As a business, innovation and listening to what our hiring partners need is always front and centre of everything we do. We work tirelessly to ensure our courses are based around what they – and the sectors they operate in – need. That isn’t always an easy task, but taking that approach is what stands us apart and is something that will never change.
The tech landscape is always evolving, and we know that Java continues to be one of the most in demand languages in software development, as well as being highly valued across various industries. As a result, we’ve carefully curated and launched a new Java development specific bootcamp in partnership with businesses that actually hire junior Java developers and here’s why…
Java isn’t going anywhere – it may be 28 years old, but it’s still a mainstay in UK programming. It’s consistently ranked in the top three in-demand programming languages in the world. If you’re wondering why we’re not doing 1st or 2nd, well – we are. Our existing courses – Data Engineering and Software Engineering – cover Python and JavaScript respectively. Because Java has been so well established for so long, a huge proportion of UK software is written using it, and so a lot of engineers who can build and maintain those codebases are required. This is reflected in UK job stats, where – despite the ructions in the industry last year – there were a huge number of Junior Java developer vacancies. Our industry partners need people who know Java, so we’re happy to help.
Java is a different programming paradigm for us – At present, we teach Python and JavaScript – both are dynamically typed languages, which include Object Orientation but certainly not exclusively. Java is different – these differences open up new opportunities for exploring aspects of theory that don’t really translate well to someone who solely knows JavaScript/Python. With these differences come opportunities to build a more diverse knowledge pool for potential partners, and interested students alike.
Java developers do different stuff – This is probably an obvious one, but Java and JavaScript are really different. They have wildly different use cases, and while some companies will unavoidably use both, Java is way more focused on enterprise applications, and native Android apps. Depending on what your interests are as an engineer, and what kind of company you want to work for, this could represent a huge difference, and it makes sense to cater to our student body’s diverse goals.
We’ve already got a course – This is the easy one! For a while, we’ve delivered Java programmes directly to industry partners on bespoke programmes. This means the bones of our course were developed in collaboration with some of the most exciting Java houses in town, and we’ve got an experienced team of engineers and educators ready and rearing to go. From my perspective, it’s a no-brainer to put all this to good use, and create more opportunities across the board.
Unlike our highly regarded JavaScript Development bootcamp where you learn to build web applications using React and Node.js, or our market-leading Data Engineering bootcamp which deals specifically with processing large datasets – this one enables learners to create full-stack web applications with a special focus on Java, including using Spring Boot, and front-end web development essentials, as well as native mobile apps on Android.
Response has been phenomenal – in the first week alone of the course going live we had filled a third of our total seats – and our decision to collaborate with industry has ensured a curriculum that will truly give people the essential Java fundamentals and skills which they can then use as a launchpad for a brand new career.
