An Emerging Market in Tech: Tech Elevator’s Growing Presence in Washington D.C.

Washington D.C. coding bootcamp
Above, Market Leader Tally Wolff chats with our Director of Emerging Markets, Vinny Sanfillipo in the D.C. co-working space.

In early September, I joined Tech Elevator as the Market Leader for the Washington D.C. coding bootcamp. By the end of October, we officially launched Tech Elevator’s physical presence in D.C. with our new co-working space. This space is for our local-area students, growing alumni network and students taking part in our National Live Remote program.

As we near the end of 2022, I thought I would take some time to reflect on what it means for Tech Elevator to be here in Washington D.C., and share some exciting opportunities for people, companies and communities to get involved.

A Healthy and Growing Tech Market

While D.C. is most commonly known as a political town, it has more recently been moonlighting as a tech town. In fact, if you look at November 2022’s job postings (according to CompTIA), DC led the top metro areas in job postings with a whopping 15,457, ahead of NYC, Chicago, LA and Dallas.

With the talk of recession, D.C. likely stands to gain given its near recession-proof nature and growing demand for tech positions by the federal government. Tech Elevator alumni in the D.C., Maryland, Virginia (DMV) area have successfully found jobs with hiring partners like Accenture, Slalom, Slalom_build, CSCI Consulting and SAIC. We’re excited to continue to grow our hiring partner network in the area in 2023.

Proud Representation in Tech

From a gender perspective, Arlington, VA and DC come in at the top as best places for women in tech. With some of the largest participation in the tech workforce and the closest to pay equity, women are earning 91% and 90%, respectively, of what men earn in these markets. D.C. has the highest percentage of Black tech professionals and is the top city in the U.S. for Black entrepreneurs.

However, there is still work to be done. Tech Elevator is committed to increasing accessibility and representation in tech and launched our Represent Tech scholarship program in September 2020—one of the largest of its kind in the coding bootcamp industry. Since September 2020, we have awarded 109 scholarships! You can learn more about the scholarship here.

More About Our Physical Presence

Like so many other organizations, we closed our physical campuses and made the transition to remote classes during the pandemic. This past summer, we eagerly welcomed students and staff back to our campuses.

As we grow into new markets, like the DMV, we have sought out vibrant and energetic co-working spaces that provide our National Live Remote students with opportunities to meaningfully connect with their peers, network and develop their skills. We have watched other bootcamps in the area close their physical doors for good, but we’re here and doubling down on providing in-person and on-the-ground support for those who want it.

Partnering with Tech Elevator 

Tech Elevator doesn’t just operate in a vacuum. It’s important for us to be embedded within the communities we serve. We’re grateful to those who have helped us navigate this new terrain and we are excited about the work we can accomplish together. This includes groups like GET Cities DC and Opportunity@Work, whose work around equity and accessibility we hope to contribute to. A big shoutout goes to our friends in workforce and economic development, like Virginia Career Works Northern Region, Worksource Montgomery, Loudoun County Workforce Resource Center and Arlington Economic Development. And, we have much appreciation for those helping us navigate government contracting and security clearances, like Scuttlegov and Fort Meade Alliance. I’m always looking to meet new folks and find opportunities to support each other’s work.

What initially drew me to Tech Elevator was its job placement rate. Coming from the tech bootcamp space, I wanted to know how a 90% placement rate was even possible. I now understand that it’s based on an unwavering commitment to support students into a new career and a set of very intentional decisions to achieve that goal. As we grow in our new markets, I’m excited to bring that same commitment and intention to students and alumni across the DMV.

Ready to Kickstart Your Own Career Transformation? 

Your new future is waiting. If you’re looking to take the next step in your career and think being a software developer is the path for you, then take our Aptitude Test to get started.

Washington D.C. coding bootcamp - Market Leader Tally WolfWritten by Tally Wolf, Tech Elevator’s Washington D.C. Market Leader ([email protected])