Skills Bootcamp in Cloud Computing
Course overview
Working as part of the Institute of Coding, Coventry University is delivering Skills Bootcamps as part of the government’s Skills for Life. This is a unique opportunity to learn industry best standards and practice, develop technical skills, and all whilst we work with you to find suitable employment after you finish the course.
- Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible applicants. Please note that individuals are only eligible to participate in one Skills Bootcamp from April 2023 – August 2024 but can apply for multiple Skills Bootcamps.
You do not need any prior qualifications but will need to meet eligibility criteria and entry requirements as highlighted below.
This 10-week technical training will feature blended learning: eight guided learning hours, Monday-Thursday 6pm to 8pm (online) and up to fifteen hours a week of structured, unsupervised learning. The two-hour live sessions will include academic content delivery and guided practical activities. Real-time content delivery will typically be recorded and made available for later review, and flexible support will be available outside of formally timetabled sessions and provided by Coventry University Student Proctors. The final two weeks (weeks 11 and 12) of the course will be dedicated to employability tuition and interviews. However, the employer engagement team will start contacting you with suggestions for jobs to apply for from week five onwards and offer support to learners who may need it.
An important element of Bootcamp delivery will be practice-based learning. We will embed personal and professional learning and development into our core delivery to ensure that you develop the personal and interpersonal skills required to operate successfully as a digital professional.
Dates
Technical delivery:
3 July - 18 September 2023
Employability tuition
11 September - 22 September 2023
Gaurenteed interview
By 13 October 2023
Employability support and coaching
18 September 2023 - 11 March 2024
Venue
Online
Qualification
Upon successful completion of this course, learners will receive a Certificate of Attendance from Coventry University. Learners must attend a minimum of 80% of all online sessions to receive a certificate of attendance at the end of the course.
Fees
As part of the government's Skills Bootcamps initiative, this course is provided completely free of charge to the unemployed or self-employed applicants.
For those already employed, and looking to develop new skills, employers are asked to fund 30% of the costs - £1,111
What will you learn?
The Cloud Computing Skill Bootcamp takes place over 10 weeks. The first 8 teach you about Cloud Computing, while the final two are dedicated to supporting you in using what you have learned to seek employment.
Cloud Computing is one of the key applications of computer science and you will, as well as learning about The Cloud, also learn the computer science fundamentals that underlie it: programming, data and data analytics, and networking. The syllabus will include the uses and applications of the Cloud, what services it provides, data centres, storage, security, Cloud management, and real-world examples and use cases. You’ll learn basic programming, and how to use data, as well as being exposed to cloud simulations and software.
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Course breakdown
Weeks 1: Introduction
- Ice- breaker activity
- Introduction to Cloud Computing, its history, technology overview
- Benefits and Opportunities/Risks and Challenges
- Overview of the Cloud Computing Sector
Weeks 2: Could Infrastructure
- Historical overview of data centers
- Design considerations
- Methods to evaluate data centers
- Cloud management techniques
- Software deployment considerations
Weeks 3-4: Working in Cloud Environments
- Introduction to Modern Systems of Work
- Agile Ways of Working
- DevOps
- Cloud Computing Platforms
Week 5-6: Python for Cloud Computing
- Fundamentals of Python programming
- Using Python for the Cloud and Big Data Analytics
Week 7: Cloud Resource Management
- Virtualization
- Multiple examples and real use cases presented
Week 8: Cloud Storage
- Overview of storage technologies and concepts of cloud storage
- Detailed study of storage solution and distributed file systems and databases
Week 9: Cloud Security
- Fundamentals of cyber security and its implications within the cloud
- Contemporary case studies, including examples of corporate theft, regulatory approaches to IT security and international cooperation between agencies and nation-states.
Week 10: Risk, Business Impact Analysis, Continuity and Compliance on cloud-based ICT resources
- Continuity planning and disaster management on cloud-based ICT resources using techniques such as Business Impact Analysis and Risk Assessment
Week 11-12: Employability tuition and job interviews
- CV writing, job applications, LinkedIn profile, interviews, job search, becoming self-employed
- Job interviews
Week 13 onwards (up to 6 months): Signposting to jobs and employability guidance
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Entry requirements
- Applicants should be available to attend the complete course, from 3 July 2023 to 22 September 2023
- Applicants will need to have regular access to a desktop or laptop computer with an internet connection. Key details:
- This can be either a laptop or a desktop. It doesn’t matter which one, but it should have enough RAM and memory to support your studies. In addition, your computer will need a working microphone, speakers and web camera. Some parts of the bootcamp will make use of Virtual Machines, for which you will need to download and install the free VMWare Player (for Windows) or VMWare Fusion (for Mac OS). If you don’t have access to a computer, please apply anyway and let us know of the problem, so we can see what we can do to help.
- The right operating system. As a PC user, you need to make sure that you have the correct operating system, such as Windows 10 or 11 or OS X. Newer versions tend to work faster.
