SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Want to launch a lucrative career as a software engineer but don't have a computer-science degree? Maybe it's time for a hacker boot camp.
At least that's the pitch from a new breed of computer-programming school that's proliferating in San Francisco and other U.S. tech hubs. These intensive training programs promise to teach students to write software in two or three months and help them land high-paying jobs as web developers.
The coding academies are helping satisfy the seemingly insatiable demand for computer programmers in the U.S. tech industry. The industry has been lobbying Congress to issue more visas for engineers and other skilled immigrants.
But as more boot camps open, backers worry low-quality programs could hurt the reputation of this budding industry and drive away potential students and recruiters.
