Embracing a new identity as Bloom Institute of Technology

When BloomTech graduate and data analyst Ashley Brooks works from home, her son sometimes peeks into her office. He knows that his mom, who used to work at a small town newspaper, is now deep in the tech world. “He keeps thinking one of these days, he’s gonna walk in here and see a robot!” Ashley laughs. “I’m working on it.”

While a robot might not be in her immediate future, stability is. “Working for a big data consulting firm has changed our lives. I’ve tripled my salary,” Ashley says. She says the transformation in her finances allows her to consider moving into a house that’s a better fit for her family and taking a vacation together. “We can give our kids a better life and better opportunities than what I had growing up.”

Stories like Ashley’s make me even more committed to the work we aim to do—providing a direct, low-risk path to a higher income. Just like Ashley, we as a company need to grow to meet our bigger-than-ever goals. That’s why we’ve embraced a new identity: Lambda School has become Bloom Institute of Technology.

We chose the name Bloom Institute of Technology, also called BloomTech, because of our steadfast belief that our learners can grow to meet their goals of a financially rewarding and personally fulfilling job. We are committed to cultivating this opportunity for even more people, empowering them to launch rewarding careers that lead to a better financial future.

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More job-focused than ever 

Most schools make the same amount of money regardless of what happens after students graduate. We take a different approach. We judge our success as a company by our learners’ success finding well-paying jobs with the potential to transform their financial future.

One of the most exciting parts of our new identity is our one-of-a-kind 100% Tuition Refund Guarantee

Eligible learners who graduate from our programs and follow the Tuition Refund Guarantee requirements, but still don’t get a job paying at least $50,000 a year (or $4,166 per month) within a year of job searching, do not pay their tuition. In fact, we believe in our job-driven school so much that we'll pay you an extra 10% of your tuition on top of the 100% of tuition that we will refund.

As part of our commitment to making education and career mobility accessible, we’re offering more tuition payment options so learners can choose the one that best fits their circumstances. The option I’m most excited about is our Outcomes-Based Loan, where learners can apply for a loan to finance their BloomTech tuition. Learners who choose the OBL pay nothing up front, and this tuition option is fully backed by our 100% Tuition Refund Guarantee.   

New tuition payment options and the 100% Tuition Refund Guarantee show just how confident we are about our programs’ ability to transform learners’ lives.

Helping graduates secure jobs

As BloomTech, we are deepening existing services and rolling out even more to prepare learners to thrive in their next job—and all the positions to come. Learners work on becoming job-ready by crafting a career path and building out a portfolio, for example, alongside learning the technical skills employers want, such as Java, Python, data visualization, SQL and more. We also support graduates by hosting mock interviews, helping them learn to negotiate salary and providing networking opportunities through our alumni and hiring partner networks.

Let’s get more specific. At BloomTech, learners sow the seeds for a better career in these ways. 

• Hands-on experience in Labs. As part of our programs’ curriculum, learners gain work experience by building and shipping products. They work in teams, on deadline and to product specifications, to mirror the rigor of the jobs they’ll land after graduation.
• Greater flexibility. We are continually evolving our programs to allow more flexibility for learners. We know one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to education, so our new frameworks enable learners to complete some classes when it’s convenient for them and get additional support when needed.
• Upskilling for career advancement. In February 2022, we will launch a new course called Web3 Development. This course covers the basics of blockchain, the Ethereum ecosystem, and smart contract development in Solidity. The combination of asynchronous classes and live sessions, along with our ongoing support, enables learners—including working professionals—to develop their skills.

An alternative, streamlined path to a better career

Four years ago, we started this journey to expand career opportunities so people of all backgrounds can transform their financial future. We saw that traditional education was out of reach for too many people, and some students who did enroll didn’t gain the skills to get a job. Our journey to remove systemic barriers to high quality education is far from over. 

Today, many students at four-year colleges and universities say pressures from the pandemic get in the way of them completing a degree on time. Too many folks are unemployed. And many people look at their current circumstances and want something more—more options, more income, more security. Ashley, plus hundreds of other graduates now working in tech roles, have been there, too.

There’s good news: You don’t have to stay in your limited circumstances. We at BloomTech are here to help you overcome barriers and fulfill your potential.

Are you motivated to gain the skills needed for fast-growing careers? Learn more about BloomTech programs.