Everyone knows that “Workplace Culture” is all the rage these days.  Culture is a buzzword used to apply to businesses and their values, attitudes and more –– describing the overall experience an employee would be expecting when coming into the work environment.

However, “culture” is a little bit different when it comes to a bootcamp program like Grand Circus.  This culture that has been established and shaped over the years at Grand Circus, and has kept more than just employees in mind.  Students are part of this culture as well, adding to the dynamic ecosystem of Grand Circus that makes this experience unique. Having a strong, supportive culture that allows the students to understand that they are part of something unique helps them through the demanding aspects of the bootcamp program. (more…)

So many things go into your job search – not the least of which is how you present yourself and how you interact with others. For many, this can be the most daunting part of looking for a new job – it’s not honing the skills that’s scary, it’s wondering whether or not you nailed the interview (or, fearing the 100 ways you didn’t!). At Grand Circus, we want to help folks get BETTER at all of the things that could help them change a career, and we know that improving emotional intelligence is a great way to improve your overall career search success. (more…)

Learn to Code. In Beer City USA!

Grand Circus is serious about our core values. It’s part of our interview process for new employees and contractors. We share them with prospective students during Info Sessions and our Intro to Coding workshops.  During our bootcamp orientation we make sure all students understand what our values are and how important they are throughout the bootcamp.

Our core values also drive our community partnerships and outreach.  

For example, one our values is: OF THE PEOPLE.  We know every neighborhood is different, so we work hard to adapt to what matters locally.

So in West Michigan, what is one of the quintessential industries and products that really matter? Hint: It’s two words and cold?  

Answer: Craft Beer. (more…)

Since opening the Grand Rapids campus in 2017, the Grand Circus team has been focused on talent development for local employers: providing students with the technical and soft skills that West Michigan employers need to effectively grow their businesses.

At the same time we are always looking for opportunities to support and partner with organizations that provides technology, mentoring and connections to West Michigan’s startup ecosystem.  

In the fall of 2018, we began discussing the potential to partner on a pilot program with an amazing organization that also shares space with us at Start Garden: Seamless IoT.   

Seamless IoT is a consortium of enterprise partners and scouts around the world that looks to identify entrepreneurs working on cross-sector innovations and then connecting and providing access to a greater ecosystem of innovation.

“As we continue to fuel West Michigan’s tech pipeline, we need partners like Seamless and Start Garden to connect our graduates to area employers,” said Damien Rocchi, CEO of Grand Circus.

The partnership idea was simple:

Seamless has a very entrepreneurial and innovation driven organization with multiple enterprise partners working on technical solutions to real world problems.

Grand Circus has a cohort of smart, curious, tenacious students learning not only how to code but also exploring the breadth of careers in tech.

It became a clear collaboration to partner and provide Grand Circus bootcamp students exposure to real-world innovation on coding projects currently being worked on in Grand Rapids. As a result, Seamless could help mentor and observe the next generation of talented Junior Developers- and perhaps get new, diverse insights from their projects.

The end result is our April 2019 C# .NET Bootcamp, in partnership with Seamless IoT.   

“This partnership builds local knowledge and technical capacity critical to supporting our activities and making West Michigan a leader in innovation,” said Mike Morin, Director of Seamless IoT.

Through the partnership, students will receive training in C# .NET and soft skills. In addition, students  will be provided with invaluable experience in next-generation innovation and an introduction to companies at the forefront of bringing global innovative solutions to Grand Rapids.  Students will demonstrate projects at Demo Day and be provided interviews with the Seamless consortium members such as Priority Health, Amway, Steelcase, Whirlpool, Faurecia, BISSELL and Mercy Health.

This new partnership aligns perfectly with the Grand Circus mission. We believe anyone can earn a career in tech.  We also exist to serve our employer network and help them source the talent they need to grow their organizations. Partnering with Seamless IoT will give students a unique experience that will only help them on their career journey into tech.

Let’s roll. Apply by March 1 for a $1,000 discount on tuition.

This blog post was written by Kelsey Perdue, our Grand Rapids Assistant Campus Director.

I believe that solid, rewarding careers make for happier people, stronger families and better communities. And I believe these kinds of careers should be accessible to everyone, regardless of background. I joined Grand Circus in 2017 because they believe the same thing, and are successfully helping people start rewarding careers in tech — a fast-growing industry with in-demand, high satisfaction, high pay roles. The industry’s growth is so great that there’s a talent shortage: there will be 1 million unfilled, needed programming roles by 2020. Still, even if you’re not in tech you may know there is a concerning lack of diversity in the industry. Not everyone is involved or benefitting from these great opportunities. With major challenges come huge opportunities, and Grand Circus and I are excitedly working to address both.

A little about my background and experience:

In college, I changed my major five times. I didn’t know what my career options were or which path was the best fit for me. When I met or saw someone I liked and learned what they did, I would consider that career as an option to look into. That’s what got me interested in law, political science, research and finally led me to education. This is the case for many people when deciding their career path.

When leading a classroom of students or participating as one, exposure to jobs was a consistent theme in discussions about workforce development — no matter what grade or age. When I talked to my 6th grade students about the challenges of being an NFL player or the importance of janitorial work, they began to think about their options in a new way. Their eyes were just as curious as mine were when I was a college student. Choosing your career path is an important decision. It’s extremely important to know what job options exist, the reality of the work and where one might thrive. It takes more than just job knowledge, though, to confidently make that choice. Seeing people who look like you or share a similar background occupying and succeeding in those spaces is just as critical.

At Grand Circus, I’ve seen many of our students struggle with something called Imposter Syndrome. This is true for a lot of professionals. When you’re a high achiever you often don’t think you’re good enough – despite proof of your successes. I’ve found this feeling especially strong amongst those from underrepresented groups. They face the possibility of being the first women or only African American, for example, on their team. This comes on top of the natural worries and angst that come with being new on a team or in a career. That’s why it’s important for everyone to “see themselves” and be supported in entering these spaces.

Project Rising TIDE was birthed from this need for exposure, representation and mentorship in tech. Our initiative has four key goals: to expose people to careers in the fast growing technology industry; to be intentional and hold ourselves accountable to being inclusive of different journeys and diverse people; and to break down barriers to education opportunities in coding.  

Over the next two years, we will reach 1,000 people through Grand Circus’ introductory and advanced coding trainings. Our goal is for half of those people to be in underrepresented groups in tech. Half of our introductory trainings will be held at community locations. We know it’s important to be close to where people live, work and play. But going to people isn’t enough. We are also providing childcare, transportation and equipment assistance so anyone can join. Lastly, we hired a new team member who is knowledgeable about the community, relationship building and equity. SheThey will work with local agencies and individuals to provide information and support to carry this project to success.

We’re happily investing two years, thousands of dollars and a lot of work into seeing what difference we can make in people’s lives and the local tech community as a whole. What makes this project even cooler? The City of Grand Rapids is a partner on this project and elements of Rising TIDE are possible thanks to a SmartZone contract. Two years from now, more of Grand Rapids will know about the opportunities that exist in tech. Companies will have a stronger, more diverse talent pool to drive their growth. And we want you to be part of this. We host free workshops every month that we’d love to meet you at, so you can learn about tech for yourself. Bring a friend with you, too. You never know. Once you try it, you just might find the career you love.

Hi there! I’m Yasmine and I manage the Unit 1 process here at Grand Circus. The admissions process here at Grand Circus has multiple steps and Unit 1 is just one of them! There are several ways applicants can prepare to be successful before and during the Unit 1 process. (more…)