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Codeup, The Code Training Company With 90% Job Placement

File Photo | Ryan Loyd | TPR News
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TPR News

Web coding is all the craze these days, and for developers-to-be there is an education solution in San Antonio.

Codeup founder Michael Girdley noticed the lack of talented coders for new tech startups in the Alamo City. His first class is now out in the workforce and the second full class is now in session.

"You know, it's an embryonic industry here," Girdley said. "Tech is involved in all the things in our life and that's only going to continue to grow and these people are going to be a big part of growing that over time."

Jaime Velasco and Leslie Tolbert were two of Codeup's first students. They went on to find jobs that in Velasco's case doubled his salary.

"It [built] up our confidence to realize that we can do whatever we want and the goal is not really get a better job, it's just to get a better life," Velasco said. Tolbert reports that she is now doing something that uses her skills.

Girdley said about 90 percent of his first class received jobs, and as a group they are making a collective $1 million in salaries.

The program doesn't offer an official certificate and is not accredited. Girdley said that stuff isn't really important to coding employers. What Girdley does offer is real-world coding experience.

"What really matters for programmers is what you can do, and so they leave with a portfolio of stuff that they can show an employer and the employer knows, just like Jaime or Leslie, [they can] come in and do that on day one for them," he said.

Girdley said he has changed some of the curriculum to meet the needs of some of his partner companies, who will hire the students when they complete the class. In July this second class will "graduate" with a reverse job fair called Demo Day. The third class will begin shortly after that.

Ryan Loyd was Texas Public Radio's city beat and political reporter. He left the organization in December, 2014.