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Detroit this year could become the next site for a digital training venture that just expanded to Chicago, its chief executive says.
Kristin Smith, a Troy native whose parents still are there, spoke Friday to Deadline about the business case and personal sentiments behind making Detroit the fourth city for Code Fellows. The trade school for web and mobile developers launched two years ago in Seattle, added Portland last November and starts Chicago classes next month.
"Our program fits really well with the culture and energy of Detroit," she said in a 25-minute phone interview. "I have a tremendous amount of passion for Detroit, but there's also a strong business case. . . . I see things that outsiders may not."
Smith said last fall that Detroit classes could start by this summer to help meet growing demand for programmers.
"We'll see," the 40-year-old CEO now says. "It's hard to say. There's no firm timeline. . . . I definitely hope to be in Detroit this year."
Keeping Away from the Edge
Considerations about "pulling the trigger," as she puts it, include creating "the right alliances," hiring instructors and a local manager, selecting space and -- especially -- avoiding a cliff that trips startups into free-fall.
"We need to make sure we're not spread too thin . . . that we don't expand so rapidly that we compromise our standards and quality," Smith explains, leaving "or our profitability" as an unstated thought.
"There's a lot that goes into . . . the ongoing launch plan," she adds. "A lot of things have to fall into place. . . . We have a lot of the pieces." Another piece -- a director of expansion -- will be added soon, Code Fellows' leader says.
Smith, a tech star recruited for Code Fellows' top job last May, participated in last September's Detroit Homecoming conference and has come back several times to discuss employer needs and possible collaborations. The latest visit in February included a downtown and Midtown real estate tour that left her "blown away by some of the renovations by Bedrock and other buyers."
After-Hours 'Best Of' List
Friday's early-morning interview from her home also touched on non-digital Detroit attractions. Smith spoke animatedly about enjoying visits to Gold Cash Gold and Slow's in Southwest Detroit, to Roast ("for happy hour and a burger") and to Selden Standard in Midtown ("the renaissance of Detroit is really reflected there.")
The trade school has twice-weekly introductory night classes and intensive "accelerator" training for two months. (Company photos)
She and chief technology officer Will Little, a co-founder serving as Midwest development coordinator, have spoken in Detroit with Grand Circus, Tech Stars and the Detroit Regional Chamber. A conference call is scheduled next week with Detroit Labs.
Other contacts include Automation Alley in Troy and Ann Arbor SPARK, an economic development organization.
The school's fast-track approach "fits really well with the energy and culture of Detroit," the chief executive says. "We offer the ability for people to change their lives with a career in creating things that is generally tremendously lucrative."
Code Fellows isn't sure yet whether it will lease space for Detroit classes or become part of a co-located incubator such as Grand Circus on Woodward downtown, which also offers coding courses. Rather than being a potential rival, Smith says, that 2013 startup led by co-founder Damien Rocchi "has been incredibly supportive and encouraging." Smith adds: "That's one of the things I love about Detroit. And their space is awesome."
Workforce development alliances are being explored with tech employers such as Rock Ventures, Quicken and GalaxE Solutions.
'Don't Need a College Degree'
Code Fellows aims at first job-seekers and career changers who aren't necessarily fresh out of college.
Local competitors will include Wayne State and other colleges with noncredit software-coding instruction.
To differentiate itself, Code Fellows' online pitch goes like this: "You don't need a college degree to land a development job — but you do need to become excellent at writing code.".
In Chicago, its first eight-week Full-Stack JavaScript accelerator program starts May 11.
Graduates are guaranteed an offer within nine months of completing one of Code Fellows' five accelerator tracks, or students get a tuition refund. The other four tracks teach code-writing for iOS, Ruby on Rails, Python, and Front-End UX Design and Development.
Intro Courses, Boot Camp
Kristin Smith: "I have a tremendous amount of passion for Detroit. I find myself evangelizing about it."
Four foundation-building courses meet twice a week for two hours each evening and cost $1,500. There's also a full-time computer science and web development boot camp that lasts four weeks and costs $5,000. (Not all programs are offered yet in Portland and Chicago.)
The refund rate for accelerator program graduates so far is about 3 percent, the firm's website says. Some students get offers before training ends, it also notes, adding:
Most land jobs as web developers, mobile developers, front-end UI/UX designers or design technologists. Some are also pursuing careers in Data Science, Machine Learning, DevOps, and other back-end and data-heavy fields.
Placement help includes interview coaching and recruiting referrals.
Smith earned a 1998 master’s in operations research and industrial engineering from the University of Michigan, where she was an undergrad, and has two masters degrees from MIT. She spent eight years at Amazon.com.
Code Fellows began Seattle boot camps, such as this one, in early 2013.
