Unit 2 . . .Web Fundamentals

We are deep into Unit 2, Web Fundamentals, and we are learning about building a web application with Python and Flask and SQL.

It has been hard; Hurricane Dorian messing with our class schedule didn’t help.

I have really valued the camaraderie and assistance of the Teaching Assistants as well as my classmates. LC101 utilizes a flipped classroom approach. You learn the material on your own and then come to class to work on the concepts you learned in in-class Studios.

One problem is there are some people who have skipped ahead–there is a diversity of coding experience in our group–so they do not feel the need to stay in class. Some have been leaving early, staying only long enough to be marked ‘present’. The director wants them to stay and perhaps help their classmates who are not ahead. Those who stay, but not to help but just because they have to stay, create a distraction for those who are trying to work on the Studio assignment. I wish there was a way to make this work better. One suggestion was a mandatory 20 minute quiet time after the lecture.

The LaunchCode LC101 curriculum is freely available online at their Education portal. It is pretty awesome that they share it with everyone, but it should be noted that they have benefited in some ways from the sharing of others before them. The beauty of open source!

Unit 1 was Python. (For us–others may do JavaScript in Unit 1.)

Unit 2, Web Fundamentals, has been HTML, CSS, more Python, Flask and SQL. I have found the Cheatsheets page to a very helpful one-stop shop for resources related to to Unit 2..

Unit 3, for us, will be C#, as that has been identified as a high-demand computer programming language in our local job market. (Others may do Java in Unit 3.)

After the main program, we have the option of continuing into Liftoff, a program designed to get us ready for the job market with coaching and a capstone project. Liftoff bridges the gap between graduation and tech employment. As stated in their 2018 Annual Impact Report, Liftoff is a new addition to the program:

Our new LiftOff program was created to bridge the gap between graduation and tech employment, building the skills that help candidates rock their interviews and be ready to contribute to their new teams. The curriculum focuses on resumes and building a portfolio of projects as well as soft skills like live coding, interview skills, networking, and team workflows.

2018 LaunchCode Annual Impact Report

Yesterday, the person who oversees the apprenticeship program, Bonita Daughaday, Senior Managing Director of Company Relations at LaunchCode, came all the way from LaunchCode’s headquarters in St. Louis, MO to speak with us. She has deep experience in matching people with tech jobs, with previous positions at Talentporte, Kforce and Signature Consultants.

She mentioned that LaunchCode does not only place people in web developer jobs. They also have positions for project managers, business analysts, testers. The list from their website includes:

• Software Developer
• Front-End Developer
• Back-End Developer
• Mobile Developer
• Data Scientist
• Business Intelligence Developer
• IT Project Manager
• Quality Assurance Analyst

Career support lasts forever.

As Prince once said:

that’s a mighty long time

Prince, Let’s Go Crazy

Most apprenticeships last 3 months and lead to a full-time employment offer.

It was a great opportunity to learn more about what lies ahead for those of us who persevere and finish the program. I am more motivated than ever to finish. I’m not personally jazzed about C# but I am seeing it now as a means to an end.

There are 14 employers they are working with in the South Florida tri-county area. Two of the biggest are City Furniture and MasterCard.