Company News and Bootcamp Blog

Lunch and Learn: Connecting Students with Area Tech Companies

We are firm believers in supplementing our core coding bootcamp education with little extras that will benefit not only our students, but also our hiring partners and other prominent area companies that have taken an interest in our program. With the recent launch of our Lunch 'N Learn program, we are doing just that!

Last week, we were honored to have the folks from Blue Sentry visit and give our inaugural Lunch 'N Learn seminar. In the spirit of keeping that positive energy going, this Thursday, April 2nd, we are excited to be welcoming representatives from Inmar to our campus as well!

So what exactly is Lunch and Learn?

Coder Foundry's Lunch and Learn series is a relatively new program that was formed as a tool to assist our students in networking with a variety of great area businesses and organizations in the technology industry. Representatives present a lunch-time seminar in our classroom on a topic of their own choosing, and students are able to ask questions, start a dialogue, and get to know more of what is out there for them after graduation.

How does the program benefit our coding bootcamp students?

Our students are able to learn directly from an assortment of great organizations in our area that they may not have been previously been aware of. Since the topics are not directly tied to our curriculum, students are given a new perspective on a variety of hot-button topics that may be of interest to them. Students are also given the opportunity to learn more about what these companies do, how they function, what kind of people work there, and all sorts of other relevant topics that relate to their day-to-day operations.

How does the program benefit companies/employers?

There are a number different ways that companies/employers benefit from taking part in our Lunch and Learn seminar program. First of all, it is a completely free, no-strings-attached way to get your business in front of a large group of up-and-coming software engineers. We encourage our presenters to give a brief presentation on a topic that relates to their business (a new project that their company is taking on, a technology that they employ that they are champions for, interesting current events within their industry, etc.). Presenters will always find a captive, intelligent, and engaged audience in our students.

Aside from that, Lunch and Learn sessions also give employers a great opportunity to take a look at what we do here, who are students are, and what they are capable of. The coding bootcamp model is something that many employers are unfamiliar with, and being able to visit our facilities and see our vision and its by-product in person is often all it takes to be turned into a "believer" (and/or a future hiring partner!). If you are considering making a hire from Coder Foundry, signing up to present a Lunch and Learn seminar is a great way to get your feet wet without signing any contracts or making any commitments. 

If you are a company representative that is interested in holding a Lunch and Learn session with our students at our facility in Kernersville (or remotely via Skype!), please reach out to our Director of Partnership Development, T. J. Jones, by calling (336) 231-8632, or by sending him an email with any questions or requests that you might have!