Every graduate of the advanced coding bootcamp will enter into full-time employment or a paid internship upon completion of the course.

Wilmington, DE – Zip Code Wilmington, a coding bootcamp providing training in advanced computer programming techniques, announced today that all 16 members of its initial graduate class have secured offers of full-time employment, or a paid apprenticeship, that they will enter upon completion of the course, which finished on Friday. Students, who before entering the program were averaging a salary of under $25,000, will be paid an average of nearly $55,000 per year in their new jobs.

“We are proud to announce that every graduate of Zip Code Wilmington will have the opportunity to work as a software developer.” said Jim Stewart, co-founder and President of Zip Code Wilmington. “Many will start Monday morning.”

The 12-week intensive training program enabled students to develop the skills necessary to be considered proficient at an entry-level in Java and Javascript coding languages, two of the most common forms of programming used today. Students attended class at least five days a week, and averaged about 852 hours of training each during the length of the course. While students pay an upfront cost of $2,000, the balance of the tuition is paid back by companies that accept those students for a six-month apprenticeship.

The course also received funding to supplement startup costs from several corporate partners, local foundations, and from the State of Delaware. The nonprofit organization Tech Impact manages the school and provided $2,000 scholarship opportunities to 7 students who proved they earned less than $28,000 per year prior to entering the program.

“I am very excited by the initial success of a program that shows Delaware workers are ready and able to thrive in the new economy when given the opportunity,” said Governor Jack Markell. “The program started with the goal of providing lower cost, short-term training opportunities to individuals who could demonstrate an aptitude for this type of skill, but who had not previously been given the chance to develop those skills. By tapping into that talent, we are meeting the increasing needs of our business community, and particularly of our growing financial sector, to fill coding jobs.”

Zip Code Wilmington is part of the Tech Hire initiative, an effort announced earlier this year by Markell, and recognized by the White House, to prepare workers for high-demand, well-paying jobs in IT. With the first graduation of Zip Code, students, companies involved in the initiative are seeing results as they are among the companies hiring these graduates.

Porter Schutt, co-founder and board member of Zip Code Wilmington, said “We would like to thank our corporate partners, and especially Governor Markell, for supporting Zip Code. We truly could not have brought this organization to fruition without them.”

The course graduates have a wide variety of educational backgrounds. Some entered with no formal schooling beyond high school, some with a college degree, and some with postgraduate degrees. Employers who are taking on graduates include: JP Morgan Chase, Capital One, Bank of America, Corporation Services Company, Chatham Financial, Diamond Technologies, and Schell Brothers Home Builders.

“If you’re smart, have strong logic and problem solving abilities, and want to move into one of the most promising careers available today, please apply to Zip Code Wilmington,” Co-founder Ben DuPont said of those considering looking in to the program. “Delaware companies are looking for you, and we can give you the skills you need to get these jobs.”

To learn more about the program, or to apply to be a student, visit http://www.zipcodewilmington.com/.