There are plenty of computer science classes and coding bootcamps out there. This fellowship is a completely different experience. Here are some reasons why.
Mentorship

Hi, I'm Malia, and I'm the Fellowship Coordinator here at Less Annoying CRM. I think the coding fellowship is one of the most important things we're doing as a company, and I'm going to make sure that you have absolutely everything you need to make it a success. Fun fact: I was a coding fellow way back in 2017 when the fellowship first started. I've been where you are right now and I'm excited to help you get to where you want to go!
We only accept about 5-8 coding fellows each summer. We aren't able to accept more because we spend so much time working personally with each fellow. You'll still receive all of the standard coding lessons you'd get in any bootcamp or computer science class, but as an LACRM fellow you'll also get a ton of one-on-one attention from me and other members of our engineering team. Together we'll schedule regular meetings with you where we'll look over your code and make sure you're following best practices. You can also ask me or any of the other developers at the company for help anytime you get stuck. Additionally, we know that everyone has different interests and goals, and we'll tailor the summer so that it's a perfect fit for you. After you've finished the introductory coding lessons and have a decent foundation, the CEO and I will meet with you and talk about what you're most interested in, what you want to learn, and what things you're thinking about doing professionally after college. Together we'll plan a summer project tailored to your specific goals, and I'll help you put together a roadmap to ensure that you can accomplish all of those goals before the summer ends.
If you have any questions, concerns or doubts, feel free to email me at
malia.jones@lessannoyingcrm.com and I'll be happy to chat. I can also put you in touch with some of the fellows from previous years if you'd like to speak with someone who has already been through this program.
Applied Skills
This isn't a college course. You won't be doing homework, and there won't be any tests. You'll be exposed to a variety of different learning styles that you probably haven't experienced in college classes. Everything you learn will immediately be applied to your personal portfolio. When you finish the fellowship, you'll be comfortable with at least six different languages/technologies (HTML, CSS, Javascript, Adalo, Figma, and Webflow). That may sound scary, but don't worry, we'll walk you through everything you need to know, and by the end of the summer, you'll be a pro. These are all very common languages and tools that you can almost certainly use in whatever field you choose to go into. If you ever need to learn another language (R, Python, etc.) you'll have the experience and confidence to teach yourself.
More than just coding
Spending a summer at LACRM will expose you to much more than just code. We've designed the program to help you build a foundation in web development - the summer will be spent learning front end development, web design, and no code tools. There will be plenty of time for exploration in each of these areas. In addition to this we'll hold classes on related concepts such as project management and online marketing. You'll learn about our business model, how startups work, how employee benefits work, etc. We'll have a few outside guests who code for a living come in and talk about their experiences. And at the end of the summer, you will give a group presentation with the other coding fellows to the company and members of the community.
Interactive learning in a remote environment
The coding fellowship is a lot different from online school. This past year led to our office going 100% remote to keep each other safe, luckily we have learned to stay connected. The lessons are live and always as interactive as possible. We will build projects together, review key concepts, and collaborate over audio and video calls in Google Meets and Sococo. You won't always be collaborating with the whole cohort some of your time will be spent working in a smaller group or with a partner. You'll have a 1:1 with Malia or a dev, and there will be time to work independently as well. As you learn through building you'll have many opportunities to engage and learn from others.