2U Inc. said in a news release this week that edX, the company’s subsidiary created by Harvard and MIT, will make over 200 online boot camp programs available that focus on a plethora of tech fields, including web development, data analytics, UX/UI, cybersecurity, fintech, digital marketing and project management. The news release said the boot camps intend to reach more than 10,000 students per year. Beginning in 2023, edX will offer free technical courses and program recommendations to participants and alumni to help usher their respective careers forward, the release said.
“In the face of a global tech talent shortage, our scalable boot camp model is bringing great nonprofit universities and employers to the table to give thousands of working adults from all over the world the skills and tools they need to succeed in the digital economy,” 2U co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Christopher Paucek said in a public statement.
Designed for working adults, these boot camps will be available in either 12 weeks of full-time learning or 24 weeks of learning on a part-time basis. About a third of participants in 2U’s boot camp programs to date have not had bachelor’s degrees, the release said. The flexibility options align with the demand of students revealed in a recent report released by edX, which surveyed some 1,400 individuals — 977 learners and 434 educators — who cited adaptability to their lifestyles as the most important asset to ed-tech tools. In total, university boot camp programs through edX will have upwards of 240 hours of live online instruction, plus projects, around-the-clock tutoring, asynchronous resources and career-planning assistance, the release said.
Additionally, students will have access to 2U’s Career Engagement Network for personal coaching, resume reviews and templates, interview prep resources and access to virtual career events. To help cities expand and diversify their workforces, edX will also offer some scholarships throughout the program by way of partnerships with local workforce agencies and corporate, nonprofit and government partners, the release said. Some 6,700 companies have hired graduates of these boot camp programs, 2U said in its release.
2U collaborated with Gallup on a study this year that showed boot camp graduates went on to have salary increases and employment growth in STEM-related fields. In the past handful of years, over 60,000 students have graduated from 2U-created boot camps, the release said. In 2021 alone, through the career resources, 2U has made somewhere around 40,000 referrals for roles at hundreds of companies, it said.
