UIC tech boot camp helps prepare Chicagoans for hundreds of open coding, cyber security jobs

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A new program at University of Illinois at Chicago offers the training you need to thrive in the Chicago-area tech landscape.

It's a robust and still-developing field full of opportunity. Just Googling reveals hundreds of open cyber security and coding jobs in Chicagoland right now.

"Most of my clients had technical needs, business was transitioning to digital, and I really felt that I needed to know more," IT analyst Fabianna Rodriguez-Mercado said.

Rodriguez-Mercado worked in marketing before stepping into her new role as an IT analyst. She graduated from Fullstack Academy's cybersecurity and coding boot camp.

"For me, it's very rewarding to be challenged and to overcome those challenges. And I think that's what I like best about cyber security and technology in general," she said.

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Her course was similar to the ones now offered at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

"Right now, during the pandemic where so many people are out of work, are trying to transition to new and better jobs, I think skills like this are just a fantastic way to make people more competitive and move into an industry that's just going to keep on growing," said TJ Augustine, UIC vice chancellor for Innovation.

Augustine said there is plenty of opportunity, as does Fullstack co-founder Nimit Maru.

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"It's meant for beginners," Maru said. "One of the things we really emphasize is hands-on training and confidence building early on ... we want people to feel like they can do it. We want them to know this is a field people can actually succeed in."

Courses are taught full- and part-time. Tuition is $12,000.

Fullstack cyber security and coding courses start at UIC in the spring. You do not need to be enrolled at the university to sign up.

For more information on Fullstack at UIC, visit bootcamp.uic.edu.