u/michaelnovati replied · · edited ★ FEATURED
I have a general engineering degree and was mostly self taught in terms of web development. I did do dozens of computer science fundamental "academic" courses though, and I did internships in schools.
I don't represent all CS grads, nor do I represent bootcamp grads, but just by 2 cents opinion...
When you spend 4 years doing a few dozens computer science courses, internships, compete tooth and nail for top tier tech jobs out of college, etc... it feels unbelievable that someone with no programming experience can get the same job, or as Codesmith claims "mid level and senior" jobs, after 12 to 16 weeks of bootcamp.
And it's not unfounded. It's just impossible to cover the same breadth a top tier CS degree does and if you have some internships under your belt that's even more of a gap. My peers find it super offensive a bootcamp grad with zero experience wants them to refer them as a "senior engineer" at a FAANG company and it makes them think the bootcamps have no idea what they are talking about.
My friends review resumes of people with no experience who represent their bootcamps as 1+ years of work experience, it makes them feel like the whole bootcamp industry is broken.
I'm way more familiar with the bootcamp industry then my friends and I see all sides of this and don't entirely agree with that, but I do understand where they are coming from.
I see incredible bootcamp grads get incredible jobs and do very well, and I see many struggle and feel like they wasted their money.
I don't like putting CS vs bootcamps because there are infinite types of CS degrees and infinite types of bootcamps.