How Carmel residents are thinking outside the box when it comes to learning
By Mark Robinson
Traditional education takes young adults on one of two paths after high school graduation: directly into the workforce or off to college for four (or more) additional years of instruction.
But it isn’t a traditional world anymore, which is why some new Carmel institutions are creating a fast-track route to employment in high-demand careers. Eleven Fifty Coding Academy provides training in the exploding field of software application development, while Apprentice University pairs online classes with real-world, on-the-job training in a variety of fields.
Each alternative education source was founded by successful tech entrepreneurs to fill an immediate need for qualified, competent employees and each is rooted in immersing students with immediate, hands-on experience.
Eleven Fifty Coding Academy
Eleven Fifty launched this fall and is the collaborative brainchild of four men, including Scott Jones, recognized for developing voice mail and owner of Cha Cha. The academy’s name comes from the West 116th Street address of Jones’ estate, where classes are conducted in a portion of the residence including a theater room and library. The other co-founders are Nick Birch, Terrence Kunstek and Matt McIntyre.
“We all came together,” said McIntyre, the director of marketing, “with the commonality that tech talent is hard to find in Indianapolis and there’s nothing fostering new tech talent in Indianapolis. We’re the second biggest (technology) sales force hub next to San Francisco and yet there’s no way for people to get educated, retrained, skilled up, etc., on these languages in our own backyard.”
To fill that need, Eleven Fifty offers classes for the computer programming novice or career changer up to the professional developer looking to sharpen a particular skill. Class level and length range from the two-day (weekend) Introduction to Computer Programming; to a five-day (or two weeknights for four weeks) Fundamentals of Computer Programming class; to seven-day classes learning how to build apps for iOS (Apple) or Android systems or in a particular “language” such as Java, Python or Ruby on Rails; and, finally, advanced seven-day classes in iOS or Javascript. Prices range from $299 for the weekend introductory class to $2,499 for the most expensive seven-day class.
And when Eleven Fifty says immersive, it means it. Think a 12-hour day with students working in computer code from start to finish. Cellphone reception is blocked to limit interruptions, meals are included and free time is available to relax, sharpen creative skills or try out the winding mahogany slide that takes visitors from the estate’s main level to a lower level where much of the instruction takes place.
“When people walk in on Saturday morning for their seven-day immersive class,” explained Jones, “they open their laptops, they’re (working) in the code, they’re coding up to 12 hours a day, every day for seven days. They’re writing their own apps and putting them in the storer, and by the end of the seven days they know what they’re doing.”
Added McIntyre, “Anyone coming out of our seven-day course is going to have a portfolio. They actually build an application, whether it’s a mobile or web app, and they can show it and talk about it. Through that, they are now able to show up at an interview and in addition to a resume, show and talk through the code that they’ve created.”
While Eleven Fifty has only sent about 50 students through its programs thus far, it just ran about 1,000 people of all age and skill ranges through an “Hour of Code,” a one-hour free class where attendees learned the basics of coding in conjunction with national computer science week and code.org. It is also looking to take its programs to area companies and schools, where it can teach groups of employees or students how to be more code savvy.
Apprentice University
Ron Brumbarger is president and CEO of Bitwise Solutions, a digital marketing, online strategy, search engine strategy, web design and development company at 11495 N. Pennsylvania St. A major obstacle in Bitwise’s continued success was finding and keeping talented employees.
“It’s hard to find people that are good, that have the work ethic that I want and have the passion to get the job done,” Brumbarger said. “I got tired of hiring new (college) grads that didn’t work out and decided to grow my own.”
With that, Brumbarger created Apprentice University in spring 2013. Students, predominantly high school graduates, take on a 30-month program that includes seven online courses paired with rotating four-month apprenticeships at area companies in fields ranging from business, technology, applied social media and entrepreneurship. The apprenticeships are paid, which covers the cost of tuition and then some, Brumbarger saying students earn an average of 25 percent more than their tuition.
Brumbarger has secured arrangements to place apprentices with area entities such as Advantage Health Solutions, Hunt Big Sales, Bluebridge Digital, Stratosphere Quality, Developertown, Rainmakers, his own Bitwise Solutions and even Current Publications, which produces Current in Carmel.
“It makes sense to try to see as many different industries as possible,” said Justin Moran, a 21-year-old from Zionsville who has been in the Apprentice University program since April.
“It’s been really awesome,” added Melissa Hicks, 20, from Sheridan, whose apprenticeships included a stint with Current. “It’s been getting me lots of experience, it’s been putting me way outside my comfort zone.”
Ginny Brueggen, an 18-year-old apprentice from Chesterfield, appreciates the real-world aspect of the program. “I’d rather have someone teaching me that’s out there doing it now,” she said, “than to have someone that’s just sitting in a classroom all day teaching it.”
Ben Bracher, a 21-year-old from Carmel, said he’s known since middle school that he wants to be a computer programmer and AU is helping him realize that dream faster. “This is allowing me to get the experience I need as opposed to the core classes of college,” he said. “It’s a more hands-on approach, which is more beneficial for me.”
A mandatory apprenticeship for all is a stint on the Schoettmer Prime Pork farm in Tipton. Brumbarger calls it a grit test that teaches humility, where the students participate in all areas of a hog farm’s production, including feeding, cleaning stalls, clipping tails, even castrations.
“It’s a unique hallmark of the program,” Brumbarger said. “No one’s ever done this, incorporated it into a career path. It stands out on a resume. You’re never going to overlook that as an employer and it creates this fraternity (with the apprentices). To think it’s a hog farm, but they all love it coming out, they would all go back. Go figure.”
The capstone to the AU program is a two-hour oral argument by the apprentices to convince their mentors that they have earned their diploma. Graduates also receive a $5,000 “launch bonus,” but Brumbarger doesn’t expect any to be unemployed. “The chances of them being snapped up very quickly by companies in the network are very high,” he said.
To learn more about Eleven Fifty Coding Academy, visit elevenfity.com or call (855) 788-1150. To learn more about Apprentice University, visit apprentice-university.com or call 490-4376.
