Can You Get a Job After a Machine Learning Bootcamp?

For most people, taking a bootcamp is a great way to get a professional boost. Whether that’s an additional certificate for your resume and portfolio, or an opportunity to network in order to access more unique job opportunities later on down the line. Many people wonder how impactful a bootcamp can be in your overall job search, and end up asking whether they can get a job after graduation. In general, the answer is yes. Many bootcamps focus on professional skills and offer career services that can assist with your transition to the workforce. In this article, we discuss the job prospects for machine learning bootcamp graduates, the career services traditionally offered by these bootcamps, and how you can make the most of your experience to benefit your overall job search post-graduation. 

What Job Prospects and Career Paths are available for Machine Learning Bootcamp Graduates?

There are a variety of career paths related to machine learning. While some of these are directly related to the tech-industry, you might be surprised by how many are actually related to other industries and fields, too. An AI specialist is someone who works directly with AI to find solutions to problems, and to make sure that any AI systems are designed, tested, and ready for general use. While this role does not require machine learning experience, those who are interested in this role can greatly benefit from having the skill. By extension, a machine learning developer is someone who works directly with the programs and applications that use machine learning elements to make sure that they are incorporated efficiently and effectively. This also becomes an option post-graduation.

Having machine learning skills as a data analyst or a data scientist can be highly valuable. A data analyst works closely with data, and with the right algorithms machine learning can help automate data analysis and predictive modeling. A data analyst can make sense of large chunks of data to help individuals and businesses make informed decisions. A data scientist is someone who finds new and more effective ways to gather, store, manipulate, and analyze data. Neither of these prominent roles require that you have professional skills in machine learning, but gaining credentials or certificates can give you an edge when searching for a job, as it shows initiative and a willingness to grow in your knowledge.

Other roles span various industries, like healthcare, education, or even finance. Those with machine learning experience can become research assistants, data engineers, business intelligence developers, and even product managers. Artificial intelligence and its subcategories are still evolving which makes them a valuable addition to any resume, portfolio, or professional profile, both in and out of the tech world.

Are Machine Learning Bootcamps Good for Beginners?

Machine learning bootcamps are a great idea for beginners. Though additional options exist like workshops, one-day courses, or seminars, these course types only cover foundational, niche, or specific skills due to time constraints. With bootcamps, the curriculum is much more intense and not only are the beginner concepts covered, but also other skills that can be used in a professional setting. Many bootcamps are designed with beginners in mind, and begin with core concepts like programming languages, or statistical and mathematical concepts. Those with little or no prior experience will have an opportunity to learn the basics before going onto more advanced concepts like algorithms or neural networks. Beginners can benefit from the structured learning and curriculum, and even more from the strong foundational skills. 

Another important thing to remember is that a bootcamp emphasizes the hands-on learning component, and will provide you plenty of opportunities to take your knowledge from theory to practice. With the help of these projects, students can quickly enhance their understanding of the material while also gaining support and mentorship from their instructors and their peers. By the time students graduate from the course, they likely have a functional portfolio that can be used in securing jobs. Overall, a machine learning bootcamp can offer a variety of benefits, but because of the strict and intense learning structure, it’s advised that students who join do so when they can fully commit the time and energy to learning.

What Career Services Do Machine Learning Bootcamps Offer?

Each machine learning bootcamp will offer a unique set of resources that can be used in job hunting. Because bootcamps are focused on professional skills, there are additional career services that are designed to help you transfer into the workplace. The most common of these include resume and portfolio building opportunities. Most bootcamps will have hands-on projects, and other in-class assignments that can be used on both your resume and in your portfolio. There may be one-on-one sessions where students get direct feedback for their professional portfolios. In the case that these aren’t offered, there are still plenty of networking and mentorship opportunities that can benefit you. Networking is a large part of job placement in the tech industry, so it is highly beneficial to shake hands with those who are helping you through your education. 

Additionally, bootcamps may offer job placement assistance to help graduates find employment. Though not all bootcamps have access to exclusive listings or internship opportunities, some may be directly connected to companies or have partnerships with organizations that regularly hire machine learning students. Career service teams can help students with their job search by tackling new strategies, assisting with the job application process, or helping negotiate offers. Throughout the bootcamp experience, instructors, peers, and other mentors will be available to help coach you through your development. Having these interpersonal connections is an advantage over shorter or one-day courses.

What Jobs will a Machine Learning Bootcamp Qualify Me For?

Machine learning bootcamps can help prepare you for many entry-level positions, while also training you for higher level opportunities later on down the line. These job opportunities are broken up into entry-level, mid-level, and senior-level positions with different expectations attached to each. Entry-level jobs typically focus more on data under the supervision of managers or directors. Mid-level positions have more managerial duties where you may be responsible for overseeing or managing a team or a project. You’re also expected to know more advanced machine learning concepts and techniques. Senior-level roles are built around decision making and tackling highly advanced projects or machine learning initiatives. Entry-level roles are a great opportunity to shadow those who have been in the field for longer, so that you can build up confidence with machine learning in a professional environment. 

