Skills Bootcamp in Cloud Computing

Applications now open - click here to apply, start date 16th January 2023

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 2022 – August 2023 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 8-week technical training will feature blended learning: eight guided learning hours, Monday-Thursday 6pm to 8pm (online) and fifteen hours a week of structured, unsupervised. 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 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:

16th January - 14th March 2023

Employability tuition, interviews and securing jobs/new contracts:

Access to online materials, introduction to the  Gradcore coaching team and signposting to jobs will start 1^st of March onwards.

13^th March – 24^th March 2023 weeks will be wholly focused on employability tuition and interviews.

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 75% 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.

• 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: Working in Cloud Environments 

  • Introduction to Modern Systems of Work
  • Agile Ways of Working
  • DevOps 
  • Cloud Computing Platforms 

  Week 4: Python for Cloud Computing  

  • Fundamentals of Python programming 
  • Using Python for the Cloud and Big Data Analytics

  Week 5: Cloud Resource Management  

  • Virtualization
  • Multiple examples and real use cases presented 

  Week 6: Cloud Storage 

  • Overview of storage technologies and concepts of cloud storage
  • Detailed study of storage solution and distributed file systems and databases  

  Week 7: 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 8: 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 9 - 10: Employability tuition and job interviews

  • CV writing, job applications, LinkedIn profile, interviews, job search, becoming self-employed
  • Job interviews

• Entry requirements
  • Applicants should be available to attend the complete course, from 16^th January to 24 March 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 by the end of March 2023, moving into/returning to a role that utilises the skills acquired in this Skills Bootcamp within 6 months of completion of the course.
  • Self-employed applicants should be committed to securing a job interview to access new opportunities/contracts by the end of March 2023 and securing new opportunity/contract that utilises the skills 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 2022 to March 2023? While you can apply for more than one Bootcamp, should you be offered multiple places, you may accept only one.

• 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

• 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:

  1. Familiarise yourself with the DFE Privacy Notice for Skills Bootcamps, Skills bootcamps privacy notice Q&A, IoC Privacy Statement and ILR Privacy Statement.
  2. Download, sign (electronic or wet signature) the Learner Declaration as you will be required to upload it as part of your online application form.
  3. Complete the online application form*
  4. 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:
       1. 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.
       2. 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 19th December 2022. We’ll contact selected applicants by the end of the day on Wednesday 21st December to arrange a short online call to check eligibility.