Programming School and SNHU Team Up to Power the Future of Tech Education

The technology sector is one of the fastest-growing and highest-paying segments of the U.S. economy, with huge demand for skilled programmers and software engineers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in software development is projected to grow 22% from 2022 to 2032, more than twice the average for all occupations. The median annual wage for software developers is $120,730, compared to $45,760 for all workers.

However, the supply of qualified tech talent has not kept up with industry demand. A 2022 survey by IT trade association CompTIA found that 69% of employers struggled to fill open tech positions, up from 14% in 2021. Many companies cite a lack of candidates with the right mix of technical and soft skills.

This gap between the tech skills employers need and the supply of job-ready talent has driven the rise of coding bootcamps and other accelerated learning models over the past decade. Course Report‘s 2022 Coding Bootcamp Market Report found that bootcamp graduates increased by 4.38% in 2022, to 25,184, and bootcampers who graduated in 2022 will increase lifetime earnings by $3.5 billion.

But many experts believe filling the tech skills gap will require an even more ambitious approach that leverages the scale and reach of higher education. Programming School, a global leader in tech education, and Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), a nonprofit institution and innovator in online learning, today announced a pioneering partnership that aims to do just that – and open up new pathways for students from all backgrounds into high-growth technology careers.

A Shared Mission to Expand Access

Programming School and SNHU may seem like an unlikely pairing at first glance – one an intensive bootcamp provider launched in 2012, the other a nearly 90-year-old university with a brick-and-mortar campus in Manchester, New Hampshire. But the two institutions share a mission to provide accessible, affordable, and high-quality education aligned to the needs of today‘s workforce.

SNHU has become one of the fastest-growing universities in the country through its focus on meeting learners where they are. The university now serves over 165,000 online and campus-based learners and offers more than 200 accredited degree programs. It has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the Most Innovative University in the North for seven consecutive years.

"There‘s an urgent need to equip more people with the skills to thrive in our technology-driven world," said Paul LeBlanc, President and CEO of SNHU. "But traditional higher education models aren‘t always set up to be responsive to those evolving workforce needs. At SNHU, we‘re constantly looking for innovative ways to expand access and help learners advance their careers through affordable, flexible programs that balance academic rigor with real-world relevance. This partnership with Programming School takes that work to an exciting new level."

Founded in 2012, Programming School has become a global leader in tech education through its immersive, project-based programs in software engineering, data science, cybersecurity and UX/UI design. The school has a proven track record of helping students from all backgrounds land rewarding careers in tech, with 86% of graduates securing jobs with an average starting salary of around $75,000.

"The tech industry has a diversity problem – and that starts with who has access to the skills and networks required to break in," said Kate Cassino, CEO of Programming School. "At Flatiron, we‘ve worked hard to create a more accessible and inclusive learning environment, with a focus on getting students job-ready from day one. Joining forces with SNHU will help us bring that transformative experience to so many more people and open up the life-changing possibilities of a technology career."

Three Innovative Program Tracks

The Programming School and SNHU partnership will launch with three distinct program offerings, each designed to empower students to launch and grow careers as software engineers.

In-Person Software Engineering Immersive at SNHU

Students will have the opportunity to learn on Flatiron‘s new Nashua, New Hampshire campus, located in the heart of the state‘s burgeoning tech corridor. This full-time, 15-week immersive will teach full-stack development with JavaScript and Ruby, providing students with a strong foundation in both front-end and back-end programming. The curriculum emphasizes project-based learning, with students building a portfolio of applications to demonstrate their skills to employers.

"There‘s really no substitute for learning together in person and diving into coding in a hands-on, collaborative way," said Akshay Anand, Interim Vice President of Campus Education at Programming School. "We‘re thrilled to bring our immersive model to the SNHU campus and create a vibrant community hub for the next generation of New Hampshire tech talent."

Students will have access to dedicated career coaching throughout the program, including resume and interview preparation, personalized job search support and access to Flatiron‘s extensive employer network. Programming School‘s job-search framework has a proven track record, with 86% of full-time graduates landing a job within the field with an average starting salary of around $75,000.

3+1 Program for SNHU Students

The partnership will also create a unique pathway for SNHU undergraduate students to launch careers as software engineers. Students will have the option to spend their first three years on the SNHU campus, taking a mix of general education and prerequisite courses, then complete their degree online while enrolled in Programming School‘s Software Engineering Immersive at the Nashua campus, or at one of Flatiron‘s campuses in New York City, Denver, Chicago, Houston, Austin, Seattle, San Francisco or Washington D.C.

"This is a truly innovative model that gives students the best of both worlds – a solid liberal arts foundation combined with immersive, job-focused technical training," said LeBlanc. "By their senior year, students are ready to focus completely on building the in-demand programming skills that will put them on the fast-track to competitive technology roles."

After completing the immersive and their bachelor‘s degree, students will gain real-world experience through internships and apprenticeships with top employers. They‘ll also benefit from wraparound support services from SNHU, including academic advising, financial aid guidance and access to mental health and wellness resources.

