Looking for a Pittsburgh coding bootcamp? These 5+ training programs could be your first step into the tech sector

Coding bootcamps are short-term, intensive tech training programs. For the past decade, they’re been a popular choice for people who want to learn the basics, but don’t want to commit to a multi-year computer science program — and more recently, for those who want more depth than can be found in free tools found online. Many bootcamps can be completed in just a few weeks or months while students hold down other jobs.

Of course, you should think about whether a bootcamp is the right choice for you in the first place. They’re no longer the “silver bullet” they were during their heyday, as one technologist pointed out on Technical.ly’s Slack recently. And a challenging economic landscape means it may be getting harder to get hired as a junior developer these days.

If you’re ready for a pivot or feel your future is in tech, but a four-year college isn’t for you, consider these Pittsburgh bootcamps and training programs, including a handful geared at youth and young adults. This guide is updated from our 2022 edition. Did we miss any? Email pittsburgh@technical.ly.

Academy Pittsburgh

Also known as AcademyPGH, this program teaches students web development skills including Ruby, C# and JavaScript — the latter of which Director John Lange told us in 2021 “is by far the most popular in the job market currently.” AcademyPGH aims to prepare students to enter positions ranging from data scientists to full-stack developers. The org’s instructional location can be found on the North Side.

• Duration — 12 weeks
• Cost — Pay $10,000 upfront or 10% of a grad’s income for 24 months
• Applications — Applications open later in 2024

Apprenti PGH

The Seattle-founded Apprenti partnered with Pittsburgh Tech Council’s nonprofit arm, FortyX80, to bring the IT apprenticeship program to Pittsburgh in 2021, first focusing on aspiring software analysts and web developers. Last January, Apprenti PGH expanded to include cybersecurity training, and next up is business analysts.

• Duration — 12 to 14 weeks
• Cost — Free to participants
• Applications — Applicants can complete applications and an assessment available on the program’s website.

Per Scholas Pittsburgh

This local branch of a New York-headquartered, national program currently offers courses in cybersecurity, IT support and software engineering. It expanded to Pittsburgh in 2021 in partnership with TEKsystems, a technology services provider that stated its intention to hire from Per Scholars classes to work in Pittsburgh’s growing tech industry.

• Duration — 15 weeks
• Cost — Free
• Applications —  Feb. 6 for software engineers, April 15 for IT support and May 6 for cybersecurity

Tech Elevator

This national org’s Pittsburgh branch, with an HQ at 901 Pennsylvania Ave., offers remote and in-person courses in Java, C#, HTML, CSS and SQL. It also pledges job placement post graduation, and hosts Pittsburgh’s #learntocode meetup, which offers free events and workshops for coders at all levels.

• Duration — Between 14 and 30 weeks, depending on if the student is in a part-time or full-time program
• Cost — $16,500 with scholarships, grants and income share agreements available
• Applications — Next remote cohorts begin March 3 for part-time students and March 11 for full-time students.

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These programs are meant for youth and younger adults:

Girls Who Code

This national program seeks to close the gender gap in the tech field through free courses for students in grades 3 through 12 that help them to learn coding skills. Pittsburgh Technical College hosts a virtual club during the summer open to students in grades 6 through 12. During the school year, public and private schools can set up clubs for interested students, and during the summer, high school students can brush up on their coding skills while exploring possible careers in tech. Additionally, women and nonbinary college and graduate students are eligible to start chapters on their campuses, which can offer internship assistance, interview and career readiness programs, and direct hiring pipelines.

• Duration — Club durations are based on the school calendar, with four-week sessions in the fall and nine-week sessions during the winter
• Applications — Some clubs and camps require registration, and chapters require applications for funding which will be available throughout the year.
• Cost — Clubs are free; summer camps charge tuition fees but could offer grants for participants who need them, and college and young professional programs are free

STEM Coding Lab

The STEM Coding Lab is a Pittsburgh nonprofit seeking to help kids from lower-income backgrounds learn computer science skills in partnership with Pittsburgh Public Schools. In after-school programs, online or during school hours, students in grades K through 12 can learn computer science, robotics, and website design and development.

• Duration — After-school programs and in-school classes are based on the school calendar; during the summer, three two-week summer camp sessions are offered
• Cost — Free or low cost
• Applications — None

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If these local options aren’t for you, consider these national and virtual programs:

• Flatiron School
• Coding Dojo
• Nucamp
• Thinkful
• General Assembly
• TechGirlz
• Code Galaxy