Free But Difficult Training
The training course is free, but interested participants are required to deposit a single ETH as a guarantee they are serious about taking the course. However, the deposited token will be returned after successful graduation. This requirement is done to motivate prospective blockchain developers to dedicate themselves to the course, which is not going to be a breeze.
The program requires a time commitment of 15 hours per week for 8 weeks from each student. Criteria for selecting students will focus on experience level, with mid to senior-level developers being favored, but also their skills in coding and crypto experience. Being structured with flexibility in mind, this program allows full-time professionals to join the course.
Each participant in the program will get paired with a mentor, who will be available once a week for consultation and guidance but can request additional help during office hours. There are no live courses, and the learning material is publicly available.
Students will receive a handbook, and access to the private Discord channel, where they can exchange experiences or troubleshoot their project assignments with the help of other Coinbase engineers and classmates. Additionally, students will be able to access projects and other learning resources.
Blockchain Talent Gap
To graduate from the Base Bootcamp, students have to create a real-world decentralized application with tools provided by Base engineers. However, a job will not be offered to graduating students, only a learning experience that can pave the way toward a new career in blockchain technology.
The industry is facing a talent shortage, and finding a job is not difficult with the proper skill set. There is an increase in demand for blockchain developers in many industries, but finding qualified developers is becoming an issue.
One reason for the lack of interest among developers to pivot towards blockchain is the unstable nature of cryptocurrencies and no appropriate educational programs. Some universities, such as MIT, Stanford University, and University of California Berkeley, opened blockchain courses run by cryptocurrency experts.
The global blockchain technology market was valued at $11.14 billion in 2022, and the current talent gap is not allowing this industry to maximize its growth potential. Programs like Base Boot Camp are one solution to the problem of cultivating the next generation of blockchain developers.