Why Projects Are the Core of Our Coding Bootcamp Curriculum
Beginning with week one at Launch Academy, students are already elbows-deep in projects, the foundational learning method of our 18-week coding bootcamp.
Think of projects as skill snowballs. You start small with a solid center, then accumulate layer upon layer of learning. You’ll read content, watch videos, then engage in classroom discussions and hands-on projects that put your learning into practice.
Launch Academy instructors don’t merely allow questions; they applaud them! Asking for and receiving help ensures full integration of each new lesson—it’s what makes each layer of your skill snowball “stick.” And since the programming industry is endlessly evolving, cultivating active curiosity is key to ensuring a successful future.
Keep reading to explore the projects you’ll participate in as you prepare for your new career as a software engineer!
Challenges: Starter Projects for New Students
Don’t worry—we won’t throw you in a snow drift without a shovel. At the start of your coding bootcamp cohort, you’ll participate in small projects that we call “challenges.” As your knowledge grows, so will each challenge’s complexity.
In week one, you’ll tackle challenges that may only take you 90 minutes to complete. By weeks four and five, completing a single challenge may take a few days of focused work.
Throughout the program, students are encouraged to collaborate, benefitting from one another’s knowledge and improving as mistakes come to light. The stronger you become as a team player, the better your experience will be here at Launch Academy and in your future roles as a software developer.
The stronger you become as a team player, the better your experience will be here at Launch Academy and in your future roles as a software developer.
The Group Project: Two Weeks of Teamwork
Once you’ve grown adept at asking questions and collaborating with your classmates, it will be time for your group project, a two-week team project structured to emulate a real working environment.
Each group comprises four students plus an experienced software engineer who will act as your team’s manager for the project’s duration. You’ll immerse fully in the software development lifecycle, from concept to creation. Though every team’s assignment structure is the same, your group will be let loose to craft your vision for the project’s implementation.
The group project timeline
On day one of the group project, the members of each group outline their structure and approach to project management, conflict mitigation, pull requests, and new feature integration. Daily standups kick off each subsequent day, followed by intensive teamwork to build the project and navigate the challenges of deployments. For the first time, you’ll be challenged to work through collaborative software development, including writing your own user stories and completing pull request workflow.
You’ll not only gain authentic experience with the software development lifecycle, but you’ll also develop valuable collaboration skills as your team makes critical decisions and manages conflicting perspectives. These interactions will prove extremely useful when you enter the job market and need to share examples of your collaborative strengths!
The Individual Project: Building a “Breakable Toy”
Your final project at Launch Academy is a solo one. The individual project represents the culmination of everything our students have learned up to this point, merging technical know-how with personal passion.
You’ll be tasked with creating a “breakable toy,” our industry’s term for an application that excites and motivates you even if your client doesn’t consider it “mission critical.” Previous students have developed breakable toys in the form of automated board games and even full-scale chatbots!
Unlike the group project that emphasized teamwork, your individual project will demonstrate your personal abilities as you advance from idea to deployment.
The individual project experience
To begin, you’ll conceptualize your app by creating an entity relationship (ER) diagram and crafting user stories. Then it’s time to build! Should you stumble upon challenges the coding bootcamp curriculum did not cover, you’ll have access to our question queue along with a comprehensive knowledge base.
Your completed project will be a working application that you’ll add to your portfolio, supported by a video explanation of the project and your code.
Via Launch Academy’s hiring portal, our hiring network can review and evaluate your portfolio and assess your development capacity. Many of our hiring partners even host an in-person or virtual meet-and-greet, giving you the opportunity to connect with industry leaders and explore current job opportunities!
At Launch Academy, Software Development Is about People
While some coding academy curriculums focus solely on technology, Launch Academy knows you need more than great coding skills to become a successful software developer. You need excellent communication skills.
Our project-based approach incorporates intentional teaching around the interpersonal challenges you’ll face as a software engineer, helping you build the skills needed to work with diverse personalities in high-pressure environments.
Our project-based approach incorporates intentional teaching around the interpersonal challenges you’ll face as a software engineer, helping you build the skills needed to work with diverse personalities in high-pressure environments.
We don’t get many opportunities to start fresh in life, but the day you walk into Launch Academy, you get to hit the reset button. Forget about everything you don’t know, should know, and think you know; all that matters is that you’re ready to learn.
If you show up with courage, authenticity, curiosity, and focus, you will be rewarded—not only while you’re in coding bootcamp but also far into the future!
Find your future success at Launch Academy! Get our syllabus to find out how.