Apple's App Course Runs $20,000 a Student. Is It Really Worth It? (wired.com) 14
Apple's Developer Academy in Detroit has spent roughly $30 million over four years training hundreds of people to build iPhone apps, but not everyone lands coding jobs right away, according to a WIRED story published this week.
The program launched in 2021 as part of Apple's $200 million response to the Black Lives Matter protests and costs an estimated $20,000 per student -- nearly twice what state and local governments budget for community colleges. About 600 students have completed the 10-month course at Michigan State University. Academy officials say 71% of graduates from the past two years found full-time jobs across various industries.
The program provides iPhones, MacBooks and stipends ranging from $800 to $1,500 per month, though one former student said many participants relied on food stamps. Apple contributed $11.6 million to the academy. Michigan taxpayers and the university's regular students covered about $8.6 million -- nearly 30% of total funding. Two graduates said their lack of proficiency in Android hurt their job prospects. Apple's own US tech workforce went from 6% Black before the academy opened to about 3% this year.
The program launched in 2021 as part of Apple's $200 million response to the Black Lives Matter protests and costs an estimated $20,000 per student -- nearly twice what state and local governments budget for community colleges. About 600 students have completed the 10-month course at Michigan State University. Academy officials say 71% of graduates from the past two years found full-time jobs across various industries.
The program provides iPhones, MacBooks and stipends ranging from $800 to $1,500 per month, though one former student said many participants relied on food stamps. Apple contributed $11.6 million to the academy. Michigan taxpayers and the university's regular students covered about $8.6 million -- nearly 30% of total funding. Two graduates said their lack of proficiency in Android hurt their job prospects. Apple's own US tech workforce went from 6% Black before the academy opened to about 3% this year.
For the second time (Score:4, Insightful)
No
Re: (Score:2)
And for the second time, its Apple and sponsors paying the $20,000. Students in the course get it for FREE. They even get a free laptop and phone out of the deal.
And the training is in-person, and is said to be above average other typical "learn to code" courses.
But for the students, it's completely free, and while the stipend for living expenses night be insufficient, it just means you either have to bring something to the table or learn to live extremely cheaply.
So is it worth it for Apple and course spon
I feel like (Score:2)
I've been here before.
Re: (Score:2)
Second verse, same as the first.
A little bit older [slashdot.org] and a little bit worse.
iDupe (Score:2)
So that makes the course $40k, no?
Is It Really Worth It? Well, it depends ... (Score:3)
Apple's App Course Runs $20,000 a Student. Is It Really Worth It?
It depends.
For a hypothetical individual paying for it themselves? No.
For an individual enrolled in the course, but not paying for it? Maybe. It depends on the what the next best alternative use of that time would be. The "opportunity cost"
For a hypothetical Fortune 500 company that wants to retrain a developer to do apps for iOS (or macOS, very similar code). Sure, why not. It would probably cost them less than laying off the non-iOS developer and hiring an iOS developer.
For Apple? Sure, they get to make a "donation" to support a cause yet control where their money goes. iPhones, MacBooks and a very modest stipend. It undermines any grifters trying to do any scamming under the banner of the cause.
um what (Score:1, Informative)
Re: (Score:2)
The Stanford iPhone programming course has been free online from the very first year. It is absolutely extraordinarily popular and it has always been taught by top-shelf people. The first year was taught by a guy who worked with Steve Jobs at NeXT. It's like you're saying, is $20k worth it for food to stay alive? Yeah sure, it's better than death EXCEPT you're not mentioning that there's also a church giving away free food all the time that's across the street. If the 193p lectures and exercises are not enough for you to learn, you do not have the brains to be an iOS developer. And let's face it, the way the $20k course is being targeted, it is not intended to get results. It is just setting money on fire in a racially discriminatory way to make Apple look good, somehow.
Interesting, thanks!
I agree with slashdot (Score:2)
To really get your moneys worth you have to take it at least two times. I enrolled in it, and quickly settled into the idea that the first run-through was just going to be practice. The second time is when I really got some "aha!" moments and felt like I understood the material. Mind you, I failed both times .. but I really started to feel value for money in the second round. So yeah, overall I'd say worth it.
Re: (Score:2)
Kinda like overthrowing the government, gotta try it a few times to really get your pardon's worth.
No (Score:2)
apple cheeks (Score:1)