St. Pete's The Iron Yard helps students gain valuable coding skills with the comforts of home
Gold elevator doors open to a bright, modern room with hard wood floors and tall windows gazing out onto the street below. Movie posters and framed pictures decorate the dark walls. The space is filled with comfortable sofas and several tables. A kitchenette is hidden away in the far corner next to a large ping pong table awaiting its next players.
No, this isn’t someone’s apartment, it’s The Iron Yard, located in the heart of downtown St. Pete.
The Iron Yard, one of the few coding schools in Florida, sits on the third floor of Station House. With a need for developers in the Tampa Bay area and a desire to immerse students in the arts, culture, and tech hubs, St. Pete was the ideal spot. “We scouted lots of different areas,” says Toni Aliberti, Campus Director at The Iron Yard, “Tech district in Westshore and Downtown. The founders came to St Pete and loved it. St. Pete spoke to us.”
After a quick glance at the framed pictures of students hanging on the walls in the main room, it is easy to see that there is no uniformity. They are all different ages with career backgrounds ranging from journalism to social work. Since joining The Iron Yard, Aliberti has heard many reasons why people decide to learn coding, but it can be narrowed down to a shared desire. “They want to join an industry that allows them to have a work/life balance. They want a way to express creativity by building things.”
The Iron Yard’s 12-week course is nothing short of rigorous, with courses focusing on Ruby on the Rails, Front End Engineering, and Javascript among others. With an average of 15 students per class, the day is a mixture of morning lectures with afternoon labs. Students average 60-80 hours a week in class, with the last 3 weeks of the course dedicated to building an app of their own design and concept. “It is an opportunity for them to showcase their skills in one project.” Says Aliberti. “It’s very challenging, but rewarding.”
For those interested in beginning coding or want to refine their skills, they also offer free crash courses. These courses aim to give people a taste of what The Iron Yard has to offer while also giving them the ability to craft a unique skill they may not always have access to.
When imagining a coding school, it is not unusual to envision students being glued to a screen all day. However, The Iron Yard aims to break that mold. They encourage students to network at events and develop interpersonal skills needed to be successful. “You can do this stuff online,” says Aliberti. “But a physical campus offers
physical interaction. They have the opportunity to gain exposure to different networking events and have a great group of alumni to connect with and a great support system.”
When entering The Iron Yard, there is no doubting the laid-back, welcoming atmosphere. “You’re surrounded by very smart, caring people that want you to be successful, very different from other educational institutions. “ says Aliberti. “Students become close with instructors. Many start off with the boss/employee attitude, but end as peers.”
Photos by Savanna Blackerby
