WeWork-owned coding bootcamp Flatiron School will open its first southeastern location in Atlanta. The bootcamp, which has full, part-time, and online class options, will be located in WeWork Colony Square in Midtown.
This is the organization’s fourth city and fifth location outside of its original New York City campus, following Brooklyn, Houston, Washington D.C. and London. They’re also soon opening in Seattle.
“When we look at potential new campus locations, we look for cities where we’re not just going to post an “open for business” sign and walk away. We want to be a part of a community where we can contribute to its cultural, educational, and technological ecosystem,” says Flatiron School co-founder and CEO Adam Enbar.
“Clearly, Atlanta is on pace to become a center for top tech talent. Flatiron School’s Atlanta campus will ensure local companies don’t have to look far to find the best and brightest employees.”
Launched in 2012, Flatiron School is the longest-standing coding bootcamp in the country. Thus far they have graduated 2,000 students from their 15-week courses in Full Stack Development and Data Science, as well as their online program, learn.co.
According to a company representative, 99 percent of students graduate and 97 percent of job-seeking students got a job after graduation, partly thanks to resources like Flatiron’s in-house career coaches.
“We’re the only school in Atlanta that will refund tuition dollars for any student that satisfies our career services commitment and doesn’t get a job after graduation,” says Enbar.
There’s certainly a demand for these skills in the Atlanta market. A recent survey shows the local tech job market continuing to grow, with 66 percent of Atlanta-area tech hiring managers aiming to grow their teams before the end of the year.
The Flatiron team is looking closely at diversity in the tech space as well. Women and people of color are still underrepresented amongst technology companies and on tech teams, both nationally and in Atlanta, despite the high levels of diversity in the city.
“We need to do better, and we know solutions begin with places like Flatiron School that are transforming the education model,” says Enbar. The school has already provided over $10 million worth of scholarships to underrepresented students in its other markets.
In conjunction with the Atlanta campus opening, Flatiron has partnered with Opportunity Hub (OHUB), a local diversity-promoting organization that, for six years, has expanded nationally to expand access to technology and entrepreneurship education to young people of color. The two organizations will provide $1 million in scholarships annually to students of color, starting with those in Atlanta.
“As the nation’s leading inclusive innovation, entrepreneurship and investment platform, OHUB is always looking for new ways to implement diversity and inclusion at high growth companies and beyond,” said Rodney Sampson, Chairman and CEO of Opportunity Hub.
Since WeWork acquired Flatiron School in 2017, they have been able to offer unique resources and opportunities to students, with the Atlanta campus being no exception. All students, including online students, will receive a WeWork membership while they’re in the program, which comes with a variety of perks.
Conversely, WeWork Atlanta members will be able to take a FlatIron part-time course for half the price.
The first course will begin on September 17, and a new group of students will begin every six weeks after that. Applications are open now.
