Custom Coding Bootcamp Focuses on Advancing Diversity in Technology
Queue the graduation march song! Today marks the conclusion of Perficient’s Bright Paths Program in Detroit and Lafayette, Louisiana, and Perficient is proud to announce the graduation of 55 exceptional students from the program.
Designed to advance STEM education and career opportunities for underrepresented constituencies and communities, the second Bright Paths Program began in fall 2021 in partnership with Strayer University’s Hackbright Academy and Devmountain. During the full-time, fully funded bootcamp, students completed software engineering coursework, learned about the consulting business, and connected with mentors.
Students approached the program with curiosity, drive, and an eagerness to grow their tech skills, highlighting what a Bright Path within Perficient looks like. “This Bright Paths cohort was filled with talented, ambitious individuals. We know there’s so much untapped talent in our communities, and this group brought that innovation to the surface,” said Andrea Lampert, vice president of people, Perficient.
A Commencement Ceremony Bursting with Innovation and Inspiration
The agenda for today’s graduation is packed with presentations from Perficient leaders, past Bright Paths alumni, and even graduates themselves.
The final project in the Bright Paths curriculum tasked each student with engineering their own applications using the knowledge they gained in the program. As part of today’s festivities, students will be presenting live demos of their solutions to Perficient colleagues, leaders, and Bright Paths alumni.
With so many students and a diverse array of applications, presentations were divided into five breakout tracks:
- Web Development A Track
- Web Development B Track
- Quality Assurance Track
- Data Track
- Java Track
As each student presented their work, they demonstrated why knowledge is power and applied knowledge is even more so. Innovative apps ranged from a manufacturing commerce site supporting African businesses, to a database to find and save drink recipes, a digital catalog for your child’s wardrobe, and everything in between.
The comments section during each presentation was active with attendees cheering on the students’ accomplishments, sharing words of encouragement, asking revealing questions, and displaying a genuine interest in the cohort’s solutions and professional development.
READ MORE: See other Bright Paths articles here
Bright Paths Creates Careers in Tech
Congratulations to the 2022 Perficient Bright Paths Graduates! We are blown away by the ingenuity and passion each student brought to the Bright Paths Program, and we can’t wait to see how they grow their careers in the tech industry and beyond.
At Perficient, we continually look for ways to champion and challenge our talented workforce with interesting projects for high-profile clients, encourage personal and professional growth through training and mentoring, and celebrate our people-oriented culture and the innovative ways they serve Perficient and the community.
Learn more about what it’s like to work at Perficient at our Careers page.
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