Can a 3-month bootcamp really teach you Data Science and Machine Learning?

Earlier this year, I joined a full-time Data Science and Machine Learning boot camp. Three intense months of learning, experimenting, and exploring. I didn’t go in with big expectations, and came out with a truly amazing experience. I learned new things and, maybe even more importantly, gained confidence in skills I’d collected over the years.

The boot camp itself was roughly split into three parts:

1. Basics, Math, and Python

To get all 14 of us on the same page, we kicked off with setting up our machines, getting introduced to Git and GitHub, and other essential tools. This part felt like home turf for me, and I took the chance to support others who were encountering the terminal and Git for the first time. Honestly, I was a little jealous. Imagine hearing about version control for the first time, a whole new world opens up! You can work on multiple things at once, collaborate seamlessly, and let a tool handle merge conflicts? Rainbows! Swallows in the sky! Everyone hugging, tears of joy. 🥲

Okay, maybe not quite like that, but some folks definitely had that spark of discovery.

Python was also part of this first phase. A language I’d heard of plenty, but never really used. So I dove in. After a proper introduction and using it heavily for the next months, I really started to like it, especially how easy data handling with DataFrames becomes. Coming from JavaScript, this felt like a true upgrade.

We spent a good chunk of time on data visualization, data cleaning, and on a bit of SQL too.

2. Models, Models, Models

Things got spicy in the second phase. Linear Regression, Gradient Descent, Logistic Regression, KNN, Decision Trees, Random Forest, Artificial Neural Networks, NLP, time series, model evaluation, ensemble methods, it felt like a new concept or model every day.

It was a whirlwind month. Of course, it’s not a replacement for a master's or PhD, but that was never the point. For me, it was about getting a (somewhat paradoxical) in-depth overview of the landscape.

What really struck me: with enough data, the right model, and some skill reading the evaluation metrics, you can build your own tools to tackle all kinds of real-world problems. That’s empowering.

3. Capstone Phase: The Main Project

We wrapped things up with a 4 week time frame for a final project, a chance to apply everything we’d learned in a bigger way. The results would be presented and ideally serve as a portfolio piece for job applications.

We had already seen what previous cohorts had built: some funny, quirky projects (but technically tough), others that looked like actual startups with full business cases. The bar was high. Our cohort delivered as well. I was blown away by the quality of the presentations, and the depth of thought and research people put into their work.

So, is it worth joining a boot camp?

I’d say absolutely, yes.

All of us joined because we were out of a job, made possible through the Bildungsgutschein from the Agentur für Arbeit. Being unemployed, for me, was both a break and a challenge, a time to reset and figure things out. I know I’m privileged to have had that time. But it also comes with doubts and motivational dips.

The boot camp helped me reboot (see what I did there?), to reset my motivation and kickstart new ideas.

Now, about three months later, I still keep in touch with some amazing people from the cohort, some of whom I now call friends. More and more of us are starting new jobs. And after all the fun, the swearing, the headaches during some lectures, that’s what it’s really about.

Should you hire people from boot camps?

Before joining one myself, I was honestly skeptical. What can you really learn in just three months?

Now, having gone through the experience, and speaking as someone who's also been on the hiring side, I definitely wouldn’t dismiss a candidate just because they “only” did a boot camp.

It always depends on the role you’re hiring for. In our case, you might not get someone with a Master’s or PhD. But you will get someone who’s been exposed to a wide range of relevant topics, who’s hands-on, and who’s shown the initiative to dive deep into something new. That can be a real asset to any team working with data.

Thank you spiced academy & neue fische coaches and my cohort for teaching me! 👏