Some of the most basic positions that you can hold right out of the gate include an AI & Machine Learning engineer, a Data Scientist, even a Python programmer for those bootcamps that offer programming as part of their curriculum. A data analyst can be an excellent starting point, and roles like Junior Data Engineer work with both data scientists and data analysts to make sure that any data gathered is accessible and in the right format. A few other job titles include that of a Business Intelligence (BI) Developer, or Machine Learning developer, where you can focus on integrating new machine learning algorithms into applications and other machinery. Any of these roles will provide a solid background to a long-term career in machine learning or artificial intelligence, and each will also allow you to gain practical experience so that you can take on more complex responsibilities. 

Can I Freelance After Completing a Machine Learning Bootcamp?

A freelancer is essentially a self-employed worker who adds clients on an as-needed basis, and in the tech world that means taking on a variety of projects that align with your personal skills and interests. Freelance is a viable option after completing a machine learning bootcamp, but it requires a lot of self-discipline, time management, and self marketing abilities. Updating your skills on a regular basis is important for making sure that you are growing with the market, and when it comes to a relatively new and consistently evolving subject like machine learning, keeping track of industry trends is a surefire way to make sure that you continue to grow your client list. 

In order to succeed as a freelance machine learning professional, it’s important to consider the specific career services that your bootcamp offers. A network is vital in securing clients, so any bootcamps that have mentorship services or host networking events are going to be important for you. This is the most straightforward way to access alumni or industry professionals that may have temporary work, or machine learning gigs for you to fill. Further, bootcamps that do many hands-on activities are great for building a portfolio. Portfolios are an expectation of freelancers, as they showcase your abilities and previous work to potential clients. 

When available, career coaching is highly valuable in walking you through self-promotion, and making sure that you’re pitching yourself in a way that is appropriate for your industry. One thing freelancers often struggle with is setting competitive wages and knowing how much the skills in your industry are worth. Ultimately, to be a successful freelancer you’ll want to have access to a steady stream of potential clients, so that you can take on work as needed. 

Are Machine Learning Bootcamps Good for Upskilling?

Machine learning bootcamps can be good for upskilling though there are a few considerations for whether they are the most ideal way to do so. The advantages of taking a bootcamp include structured and intensive learning experience that is focused towards professional growth. Because the programs often start at the basic or foundational level, it’s great for beginners but also for those more experienced programmers who want to refresh their skills. There are also intermediate and advanced skills that are covered. The curriculum or specific subjects available depends heavily on the institution. The hands-on projects and real-world applications are valuable for those who have a more advanced knowledge of machine learning, or for those who are looking to take their theoretical knowledge to technical knowledge. 

That being said, there are some notable disadvantages. First and foremost, a bootcamp is much more of a time and schedule commitment than some other course types. It is also relatively intense in terms of learning speed which can be overwhelming for some students. There is the cost to consider. Depending on the course length and the resources or amenities offered, bootcamps can cost thousands of dollars, and the financial investment may not lead to an immediate return if the student doesn’t get a job immediately post-graduation. While machine learning bootcamps can be used to fill gaps in knowledge or upskill, it’s important for students to weigh the cost and overall time commitment against their educational and professional goals. 

What Does a Machine Learning Bootcamp Offer Over Other Means of Finding a Job?

Machine learning bootcamps offer a unique approach to professional growth over other options. They specialize in skills needed to be successful in the industry. Unlike with college or university courses which often cover a broader range of topics and are likely tailored towards a degree, bootcamps are meant to immerse you in machine learning and its professional expectations. Similarly, with one day courses, workshops, or seminars, the goal is to teach you a specific concept or component of machine learning, rather than an in-depth and highly comprehensive overview. Bootcamps will allow graduates to enter the job market with both a network and a portfolio, but also a confidence to showcase their own abilities thanks to projects offered during the course.

On-the-job training is something that an entry-level worker may have access to but this kind of training is not often structured in the same way a bootcamp is. A bootcamp will offer a curriculum that builds from foundational skills, as opposed to on-the-job training that is much more likely to cover the skills needed for that job. A bootcamp will offer you an accelerated track through learning the basics of machine learning, without compromising some of the other important subjects you’ll need to know to market yourself in the field. 

Overall, a bootcamp can offer you a comprehensive look at machine learning, while also helping you network with important people. Though it is intense, it is not as big of a time and energy commitment as a full degree, nor is it as sporadic as on the job training. A bootcamp is an ideal choice for those who want to have a solid understanding of machine learning relatively quickly, while also ensuring that they have access to resources and facilities that will make the learning more efficient and effective, so that by the time you graduate, you will be prepared to join the workforce.