The number of millennials making the leap from their current field into a technology job is on the rise and for good reason. Job opportunity has and will be exceptional for tech job seekers, along with the ability to expand skills, be challenged, and earn a higher income.
To get the lay of the land, I heard from General Assembly (GA) staff and alumni about their design, data, marketing and technology school. GA makes it possible for working professionals to make a pivot to break into the tech industry by equipping them with the skills that are in high demand today.
“The majority of our students have an undergraduate degree in liberal arts, business or in another non-technical concentration and have some prior work experience,” said Anna Lindow, VP of Partnerships at General Assembly, a design, marketing, technology, and data school. “According to our Student Outcomes Report, 60% of our full-time graduates reported having received an undergraduate degree, 14.3% reported having a graduate degree and .5% reported having a Ph.D.”
It’s important to note that many folks who are making a successful pivot into tech are already employed elsewhere and have a college degree in a non-related field. So often, the general public believes that working in a technical role is impossible without a four year computer science degree, or similar.
“Tech isn’t for everyone, but tech is probably the single greatest opportunity that exists for millennials today,” Mark Smukler, General Assembly alumni and Co-Founder of Bixby, a rental management platform. “There’s still a large shortage of technical expertise across most industry verticals and a career in tech can be one of the most rewarding jobs in many ways.”
