WSJ: Certificates aren't paying off either So no bootcamps, no masters, no certificates = NO SHORTCUTS TO CHANGING CAREERS. Exercise extreme caution before trying to get into tech without a full degree.

WSJ: Certificates aren't paying off either So no bootcamps, no masters, no certificates = NO SHORTCUTS TO CHANGING CAREERS. Exercise extreme caution before trying to get into tech without a full degree. SOURCE: [https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/more-workers-are-getting-job-skill-certificates-they-often-dont-pay-off-be49236f](https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/more-workers-are-getting-job-skill-certificates-they-often-dont-pay-off-be49236f) AI SUMMARY: * **Most credentials don't deliver value**: A new study by Burning Glass Institute found that only 1 in 8 nondegree credentials (certificates, badges, online courses) provided notable pay gains within a year of completion. * **Market has exploded**: Over 700,000 different nondegree credentials were available in the U.S. in 2022, with short-term certificates increasing by 33% between 2013-2023, as institutions spot a lucrative business opportunity. * **Limited returns even from elite programs**: Even certificates from prestigious institutions often fail to deliver - for example, Harvard Extension School's $13,760 Project Management Certificate showed minimal impact on career advancement or pay increases. * **Healthcare credentials perform best**: The top-performing credentials that did make a difference (averaging $5,000 extra annually) were primarily in nursing, radiology, and other medical fields where credentials are valued by employers and labor is in high demand. * **Workers and employers struggle to evaluate options**: With thousands of choices available, workers have few tools to assess which programs are worthwhile, and employers often don't know which credentials to value. * **Success requires the right mindset**: Experts recommend viewing credentials as skill-building opportunities rather than golden tickets - workers should identify in-demand skills from job postings and use credentials to acquire and validate those specific competencies. * **Many programs lack industry input**: Poor outcomes often result from credentials being designed with "a loose understanding of what it takes for somebody to get hired in the field" rather than sufficient employer feedback.

Edge cases exist and good for those people, hard work and lots of luck.

"The truth will set you free" - Jesus

Masters with no programming experience as bootcamp alternative but is the best of the worst option haha

\+1 supply and demand. Coding bootcamps specifically only work when there is more demand, not enough supply from more popular sources, and they can in weeks/months provide more supply whereas Stanford can't. The problem is that a number of bootcamps thought all the success was THEM and not the market, and it went to their head. When the market inverted and too much supply, no demand, some of those bootcamps didn't make changes. It's completely shocking to me and why I've been so vocal calling them out when I see that.

I used to support that program philosophically but someone protectively told me that in the cohort cohort that graduated 4 months ago, they thought only one person got a job, and it's possible they dont have full visibility, but it sounded like it was at best a tiny number of people who got jobs and given that the program is benchmarked on getting people jobs paying $65K+. Four months isn't that long yet to draw conclusions but clearly they didn't have major partnerships set up to hire grads and I don't see how anyone would get hired with zero experience and zero technical background. The main instructor was also laid off and the current instructor has another job according to LinkedIn and they were asking for mentors paying them $25 an hour (which means your mentors are being paid less than the jobs the program is supposed to create which makes no sense... You're telling people that this program is making them $65,000 plus job ready, but you're paying the people who are teaching them less than that)