IF YOU WANT A SUCCESSFUL GIG CAREER, IT’S TIME TO SKILL UP
“The past has no power over the present moment.” Eckhart Tolle

Welcome to an Innovators edition of the TotalPicture Podcast, I’m your host, Peter Clayton, the head content creator at TotalPicture Media. I want to start this show with the intro I used for my interview with Heather Bussing a couple of weeks ago:

There are two very distinct classifications for gig economy workers: Skilled and unskilled. If you’re skilled, chances are pretty good that you’re living the dream promoted by the gig economy industry. However, if you’re an unskilled gig worker, chances are just a good that you’re getting screwed. If you’re poor or trapped in a situation with few options, you’re probably living in a never-ending daily crisis, exacerbated by a pandemic here in the US that didn’t need to happen.

I’m joined today by Ludo Fourrage, Founder and CEO at Nucamp Coding Bootcamp, headquartered in Bellevue, Washington. Prior to starting Nucamp in 2016, Ludo spent 13-plus years at Microsoft.
TALKING POINTS:

* Ludo, thank you for joining me today. Tell us a little bit about your background, and your career at Microsoft.
* Was starting Nucamp a response to a need you perceived in the marketplace or was it more of an inspiration?
* Tell us about your leadership team.
* Who are your instructors and what are their qualifications?
* From what I understand, Nucamp is very low cost compared to other schools of this type. Give us an overview of the programs you offer and the costs.
* What is the duration of your coding bootcamps?
* How has your business changed since covid-19 sucker-punched us? I’m assuming all of your classes are taught virtually?
* What platform or platforms are you using for learning?
* How much of learning coding requires aptitude — vs grit and determination to accomplish something?
* What is the profile of a typical Nucamp student?
* Coding, of course, covers many computer languages and platforms. What is the highest in demand?
* I’ve read that Nucamp has 3 new career services and a 78% student employment rate 3 months after graduating – can you unpack the career services?
* Do you offer financial assistance?
* Where does Nucamp currently operate and are you expanding to new locations?
* What level of education do you need to qualify to participate in a Nucamp bootcamp? (i.e. do you need to be a high school grad)?
* What, if anything, has inspired you over the past 8-9 months?
* What haven’t we discussed that you would like to share?

Nucamp’s mission is to help all aspiring career shifters currently left out of the digital economy learn to code. Nucamp offers the industry’s only truly affordable 22-week coding bootcamp for under $2,000, and delivers a high-quality curriculum in small classes of 12 maximum students using a unique hybrid evening and weekend format. Our model relies on carefully selected industry professionals who want to share their passion for coding in their local community. With Nucamp, whether you live in a big city, a suburb, or a rural area, you can get the coding skills you need without quitting your job, getting into debt, or having to share your future income.

Nucamp’s coding bootcamps are under $2,000 but offer a value of $10,000. Most coding bootcamps cost between $10,000 – $20,000 You can start with a beginner coding Bootcamp to learn the fundamentals of web development for $349 for a four-week class. Or, explore advanced bootcamps to become a Front-End Web+Mobile developer for 17 weeks for $1,372 or a Full Stack Web + Mobile Developer for a 22-week course for $1,765.