This guide will provide you with a wealth of information on what a blockchain bootcamp program is, what is involved, and where to find the best programs to prepare you for an exciting and rewarding cryptocurrency career.
From using bitcoin to make digital payments to saving for retirement to donating to charitable organizations, the world of cryptocurrency is booming. It is becoming more and more common in our daily lives. As a result, many individuals and professionals are figuring out how to jumpstart a blockchain-related career.
As a result, blockchain is among the most in-demand skills across the United States and the UK. And it doesn’t appear that will change anytime soon. In fact, with so many companies and organizations on the lookout for talented and knowledgeable cryptocurrency experts, what better time than the present (to get into the blockchain)?
The good news is that many institutions and online programs are available to help you embrace the world of cryptocurrency. From supplementing or boosting your skills and knowledge by taking a course via Coursera or Udemy, you can also earn a full certificate by enrolling in a “Blockchain Bootcamp” program.
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Blockchain Basics
You likely know that “blockchain” has something to do with cryptocurrency—but how? Cryptocurrency is a digital form of currency that organizations can exchange online for goods and services. However, unlike traditional forms of currency, such as the US dollar, cryptocurrencies are traded via a decentralized network where every transaction that happens worldwide is recorded in a digital ledger. All of the verified transaction data is recorded in what is known as blocks at regular intervals. As more blocks are added, the ledger becomes more robust in terms of the amount of information stored and its overall security (because it would take increasingly more computing power to reverse the record of the transactions. This decentralized system is known as blockchain.
The blockchain is a new distributed ledger where currency and other financial assets are shared and recorded. Financial assets can include cash, property, vehicles, and even intellectual property. However, blockchain is different from a typical database, specifically how it stores and shares information across a distributed network. The blockchain stores information and data via cryptography, where cryptocurrencies get their name.
Yes, you guessed right—blockchain systems are very complex. Think about it, millions of users are on it all day, every day, worldwide. Therefore, developing blockchain is different and requires a particular skill set. As blockchain grows in popularity, the demand for highly-skilled, talented, and knowledgeable blockchain developers will also increase.
As a result, many blockchain bootcamp programs are available to help developers and other aspiring programmers and crypto enthusiasts get into this particular field.
Blockchain Bootcamp Programs
A blockchain bootcamp program provides an in-depth yet often accelerated “crash course” into all things cryptocurrency and the world of fintech. The majority of blockchain bootcamp programs cover the following topics:
- Coding in different languages (different blockchains use different languages)
- Fintech app development
- Blockchain developer tools
- Blockchain protocols
- Blockchain ecosystem
- Hashing
- Cryptography
- Smart contracts
- Shared ledgers
- Solidity
Blockchain Bootcamp Cost
As of this writing, there are 35 top Blockchain bootcamp programs available worldwide today. Many of them are offered by leading academic institutions.
These institutions all offer various blockchain bootcamp programs, ranging from six- to eight-week, part-time self-paced courses to up to full-time 24-week courses. You can also find similar programs online, such as through Udemy.
Of course, the cost of each blockchain bootcamp program greatly depends on the institution and the type of program (either part-time or full-time) in which you enroll. Most of today’s blockchain bootcamp programs culminate with a certificate of completion.
Tuition is variable among programs and ranges from $2,000-$4,000 on the low end (from Oxford University and Cornell University, for example. These programs last roughly two months.
At the other end of the range, Rutgers University offers a part-time blockchain bootcamp that is 24 weeks and a full-time program that is 12 weeks long. Columbia and UC Berkeley both have programs that are 24-week part-time commitments and are online/self-paced. The cost for both ranges between $12,000 and $14,000.
Blockchain Bootcamp Structure
Like blockchain bootcamp program format, length, level of effort, and cost, each program is structured differently, according to each institution. However, most of the material covered in each program is relatively the same.
Below are some examples of different courses and what material and content are covered in each program:
- Blockchain basics – This provides a high-level overview of the essential concepts of blockchain technology and the foundation necessary for programming and developing cryptocurrency applications. Students and participants will be equipped with the knowledge needed to create nodes on the personal blockchain, create and unlock accounts, mine, transact, and check balances.
- Blockchain protocols – Students and participants will learn the blockchain basics in terms of protocol. This will include what blockchain protocol is, how it works, and how cryptocurrencies fit into it. This course or module also dives into the inner workings of the relationship between a physical computer or device infrastructure and the security of the particular blockchain network and how all of it fits together. Students will also learn about the open-source software ecosystem and various funding, development, and maintenance models, and the different funding options and approaches.
