2018 has already been a busy year for Grand Circus From graduating our 1,000th coding bootcamp student to extending our daytime bootcamps and even launching a new After-Hour Bootcamp, our team has been working on some major improvements to ensure a career in tech is accessible to everyone. We’ve also been working behind the scenes on some big goals and announcements that will further support our community and their ability to thrive in the tech industry. We recognize that the goal for the majority of our graduates is to land a new career in tech. Because of this, we’ve worked even harder in recent months to connect with more employers and dig deeper on their needs when it comes to attracting and retaining talent.
We’re proud and excited to announce some pretty cool programming. We want to make sure we’re continuing to follow our core values: The Tech Industry should reflect the Diversity of our Community and Student Success is our Success because of this we’re continuing the following two initiatives in 2018 and announcing a brand new one.
Facebook Bootcamp Scholarship
For the second year, Facebook is sponsoring full scholarships for needs-based students at both our Detroit and Grand Rapids campus. The goal of this sponsorship is to increase access to education and a career in tech through a full scholarship for a bootcamp for those who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford it.
What does needs based mean? We’re looking for candidates who earn an annual family income of $50K or less. These are typically students who would not qualify for funding through a finance partner like SkillsFund or CLIMB. Candidates for the Facebook Bootcamp will be required to fill out an application and will be invited for an in-person interview with our admissions team.
The bootcamp will begin July 16 and students will graduate on September 21. This is a daytime commitment and students should be prepared to be in class Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm and plan for homework, labs and projects in the evenings and on weekends. Candidates who are awarded the scholarship in Detroit will participate in a Java Bootcamp, those scholarshipped in Grand Rapids will participate in the C#.NET Bootcamp. Awarded candidates will be required to put down a $400 refundable deposit.
For more information and to apply, visit: GrandCircus.co/Facebook.
The DEVELOP(her) Scholarship
Women make up 56% of the US workforce but hold only 25% of IT jobs. Even when women work within technology, 41% end up leaving the field. Grand Circus is working to change this narrative..
The Grand Circus DEVELOP(her) Scholarship, provided by TEK Systems, is an innovative opportunity designed to increase the number of women in the tech industry and help them thrive in a new career. For the third year in a row, the program will integrate technical curriculum with mentorship from Michigan Council of Women in Technology and career assistance to prepare students for employment. Qualifying candidates will receive a full scholarship to cover the cost of a coding bootcamp.
Since we launched the DEVELOP(her) scholarship in 2016, 34 women have been awarded tech education and mentorship through this program. We are excited to do the same for 10 more women this year at both our Detroit and Grand Rapids campuses.
Anyone who identifies as female is encouraged to apply. Because we want to make sure we’re giving access to students who would otherwise not be able to afford to take a bootcamp, this scholarship is need-based; the candidate must have an annual family income of $50K or less.
The next DEVELOP(her) scholarship opportunity will be for bootcamps beginning in July. Applicants must be accepted through our regular bootcamp admissions process by June 1 to qualify. This scholarship can be applied to our daytime or after-hours coding bootcamps. Students should also plan for homework, labs and projects in the evenings and on weekends. DEVELOP(her) recipients will need to commit to volunteering as a bootcamp alumni, which includes bootcamp info sessions, some mentorship for future students and media opportunities. Awarded candidates will be required to put down a $400 refundable deposit.
For more information on qualifications, requirements and how to apply visit our website.
The United Shore Sponsorship
Because of our constant conversations and big goals to continue to support employers as they find, foster and retain talent, we’re delivering something that we think is pretty awesome.
We’ve partnered with United Shore to provide first-round interviews to our Detroit C#.NET Bootcamp graduates.
United Shore
United Shore has hired over 30 Grand Circus graduates since 2016, and they love the talent graduating from our programs. Because the company is growing so quickly, they continue to look for new ways to attract tech talent. For this reason, United Shore is sponsoring our July 2018 C# .NET coding bootcamp. The company will provide first-round interviews to all graduates from our C#.NET Bootcamp that begins in July. Following these interviews, United Shore has the option to offer daytime, salaried positions and admittance in to their devX program for those who qualify.
United Shore is a great company for our graduates to land at. The company’s on-boarding and internal training process nurtures growth and supports alumni as they evolve in their new tech careers, and Grand Circus alumni thrive there. With their upcoming move to Pontiac and a huge new office space, they need more tech talent and quickly.
What’s the catch? There is no catch. Students who are admitted into the July 2018 C#.NET Bootcamp, pay a deposit and pass the unit 1: at-home pre-work will be able to interview with United Shore upon successful graduation for a chance at a daytime job as a developer.
For more information on our C# .NET Bootcamp visit our bootcamp page.
Grand Circus is proud of our growing Employer Network and the innovative approaches to tech education that come from our partnerships. Technology is ever-changing, and it’s imperative that our community has access to the endless opportunities the industry can offer.