JavaScript, PostgreSQL, and jQuery, and we rarely reviewed what we learned previously. Each day felt intense, and at times I found myself confused about the most basic terms, like 'string', which took weeks to fully grasp.
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At Groupon, I started my apprenticeship with no formal training in Ruby on Rails, but I had done some online tutorials before joining. My apprenticeship with Groupon originated through Activision, which they inherited from the merger. The structure of my apprenticeship included milestones, with tech talks and code reviews held every two months to assess my progress.
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After my tech talk, my peers would determine whether to continue the apprenticeship or end it. This structure provided me with a deadline and motivated me to put my best foot forward. I worked remotely three days a week and met with my team for two days in person, where we would collaborate and learn together.
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During my free time, I devoted myself to reading and learning as much as possible. This culminated in my thesis project, a full-stack Sinatra application. As I neared the end of my apprenticeship, I had to demonstrate what I learned and was evaluated against success criteria that were personalized for me as I had less experience than others.
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Critically, Elaine pointed out that there should be a clearer understanding of what constitutes success in programs like Da Vinci Coders and Codecademy. It's essential for the industry to define the skills and knowledge required for entry-level positions or apprenticeship programs, ensuring that the transition from education to employment is seamless.
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While there are many conversations on how new graduates fit into the workforce, it's important to acknowledge that not all graduates from traditional computer science programs are prepared for real-world careers. Many colleges focus on theoretical knowledge, which often does not prepare students for practical software development. Initiatives like Da Vinci Coders aim to bridge this gap.
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The point of transition from education to employment can be blurry, and industry leaders need to establish better criteria for assessing candidate readiness. Engaging with boot camps and alternative programs, attending networking events, and creating strong relationships with educational programs can help identify passionate applicants.
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As we consider the future of coding education, it's vital to ask if companies are providing adequate support systems for junior developers. While many nonprofit programs are emerging, the tech industry should take it upon itself to nurture and develop new talent, ensuring a strong pipeline of skilled software developers.
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Elaine emphasized the necessity of apprenticeship programs across the industry, stating that there seems to be a gap in job availability for entry-level developers. While there are plenty of positions for senior developers with experience, the industry needs to invest in training and onboarding fresh talent.
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Mike and our panelists discussed the importance of integrating apprentices into existing teams proficiently. Successful mentoring requires structured programs that not only provide knowledge but also foster teamwork and communication skills. Industry experts must recognize the nuances of technical interviews and candidate fit.
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The conversation addressed the growing concern about new graduates lacking essential skills in database design and data structures. Panelists discussed their experiences with hiring decisions and how perceptions of junior developers could affect overall team performance.
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Companies should look to integrate junior developers into teams with mentorship and training programs that foster their growth. Improving onboarding processes and investing in continuous education are critical to developing well-rounded developers who can positively impact the company.
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In conclusion, the panelists agreed on the importance of continuing to educate current and aspiring developers. Organizations should encourage networking, mentorship, and collaboration with educational programs that fill talent gaps and prepare graduates to succeed in their careers.
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The session ended with thanks to everyone who participated in the panel discussion and a reminder to keep the dialogue going around improving education, apprenticeship programs, and the integration of new developers into the tech industry.