- Useful software. You will need a good office suite, such as Microsoft Office. A good web browser, like Google Chrome, is also important. It can also be helpful to have an antivirus installed.
- Reliable internet access. For an online course, a decent internet connection is essential so you can keep up with your work. A high-speed Wi-Fi connection can be obtained either at home (preferred for the best study setting) or via an outside source, such as the library, a quiet restaurant, etc.
- Computer or software specifications:
- 250 GB hard drive or higher
- 8 GB RAM or higher
- 2.0 GHz Intel or AMD processor
- Windows 10 or MAC OS 10.10 or later
- Google Chrome 96, Firefox 48, Safari 11 or later
- Anti-virus program
- Before you begin, it’s important to make sure that your computer is in tip-top working order and is properly equipped. You need to be prepared for any situation that could arise; for example, most classes have pre-recorded video lectures or live video chats, and if your speakers or headphones don’t work, you will struggle to participate.
- Unemployed applicants should be committed to securing a job interview and or attending an interview arranged by the Gradcore team by 13 Ocotber 2023, and continue to engage with employability activities in order to move into/return to a role that utilises the skills acquried in the Skills Bootcamp within 6 months of completion of the course.
- Self-employed applicants should be committed to submitting a plan in writing confirming how they will utilise skills gained during this course to access new opportunities/contracts by 13 of October 2023 that utilises the skils acquired in this Skills Bootcamp within 6 months of completion of the course.
Note: Are you aware that you can only participate in one Skills Bootcamp during the fiscal year running from April 2023 to March 2024? While you can apply for more than one Bootcamp, should you be offered multiple places, you may accept only one.
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Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible to join this course applicants must meet all the following criteria:
- must be aged 19 or older
- have the right to work in the UK. This can be checked on gov.uk/prove-right-to-work
- meet residency requirements - applicants should be UK nationals or other person with a right to live and work in the UK without any immigration restrictions who have been ordinarily resident in the UK, or the British Overseas Territories, or the Crown Dependencies (Channel Islands and Isle of Man) for at least the previous 3 years on the first day of learning.
Note: If you are unsure if you meet residency criteria, please refer to the information provided on the AEB Funding Rules page.
- Agree to provide mandatory personal data and supplementary information on their employment outcomes for up to 8 months following completion of the Skills Bootcamp.
Be either
- unemployed within the last 12 months, or
- career changers/returners/redeployed, or
- self-employed/employed
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How to apply
As a free course with places limited to 45, our application process will ensure the training is made available to those who will benefit most from the opportunity.
To apply please complete all steps below:
- Familiarise yourself with the DFE Privacy Notice for Skills Bootcamps, Skills bootcamps privacy notice Q&A, IoC Privacy Statement, ILR Privacy Statement and CU HE Corporation Student Privacy Notice.
- Download, sign (electronic or wet signature) the Learner Declaration as you will be required to upload it as part of your online application form.
- Complete the online application form* - we will start accepting applications from mid May onwards.
- Prepare documents to evidence your identity and age, current address, residency and right to work in the UK. The acceptable forms of ID and documentation to evidence all the above are below:
- Identity and age - Valid passport. A photo driving licence. A proof of age card such as the PASS card from the national Proof of Age Standards Scheme.
- Current address - Valid UK driving licence. Recent utility bill (gas, electricity, water, or landline phone) Council tax bill. Recent credit card or bank statement.
- Continuous residency - Documentary evidence of continuous residence in the UK – find a list of accepted documents here.
- Right to work in the UK:
- If you are British and hold UK or Irish Citizen passport or Irish passport card your will not need to provide any additional evidence for this. Right to work share code.
- f you are required to hold a Visa to work in the UK you will be asked to evidence of your right to work in the UK with a "right to work share code". If possible, please obtain this code before submitting your application via the government website: https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work
* If you are required to hold a Visa to work in the UK you will be asked to evidence of your right to work in the UK with a "right to work share code". If possible, please obtain this code before submitting your application via the government website: https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work.
The deadline for applications is 9am on Monday 19 June 2023. We’ll contact selected applicants by the end of the day on Wednesday 21 December to arrange a short online call to check eligibility.
If you are not satisfied with any aspect of your Skills Bootcamp and wish to raise a complaint you should do so in the first instance with Coventry University by emailing ad7523@coventry.ac.uk with full details of your issue. If you are not satisfied with how your complaint has been dealt with you may write to DfE through their Whistleblowing and Complaints process. Complaints 03700002288; Whistleblowing advice line on 0800 028 0285 or help@nspcc.org.uk.
Whistleblowing involves entering a 'whistleblowing' webform on the 'Contact the Department for Education' page, which can be found here: Contact the Department for Education - DFE Online Forms.
Whistleblowing submissions for Skills Bootcamps must be clearly marked 'Skills Bootcamps'. They will be submitted via the DfE's whistleblowing submission process and will be escalated to the DfE Skills Bootcamps policy team for response.
