Return on Investment: Why Australians Should Enrol in a Tech Boot Camp

By Riley Batchelor

According to a report by the Australian Computer Society, the demand for tech workers is set to grow by almost 100,000 to 758,700 workers by 2023. By this time, almost 3 million Australian workers will be employed in occupations that regularly use tech.

Boot camps are an excellent way for Australians to break into the country’s rapidly growing tech industry. These short-term, intensive classes prepare hard-working adult learners for the digital jobs that employers are eager to fill: software engineers, front-end and back-end developers, web developers, and software developers, among other in-demand positions. 

While completing a boot camp is not an easy endeavor—the program requires diligent classroom study, dedicated out-of-class work, ambitious group project collaboration, and thoughtful distraction-free concentration—the payoffs can be immense. Just consider these potential boot camp ROIs.

A new job

The career trajectory of today’s worker can seldom be traced as a straight upward-trending line. Workers are more mobile than ever, exploring new professional avenues as opportunities arise. With boot camps, those opportunities present themselves front and center. If you find yourself in a dead-end job, if your previously chosen field is shrinking, if the discipline you attended university for no longer interests you, then you can make the decision to reskill for a better career fit. The boot camp teaches the skills necessary to land a new job in the tech space. While completion of a boot camp does not guarantee new employment, it certainly positions you to make the most of your newly acquired skill set and signals to employers that you are ready and able to make the leap to a more rewarding job.

Better salary

Employers are hungry for suitable tech talent, and they will pay handsomely for skilled team players. Boot camps are taught by experienced practitioners who guide learners through the latest coding concepts as well as projects that stress collaboration and teamwork. These aspects of the program help participants become well-rounded tech professionals whom employers are looking for.

Alexei Fey, CEO of Comunet, a South Australian company specializing in digital transformation and tech strategy, highlights the call for more staff skilled in information technology.  

“As a business at the forefront of technological changes we are thrilled at the growth in the sector. However, there is a shortage of people with relevant tech skills,” he said. “My frustration in finding good talent is not uncommon amongst the local business community. When good talent becomes available, competition is fierce amongst employers to secure talent.”

Raise/promotion

Not every boot camp participant desires a new job. Some simply want to upskill so they can move up with their current employer. Trilogy Education partners with prominent universities across Australia, including Monash University, to offer programs that help business professionals get a leg up in their companies. 

Respect

Whether you want to change jobs completely or show your current boss that you’re ready for more responsibility, you will command more respect with your newfound digital skills. Following the boot camp, you will be able to contribute more to your company. You will be a greater asset to your employer. 

Employers such as Deloitte and PWC have built out robust technology operations and are looking at the graduates of many educational avenues, including boot camps, to staff their digital teams. Boot camp graduates in the U.S. have found rewarding careers at Apple, Google, IBM, and Oracle, among many others. 

Boot camps are a proven model of digital skills training that can lead to tremendous benefits for the determined adult learner. Australia is poised to lead with boot camp programs that pair its best universities with hard-working students and experienced tech practitioners. As long as you are willing to invest your time and energy in the program, your return on investment can be transformative. 

Riley Batchelor is Trilogy’s vice president and general manager for the Asia-Pacific region.