- Real-world blockchain use cases – Students and participants will explore some real-world examples of blockchain across various industries, enterprises, business models, and environments. This course or module will also look ahead at the future of cryptocurrency and how the number of opportunities to implement and leverage blockchain and digital assets is growing and will continue to provide a strategic advantage to up-and-coming companies. In addition to the opportunities and benefits of blockchain, students and participants will also explore some of the challenges, specifically regarding technology, applications, and operating models, and strategies to address them.
- Legal and regulatory challenges – As one might imagine, Blockchain technology comes with many risks, particularly compliance and regulatory challenges. As a result, students and participants will learn how data, privacy, and tax laws all impact the use of blockchain technology. They will also learn how to address these challenges.
- Developing a business case for blockchain – Students and participants will learn how to assess the benefits and risks of adopting blockchain technology into an organization and how to outline and document a business case for blockchain. This course or module also reviews a framework for developing a business case, including what key language and terminology are associated with these new business models and how to effectively use that terminology to establish a solid business case for blockchain. Students and participants will also receive guidance on articulating their ideas and organizing them into a business case to decision-makers.
- Blockchain funding – Students and participants will understand the different types of funding available for various blockchain projects. Some blockchain projects include venture capital, corporate investments, government support, and other organizational partnerships.
With the growing popularity of cryptocurrency as a whole, the number of investments, and the promise for potential future growth in digital currency creation and applications, it’s no wonder that more and more professionals are making career changes and entering the field of cryptocurrency.
Blockchain Career Paths
So, you’re interested in diving into the world of cryptocurrency and blockchain, but what are your career options? What can you do within the field? Here are some of the top career paths:
- Blockchain developer
- Software engineer
- Financial analyst
- Marketing manager
- Security architect
- Systems administrator
- DevOps engineer
- Technical writer
- Cryptocurrency trader
Of course, salaries for cryptocurrency positions can differ depending on the type of position and location. Check our complete career guides for more in-depth salary information. Blockchain bootcamp-related careers include blockchain developer, software engineer, fintech app developer, and cryptocurrency analysts.
Skills Needed to Become a Cryptocurrency Professional
Getting into the blockchain requires navigating through various distributed systems and enterprise technologies. Depending on which career path you choose will ultimately determine which skills you need. However, some of the top skills include:
- Understanding basic blockchain architecture
- Coding
- Knowledge and experience with programming languages, such as JavaScript and Python
- Knowledge and experience with smart contract languages, such as Solidity
- Web development
- Software development
- Knowledge and experience with algorithms used to process data
- Cryptography
For example, software developers can shift their focus and leverage their skills to develop and build smart contracts using Java, JavaScript, Go, or Solidity. Smart contracts can help automate many digital processes, specifically digital assets, such as eBooks.
Furthermore, systems administrators and DevOps engineers can use their enterprise experience to build, deploy, manage, and scale leading blockchain platforms.
Where to Start With Blockchain
Depending on your current role or interest level in cryptocurrency and blockchain will ultimately determine where to begin.
All in all, whether you are an aspiring crypto professional or a developer looking to expand your skills and knowledge in cryptocurrency, diving into what makes blockchain technology work and how to apply it is a great way to immerse yourself in new projects as well as open yourself up to new career opportunities.
The good news about building and expanding your portfolio of Blockchain projects is there are many opportunities and projects to get involved in to help you do so. One example is Hyperledger. Hyperledger is an open-source project, meaning much of its material and applications are available to the public and, therefore, the developer community.
Ethereum is another great resource. Ethereum is an easy and cost-effective way to jump into learning more about smart contract development and also experiment with different developer resources, tools, applications, and tutorials.
Blockchain Bootcamp FAQs
Unlike traditional forms of currency, such as the US dollar, cryptocurrencies are traded via a decentralized network where each transaction is recorded as part of a digital ledger. Each transaction or data becomes a block in a continuous record that exists as a chain of blocks or a blockchain. This new kind of distributed ledger technology allows people to share information (usually financial information) without needing a third party such as a bank, payment company, or private database. The information stored and shared on a blockchain is protected by cryptography, where cryptocurrencies get their name.
A blockchain bootcamp program provides a super in-depth and accelerated “crash course” in all things cryptocurrency, including topics such as coding, fintech app development, blockchain protocols, blockchain applications, and more.
The first step is investing and participating in a blockchain bootcamp program. As of this writing, there are 35 top blockchain bootcamp programs available worldwide today, spanning across many leading universities and institutions, including Rutgers, Berkeley, Cornell, and more. You can also find online blockchain bootcamp programs through Udemy.
As blockchain becomes more popular, many new blockchain-related careers are available, including blockchain developer, software engineer, financial analyst, marketing manager, security architect, systems administrator, DevOps engineer, technical writer, and cryptocurrency trader.