Expanded Online Software Engineering Bootcamp

For students who prefer to learn online or need more flexibility, Programming School and SNHU will also collaborate to expand and enhance Flatiron‘s existing self-paced online software engineering program. The expanded program will combine Flatiron‘s proven full-stack web development curriculum with new content and learning tools developed in partnership with SNHU, and students will benefit from SNHU‘s extensive online support services.

"Online learning has come so far, especially in the wake of the pandemic, but many programs still struggle to foster engagement and deliver job-ready skills," said Anand. "With SNHU‘s expertise in building top-notch online experiences and supporting online learners, we‘ll be able to take our online program to a whole new level."

The online program will be offered in a subscription model, allowing students ultimate flexibility to learn at their own pace and align their studies with their schedules and budgets. Students will have access to on-demand lessons, video tutorials and virtual project reviews with experienced instructors, as well as opportunities to collaborate with classmates through group projects and peer feedback. One-on-one career coaching will also be available to online students.

"The future of work is increasingly digital, distributed and asynchronous," said LeBlanc. "We need to be designing educational experiences that reflect those realities and empower students to upskill on their own terms. This new online program puts student flexibility and agency at the center."

Powering the Future of Work

The Programming School and SNHU partnership comes at a time of both immense opportunity and intense competition in the technology sector. Data from IT trade association CompTIA projects the global information technology industry will reach $5.3 trillion in 2023, as an increasingly digital-first economy drives demand for hardware, software, IT services and telecom.

At the same time, many employers are reassessing their hiring practices and the skills they need for an uncertain economic climate. A 2023 CIO survey by Gartner found that 40% of CIOs plan to increase their use of contingent workers, as they seek more flexibility in uncertain times. The most in-demand skills cited for contingent hiring include AI/machine learning, cloud computing, data analytics and software development.

"In today‘s economy, the most successful workers are the ones who can keep learning, adapting and evolving their skills at the pace of technological change," said Anand. "We believe this partnership will create more of those lifelong learners by exposing students to the real-world tools, techniques and challenges programmers face on the job, and nurturing their curiosity and drive to keep growing."

For SNHU student Sarah Williams, a junior majoring in computer science, the partnership is a chance to supercharge her coding skills and her post-graduation prospects. Williams has always been fascinated by the power of technology to solve problems, but often felt her classroom learning didn‘t translate to the kind of hands-on programming experience employers were looking for.

"I‘m so excited to dive into web development and work on projects that will push my coding abilities to the next level," said Williams. "Being able to learn in an immersive environment and add those technical skills to my computer science foundation will make me such a stronger candidate for jobs after graduation. I‘m also excited to learn alongside students from so many different backgrounds and stages of life."

Driving Diversity in Tech

Indeed, the partnership aims to make the technology field more accessible and inclusive to underrepresented groups like women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, career changers and those without traditional four-year computer science degrees.

Despite some progress in recent years, the tech industry is still plagued by a stark lack of diversity. A 2022 analysis by zippia.com found that 65% of computer programmers are white, and 87% are men. Black workers make up just 4.47% of programmers, while Hispanic and Latino workers make up 4.66%.

"Right now, the technology industry doesn‘t come close to reflecting the diversity of the world around us, and that‘s a huge missed opportunity," said Cassino. "When we have programmers and engineers with a wide range of lived experiences and perspectives building our most important digital products and platforms, we all benefit from more creative, innovative and inclusive technology."

Programming School has made significant strides in promoting diversity through efforts like the John Stanley Ford Fellowship, a $1.5 million scholarship initiative to support the advancement of underrepresented groups in tech. Over half of Programming School students are women and more than 60% identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color). The school also offers income share agreements (ISAs) and other flexible financing options to increase affordability and accessibility.

"We know that the talent is out there – the challenge is breaking down systemic barriers to access and inclusion in the industry," said Cassino. "A big part of that is going beyond the insular network of elite colleges and computer science programs that many companies default to for recruiting, and focusing on the skills and drive that really matter on the job. This partnership will help a lot more people get their foot in the door and bring their unique talents and experiences into the field."

Get Started Today

So what does it take to be successful as a programmer or software engineer? According to Programming School and SNHU faculty, some of the most important traits are curiosity, creativity, adaptability and a passion for problem-solving.

"The technology landscape is constantly changing, so the best programmers are the ones who never stop learning and exploring new languages, frameworks and tools," said Daniel Jeng, software engineering instructor at Programming School. "But beyond that, you need the creativity to come up with elegant solutions to messy real-world problems, the tenacity to debug your code when it‘s not working, and the people skills to collaborate cross-functionally and communicate your work."

Interested in supercharging your tech career with Programming School and SNHU? Applications are now open for the first cohort of the Software Engineering Immersive at SNHU‘s Nashua campus, with classes beginning in January 2024. SNHU students can apply for the 3+1 program for Fall 2024, and admissions for the expanded online program will open early next year.

To learn more about these programs and take your first steps towards a fulfilling technology career, visit flatironschool.com/snhu-partnership or contact an admissions representative at Programming School or SNHU today.