Coding dojos: new trend to get high tech jobs



In the tech savvy northwest, there are lots of high paying jobs in computer coding, and not enough people to fill them.

It’s something to consider if you are looking for a new career, and also something your kids may want to consider.

Abshir Mohamed took a break from college to take a crack at the Coding Dojo, a place where they claim they can make you a job-ready coder in just three months.



“Some people spend years on the stuff they’re teaching in one month,” said Mohamed. “It’s a lot of stuff to absorb, and that’s why it’s so tough.”



Coding Dojo CEO Richard Wang says that’s how the training is supposed to be.

“Absolutely it is tough,” said Wang. “It’s a boot-camp. We tell them they’ll spend about 70 to 80 hours a week minimum to be successful in this environment because it is immersive.”

Wang says learning to code is like learning a new language, something he was forced to do at the age of 13 when he and his family moved from China to the U.S.

“I couldn’t speak English,” said Wang. “I had to learn within three months. You have to do it to survive. I saw this in coding. Every single day you are writing, speaking, and learning how to code.”

Mohamed also says coding gave him something he didn’t have in other aspects of his life: a challenge.

“I wake up every morning and I want to get challenged every single day and that’s why I want to code because there is always new challenges.”

It’s challenging, but not necessarily cheap. The price tag for three months in the dojo is about $12,000.

But it can also pay off. Starting salary for most coders is $70,000, and at any given time there are about 5,000 open jobs in the Seattle area, including places like Amazon, Microsoft, and smaller start-ups.

“By 2021 in the U.S. there will be one million jobs left wide open,” said Wang. “We believe that if you master the content, and demonstrate it with competence, you will be able to get a job within six months after you graduate.”