It’s June and for many, that brings to mind long-awaited, highly anticipated summer vacations. Once you get past happy times of driving with the top down and relaxing on the beach though, what comes next? Is there a great career waiting for you?

The field of hi-tech, and more specifically, software engineering has much to offer those that are technically inclined and highly motivated. You ‘ve likely heard the statistics that dramatically show the unfilled need for developers and the climbing salaries that are out there, including:

  • The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts software developer jobs will grow 17% by 2024 — a much more rapid rate than other professions — with 1.4 million more software jobs than applicants by 2020.
  • In a 2016 study by KPMG, 55% of U.S. technology company CEOs expect to grow their headcount by at least 6% in the next 3 years.
  • Of the 15 highest paying entry-level jobs, eight are in tech, according to a new survey by Linkedin.

 

Software developer jobs are a fast-moving career choice for sure, with a wide variety of tools to use and techniques to master. Despite that though, don ‘t let the absence of a four-year computer science degree prevent you from joining the ranks of these high paying jobs. There are alternative, affordable paths to a successful career in software development.

Graduates on the move

Since the start of 2017, Woz U has graduated just under 100 software developers. These talented new grads completed their coursework on one of our campuses in Scottsdale, Houston and Seattle, or online. The course titles vary but most of our students focus on full stack web development, with a track customized to the technology they are most interested in (JavaScript, .NET, Ruby, etc.)

By taking either a full-time software developer program for 12-weeks or a part-time course for 24 weeks, our students graduate with a significant opportunity ahead of them, and the support of our experienced career services team who works tirelessly with employers throughout the U.S. and around the globe. Companies that have recently hired Woz U grads include Accenture, AT&T, City of San Diego, Cloverleaf Media, GrubMarket, IBM, Jelly Belly Candy, U.S. Equestrian Federation and Yahoo, just to name a few.

But don ‘t take my word for it. Our graduates have great stories to tell. Take for example Andrew Haddock, a recent Woz U grad who landed a job as a junior developer at software company and SalesForce partner, RadialSpark after working numerous customer service jobs over the years. “I love that I am now able to create something from nothing,” Haddock said. “Understanding programming and its concepts have opened many doors.”

Donna Ryan graduated from Woz U in January and immediately started work as an Interactive Developer for PrizeLogic, a creator of custom interactive promotions. “I love the field I work in,” Ryan said. “Every day is a new challenge and every project has a new twist.”

There are plenty more of these stories. To read about other graduate experiences, check out our blog.

The lazy days of summer will be over before you know it — make this year the year you aren ‘t stuck in another unfulfilling job. If you ‘re motivated to make a change, there is an alternative.