What is LaunchCode Women+?
Want to launch a career in tech? To start on this path, you need the right skills.
LaunchCode provides free, industry-relevant curriculum to put you on the path to landing a job in technology. This community engages women and is also intentionally inclusive of those who are trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming.
The program offers 24-week or 45-week specialized tracks designed to equip LaunchCoders with technical and job-readiness skills, leading up to our apprenticeship job program. To help you succeed in this rigorous course, LaunchCode Women+ provides a supportive classroom environment with live mentoring from instructors and teaching fellows.
Originally created as a meetup by women to lift up other women in tech called CoderGirl, this program has grown into a full-fledged education job prep program, but our mission remains the same: to open doors to tech careers for people of marginalized genders! (To learn more about the LaunchCode Women+ name, check out our blog.)
What do I need to take this class?
Students will attend once-weekly, 3-hour classes in the evenings and are expected to spend at least 15 hours each week outside of class on readings, watching videos, working on practice problems, and completing assignments.
Students must have a laptop with administrator privileges for participation. Windows 10 for PC or OS 10.13.2 or newer for Mac required. Please apply all system upgrades before coming to class. Some Women+ learning tracks have additional system requirements. Please see registration description for available tracks and requirements.
Course start date: March 23, 2022
Course end date: February 1, 2023
Apply by end of: February 20, 2022
Hear back by: February 25, 2022
LaunchCode Women+ is a LaunchCode Education program designed to engage and educate women, nonbinary, and trans-expansive individuals in the technology community. Participants enroll in a 24-week or 45-week specialized track of once-weekly classes designed to equip LaunchCoders with technical and job-readiness skills. Track options include:
- Data Analysis (24 weeks)
- Intro to Product (24 weeks)
- Salesforce (24 weeks)
- SQL (24 weeks)
- Java Web Development (45 weeks)
- C#/.NET Development (45 weeks)
The KickOff will take place on Wednesday evening, March 16, before class starts on Wednesday evening, March 23.
LaunchCode Women+ provides a space for people of all skill levels to learn to code in a supportive community. We created an application process that helps us get at the heart of what you’re interested in to make the best recommendation possible. This is an awesome opportunity to launch your career in tech with an amazing team! We thank Mastercard, our presenting sponsor, and NISA Investment Bankers, an additional supporter!
LaunchCode is currently delivering all education programs online, pending national, state, and local health guidelines and recommendations that indicate it is safe again to hold in-person classes.
Data Analysis
Data analysis is a primary component of data mining and business intelligence which emphasizes gaining insight to drive business decisions. Data Analysis is great for someone who is interested in researching and communicating insights in engaging ways. In this course, LaunchCoders will gain foundational knowledge into how to code, what data is, where it comes from, and how it can be used to inform trends and aid in decision-making. Learners will utilize Python, SQL, Tableau, and various data to source, clean, profile, model, visualize, and report back findings in a manner consumable by stakeholders.
City:
Saint Louis
Location:
Virtual
Time:
Wednesdays from 5:30 to 8:30 PM CST
Salesforce
Salesforce is an in-demand database tool used by organizations and businesses to manage customer data. Salesforce is great for someone that is interested in bridging customer service and business to tech through better collecting and analyzing customer data. In this course, LaunchCoders will spend 24 weeks learning Salesforce administration and being introduced to Salesforce development. Learning will be supplemented with career readiness skills in preparation for the LaunchCode apprenticeship program. Students must have a laptop with administrator privileges for participation. Windows 10 for PC or OS 10.13.2 or newer for Mac required.
City:
Saint Louis
Location:
Virtual
Time:
Wednesdays from 5:30 to 8:30 PM CST
SQL
SQL (Structured Query Language) is the most widely used tool for working with databases. SQL is great for someone that is interested in working with databases, including non-programmers looking to improve their business intelligence skills or programmers looking to build and manipulate databases for their applications. Students must have a Windows laptop with administrator privileges that is less than four years old and has a minimum 4GB RAM, and 75GB or more of free memory.
City:
Saint Louis
Location:
Virtual
Time:
Wednesdays from 5:30 to 8:30 PM CST
C#/.Net Web Development
C# (pronounced C-Sharp) is used primarily on Windows-based machines and has been widely adopted by companies around the world as their software standard. Similar to Java, application developers can use their C# skills to develop web applications, desktop applications and even mobile apps. C# Web Development is great for someone that is interested in how data is passed through the web and wants to develop a wide variety of applications. In this course, LaunchCoders will spend 15 weeks learning HTML, CSS, and programming fundamentals using JavaScript with a front-end framework called Angular, 15 weeks gaining additional training in object-oriented C# web development using the .NET framework, followed by 8 weeks of independent project-building and career readiness skills. Students must have a laptop with administrator privileges for participation. Student laptops must be less than four years old, have a minimum 4GB RAM, have an i5 or i7 processor, and be a Windows machine.
City:
Saint Louis
Location:
Virtual
Time:
Wednesdays from 5:30 to 8:30 PM CST
Java Web Development
Java is a general purpose language with a multitude of applications. Java developers work with data management, reporting, business workflows, Android development, and web development. Java Web Development is great for someone that is interested in how data is passed through the web and wants to develop a wide variety of applications. In this course, learners will spend 15 weeks learning HTML, CSS, and programming fundamentals using JavaScript with a front-end framework called Angular, 15 weeks gaining additional training in object-oriented Java web development using the Spring framework, followed by 8 weeks of independent project-building and career readiness skills. Students must have a laptop with administrator privileges for participation. Student laptops must be less than four years old, have a minimum 4GB RAM, have an i5 or i7 processor, and have Windows 10 for PC or OS 10.13.2 or newer for Mac.
