Coding Dojo plans to end Ruby on Rails course

Back in May, Coding Dojo released data that showed the top five in-demand coding languages in D.C.

The coding bootcamp, which opened a campus in Mclean, Va., in June 2016, pointed to one big takeaway: Java is moving up, and Ruby on Rails had “lukewarm demand.”

Now, the coding bootcamp is following that up by changing its curriculum. By the end of the year, the bootcamp plans to end Ruby on Rails courses. In turn, a full-stack Java course will be added, said Head of Curriculum Speros Misirlakis. The first Java course in D.C. will start July 15, and current instructors will be able to teach the course, he said.

While the Ruby on Rails continues to have a community around it, he said the decision came down to what employers are seeking.

“Ruby has a much lower demand in relation to Python and now more specifically Java,”Misirlakis said. “One of the things we wanted to do is give our students the best opportunity to get jobs coming out of our program.”

While it’s specific to a language, the move is another sign of change in the coding bootcamp industry as it has grown.

Last week, The Iron Yard announced it was shutting down all campuses, including one in D.C. Dev Bootcamp is also closing.

The “time of transition” isn’t all closings, however. Our sister site Technical.ly Philly reported a pair of bootcamps are moving forward.

For its part, Coding Dojo is expanding by opening recently in Tulsa. The curriculum moves also show it’s evolving. Along with Java, the bootcamp is also introducing Alexa skills workshops. Misirlakis said that Coding Dojo’s move was in the works for about six months.

“It wasn’t a reactive kind of decision,” he said. “It was a proactive kind of decision.”