Silicon Valley NEDians Sponsor Software Bootcamp in Pakistan
By Riaz Haq
CA

 

Pakistan has seen several boot camps started in recent years to respond to growing demand for practical tech training in the country. Two of my fellow  NED University  alumni in Silicon Valley - Saeed Kazmi and Idris Kothari - are "helping an initiative in Pakistan with a company xLoop Digital ( www.xloopdigital.com ), to provide advanced software Bootcamp training to fresh grads in computer science and engineering". 

Idris and Saeed are senior NEDians who graduated from our alma mater in early 1970s.  I have personally known them since the early 1980s when I first arrived in the San Francisco Bay Area. Both have solid track records as successful tech entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley.  Here's an excerpt of their email sent to me on the subject: 

"The training center is located in Karachi. The first batch started in November 22.  Currently, we have about 50 developers under training in two tracks -1. Cloud Native Software Development, 2.  Data Sciences/Engineering . The Bootcamp training is provided by  www.emeritus.org  , a US based company. This is a 16-week program that includes 12 weeks of technical training provided by live on-line, US based instructors, and 4 weeks of soft-skills training. The first batch graduated recently, and we are looking to outsource the talent in the US. These developers are ready to be interviewed by interested clients". 

Skills taught at typical coding bootcamp – Source DICE

What is a coding boot camp?  It is a technical training program designed to teach the programming skills that employers are currently looking for. Technology is constantly changing. It is important for those looking for work in the tech industry to continue to learn and update their skills. Coding boot camps offer short, intensive training courses to help employees and job candidates to meet the needs of employers. They fill the gaps in skillsets of new college graduates to enhance their employability. 

Not all boot camps are alike. It is important to do  due diligence  before signing up for a boot camp. Some of the questions that come to mind when choosing a boot camp are: 1. How long is the program and how much does it cost? 2. What is its job placement record? 3. Is there a verifiable estimate of the average earnings of its graduates? 4. What is unique about the boot camp you are considering signing up for? How does it compare with other tech bootcamps? 

Let me conclude by quoting  Nate Swanner 's sound advice on selecting bootcamps: "Remember, there’s no timeline for starting your journey, and nothing saying you must attend a bootcamp to learn tech. What matters is your drive and enthusiasm: two things you just can’t learn in a bootcamp". 

(Riaz Haq is a Silicon Valley-based Pakistani-American analyst and writer. He blogs at  www.riazhaq.com )