City:
Saint Louis
Location:
Virtual
Time:
Wednesdays from 5:30 to 8:30 PM CST
Intro to Product
In the Intro to Product track, LaunchCoders will spend 24 weeks engaging with introductory product management concepts that drive the strategy behind the research, development, launch, and refinement of software products. LaunchCoders will learn to use product-oriented tools and frameworks such as Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban) and design thinking practices. Intro to Product is great for someone who is interested in breaking into the world of product management, who is eager to learn new skills and who considers themselves an open-minded, lifelong learner.
Learning will be supplemented with career readiness skills in preparation for the LaunchCode apprenticeship program. Students must have a laptop with administrator privileges for participation. Windows 10 for PC or OS 10.13.2 or newer for Mac required.
City:
Saint Louis
Location:
Virtual
Time:
Wednesdays from 5:30 - 8:30 PM CST
More Information
Women+ offers multiple learning tracks and applicants may be offered enrollment in one track. Due to limited seats within each track, each applicant is asked to choose up to their top three preferred learning tracks, and every effort is made to accommodate top choices. Available learning tracks can vary by location and cohort. Tracks may include:
Java Web Development
C#/.NET Web Development
Data Analysis
Data Science
Product
Salesforce
SQL Server & Databases
Please refer to courses accepting applications in registration for track offerings of an upcoming cohort.
Click here for more information on each skill track.
This class requires no prior programming experience, but you will need to be comfortable with computer use (using the internet, downloading software, etc). Women+ is intended to teach skills needed to be employable as a programmer, and is for individuals who are interested in a career in tech.
We have also found that students who succeed in the class have a solid foundation in basic math and problem solving. That is why we have developed a short Problem Solving Assessment as a part of the application process.
Over the 24 - 45 weeks of class, students should expect to commit at least 15 hours per week for class and homework.
Students will need access to a laptop to participate in the course. Chromebooks and tablets will not be sufficient for use in this course. If you own a PC, you must have Windows 10 or later. If you own a Mac, the most recent Mac OS is strongly preferred. Additional specifications may apply for specific Women+ tracks. Laptops used for virtual courses also need to meet Zoom’s system requirements. You may
check Zoom’s system requirements here. Pay particular attention to the System Requirements and Supported Operating Systems sections. If enrolled, please apply all system upgrades before coming to class.
There are no other requirements to participate.
In addition to passion and self-determination, each student is assessed on:
- Aptitude for problem solving and logical reasoning.
- Demonstrated technical interest. We do not require applicants to have previous related technical experience, though we do take demonstrated interest into account. (Ex: Exploring online resources or books on your own, Completion of Discovery, etc.)
- Interest in the Women+ environment.
- Pursuit of a related career.
- When enrolling students, we also strive to assemble a class that reflects the broader community and represents a diverse array of backgrounds.
Yes, though it is less likely. The reason we give the Problem Solving Assessment significance is important is because it shows us how applicants approach new puzzles that require logical thinking, which can directly relate to a student’s ability to master the material presented in the class.
Unfortunately, we are unable to allow applicants to retake the assessment unless they can demonstrate that they experienced technical difficulties that prohibited them from completing it.
You can always view your current status by logging into your LaunchCode account, and viewing “Classes”. There, you will be able to access the assessment as long as you have correctly submitted the application.
Each class has a decision date, by which you will receive notification of your application status. Please do not inquire about your application status unless you have not heard back after the end of that date.
No. Unfortunately, we finalize all of our course enrollment before the pre-work due date, so you are not able to submit your pre-work late. We give students at least 2 weeks to complete the pre-work to allow time to work around any other time commitments. We highly encourage you to submit the pre-work a few days before the due date to ensure that no technical difficulties or personal events get in the way.
Yes, it is okay to miss a class as long as you keep up with the lessons and homework detailed in the schedule. Remember, you will need to make up any class time you miss on your own time, and you won’t have the benefit of having your classmates and mentors there to answer your questions in person. Once you fall behind in class, the fast pace of the curriculum means it quickly becomes very difficult to catch up again. This is not an online course -- it is expected that students only miss class on an as-needed basis.
There are no grades in the class, but students must complete all of the required assignments successfully in order to continue through and graduate from the course. Deadlines will be made clear at the beginning of and during the class.
We always welcome and encourage people to reapply to the class. If you’d like to receive an email as soon as applications open please sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of the webpage and follow us on social media.
During your Women+ class, we offer Career Modules that will help you build basic skills to help you pursue a tech career and prepare you to enter our Apprenticeship Program.
LaunchCode’s Apprenticeship Program is offered in select cities. Students interested in the Apprenticeship Program will go through our candidate evaluation process. In order to prepare a successful application for the apprenticeship program, students will need to put in roughly 150 additional hours of independent work on a coding project, which may take up to 8 weeks after the conclusion of the class. If our team determines you’re job-ready, our Company Relations Team will then work to match you with a company in need of talent in a paid apprenticeship or job opportunity. While LaunchCode does place hundreds of individuals into apprenticeships and jobs each year, placement is not guaranteed. We encourage our students to take initiative to pursue a career in technology on their own, as well.
There’s a gender imbalance in the tech workforce. Although women comprise more than half of the overall professional workforce, the percentage of female employment in computing hasconsistently hovered at about 25 percent since 2007. Women of color represent an even lower percentage of the tech workforce. A program built for people of marginalized gender identities allows us to contribute to developing the widest pool of candidates possible. We feel strongly about creating a supportive environment for women, non-binary people, and people of marginalized genders to learn tech skills and enter the tech workforce.
