Bootcamp or Flex, which program is right for me?

Approaching one’s future is an intimidating task. I for one, salute you on making it to the point where you’re ready to take on a tech education that could transform your career and your life as you know it. That might sound grandiose or far-fetched, but judging by the testimonials and outcomes of those who’ve undertaken a Lighthouse Labs program, we’d say it’s not so crazy.

The question is, how do you decide on what type of program or course is best suited to you? That’s what this guide is for. We’ll break it down and in each section we’ll have a “Deciding Question” to help you, well, decide if said learning pathway is right for you or if you need to keep reading. Sounds good? Great, let’s dive in.

Part 1: Program or Part-time course?

The first Deciding Question you need to ask yourself is, “Am I looking to transfer into a totally new career or do I just need to add some skills to my portfolio to improve the one I currently have?”

Check out the table below to see which course of action is best for you.

Program	Part-time course
Four course options Web Development Cyber Security Data Analytics Data Science	Three course options Intro to Web Development Intro to Data Analytics Intro to Front-End with JavaScript
In-depth & immersive	Getting the fundamentals down
8 to 30 weeks, ~50 hrs/week or ~25 hrs/week depending on program	6 weeks, 6 hrs/week
End Goal	End Goal
You are looking to shift careers. You may be unemployed, underemployed, or looking to pursue your passion for tech in the form of a career. You most likely want to accomplish this goal quickly (although this isn’t always the case) and don’t have time to pursue a years-long traditional education.	You either want to give a more robust tech education a test run or you want to learn a technical skill that will give you a bump in your current career. You aren’t necessarily looking for a career change, but you may want a particular skill set that could lead to a promotion or a raise. It may also be that you’re wanting to change careers but don’t need a full re-education to do so.

Depending on your answers to the above chart, if you have determined that a part-time course is the right fit for you, you stop reading here and apply to one of the courses below.

If your end goal is to transition from where you are currently to a career in tech, read on.

Part 2: Bootcamp or Flex?

So you’re ready to take the leap and transform your career, amazing! You’ve read Part 1 and decided that you need a longer, more in-depth program to launch your new job into the stratosphere. The next “Deciding Question” here is: “How many weeks and how much time per week am I willing or want to dedicate to a Lighthouse Labs program?”

Lighthouse Labs offers Data Analytics, Data Science, Web Development, and Cyber Security Programs. Each one comes in two different delivery methods - Bootcamp or Flex. Bootcamp is the more intensive option, completed in 8 or 12 weeks with 5+ days/week of lectures and ~50 hours per week of outside work. Flex, on the other hand, is completed over a longer period of time (18 or 30 weeks) and only takes ~22 hrs/week of extra work outside of a two-day lecture schedule.

Both Bootcamp and Flex programs have the exact same content, lectures, homework, and program supports. The only difference is the delivery format.

Deciding between Bootcamp and Flex

The always amazing Jon Quinn from our PMI team put this chart together to help you decide which delivery format is best for you. The equally amazing William Arujo from the design team edited it.

If it’s easier for you, see the summary table below to see who is best suited for each type of program.

Bootcamp	Flex
Ready to jump into the workforce ASAP	Needs time to work, fulfil caregiver duties, or keep to other outside commitments like an exercise routine or tend to a farm.
Ready for 12+ hour-long days, 5-7 days/week	Prefers a more spread out learning pace

Now that you know the difference between Bootcamp and Flex programs, it should be easier for you to make a choice. Students who enroll in either a Bootcamp or a Flex program have access to wraparound supports like on-demand mentorship and Career Services for life, meaning that graduates can come back for relevant career advice long after their time at Lighthouse Labs has finished.

If you’re ready to jump in, it’s never too late to apply to one of our programs as we welcome new students on a rolling basis. Apply below and watch your career take off.