Latest / The Career Change Podcast with Fexingo: Switching Fields, Bootcamps, and Reskilling / How Bootcamp Grads Can Break Into EdTech
Transcript
- Lucas: So, Luna, I was looking at Duolingo's job board the other day — not because I'm switching careers, but because I was curious what a language app with over 500 million downloads actually hires for. Luna: And what did you find? Please tell me it's not all PhDs in computational linguistics. Lucas: Surprisingly, no. There's a whole engineering track that's basically product engineering — people who work on the A/B tests, the streaks, the notifications that make you feel guilty when you miss a day. And the job descriptions say things like 'experience with React' or 'familiarity with data pipelines,' not 'must have a CS degree from a top-tier program.' Luna: That's a big deal for bootcamp grads. So edtech is a real landing spot if you know what to look for. Lucas: Exactly. And the reason it works is that edtech companies live and die by user engagement. They're not selling you software to a corporation; they're trying to get a 14-year-old or a busy adult to come back every single day. That's a product problem, not an ivory-tower problem. Luna: So what are the actual roles? Let's get concrete. Lucas: Two big ones. First, front-end engineer — someone who can build the interactive lessons, the animations, the progress bars. Second, data analyst — someone who can look at the telemetry and tell the team which feature is causing people to churn. Both are very bootcamp-accessible. Luna: But how do you stand out when you don't have a formal education background? I mean, your competition might have a bachelor's in computer science. Lucas: The thing is, edtech teams care a lot about whether you understand the learning experience. So a bootcamp grad who has built a small language-learning app as their capstone project — even if it's just for their dog — is more memorable than someone who lists 'built a to-do app' for the tenth time. Luna: So the portfolio is key. But what kind of projects are edtech companies actually impressed by? Lucas: Anything that shows you can think about educational outcomes. For example, build a simple flashcard app that uses spaced repetition — that's a concept from learning science. Show how you track when the user should review each card. That's a signal you understand the domain, not just the code. Luna: That makes a lot of sense. And it's a conversation starter in the interview, too. Lucas: Right. And here's a specific number that sticks with me: Duolingo has said that a single A/B test can move engagement by a few percentage points, and that translates into millions of daily active users. So they're obsessed with experimentation. Luna: Which means bootcamp grads who can run a basic A/B test — even if it's just on their own website — have a story to tell. Lucas: Exactly. And there's also the AI angle. Edtech is all about personalized learning now. Adaptive assessments, AI tutors, the whole thing. If you have any experience with APIs — even just calling an LLM API in a bootcamp project — that's a foot in the door. Luna: Before we go deeper into the AI side, I want to mention something that's on my mind. We keep this show ad-free because we think that's the right way to do a podcast, and it only stays that way because some listeners support us directly. If that matters to you, the link is buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No pressure, just something we appreciate. Lucas: Yeah, and we mean it — it's what keeps us independent. Anyway, back to the AI piece. So how do you actually break in? Luna: I think networking is underrated. But not the 'send a LinkedIn request' kind. The 'contribute to an open-source education project' kind. For example, there are open-source platforms like Anki, which is a spaced repetition tool with a huge community. If you fix a bug or add a feature, that's a public portfolio piece that edtech hiring managers actually respect. Lucas: That's a great point. And it's also a way to learn the codebase of a real product. The jump from bootcamp projects to production code is often the hardest, and open source bridges that gap. Luna: So let's say someone does a bootcamp, builds a solid portfolio, maybe contributes to open source. What's the actual job search like? Are edtech companies more open to non-traditional backgrounds than, say, fintech? Lucas: In my experience, yes. Edtech companies are often mission-driven, and they care more about whether you're passionate about learning than whether you've worked at a big tech company. Plus, they're more likely to be remote-friendly, which widens the pool. Luna: That's a good point. And smaller edtech startups might be even more accessible because they're less rigid about credentials. Lucas: Sure. But I'd also say, don't overlook the bigger players like Khan Academy or Coursera. They have formal engineering teams, but they also have roles like 'learning engineer' that are a mix of curriculum design and code. Luna: Learning engineer — that sounds fascinating. What does that actually involve? Lucas: It's someone who writes code that directly supports the learning experience — like building the interactive elements of a lesson, or integrating an assessment tool. It's a role that requires both technical chops and an understanding of pedagogy. Bootcamp grads who've actually taught someone to code — even in a study group — have a head start. Luna: So it's not just about the code; it's about the mission. That's a nice way to frame it on a resume. Lucas: Absolutely. And speaking of resumes, here's a concrete tip: quantify your impact. If you built a study app as a side project, and you had a few friends use it, say 'increased daily retention by 20 percent among a test group of ten users.' It doesn't have to be a huge sample — it shows you think about outcomes. Luna: That's a great tip. And I'd add: tailor your cover letter to the specific product. Don't say 'I want to work in edtech.' Say 'I've used your app for three months and here's a feature I'd love to build.' Lucas: That kind of specificity is what gets you noticed. And it's a lot easier to write when you actually use the product. Luna: So let's talk about the interview process. What should bootcamp grads expect? Lucas: Expect the classic technical interview — you know, the whiteboard or the take-home. But also expect a product sense interview where they ask you to design a feature for their app. For example, 'how would you improve the onboarding flow to reduce drop-off?' That's where your understanding of learning science can shine. Luna: And if you don't have a formal background in learning science, is there a way to prepare? Lucas: Read a few books or articles on e-learning design. There's a classic book called 'e-Learning and the Science of Instruction' by Ruth Colvin Clark and Richard Mayer. You don't need a degree, but you should be able to talk about concepts like cognitive load and multimedia learning. Luna: That's really useful. I'll have to check that out myself, to be honest. Lucas: And one more thing: don't be afraid to start at a smaller company that's still figuring out its product. You can be the first engineer or the first data hire, which is a huge learning opportunity and a resume builder. Luna: So what's the overall takeaway for a bootcamp grad who's listening right now and thinking, 'I'd love to get into edtech'? Lucas: Build something that teaches, learn the fundamentals of learning science, and get involved in the community. If you can check those three boxes, you're already ahead of most applicants. Luna: And remember, the mission matters. If you genuinely care about education, that will come through in interviews and in your portfolio. I think that's what makes edtech unique. Lucas: Well said. And as always, we'd love to hear your stories — if you've made this move, or if you're thinking about it, drop us a line. But for now, I think we've given you a solid roadmap. Luna: Yeah, I feel like I could actually try this. Thanks for the insights, Lucas. Lucas: Anytime. Until next time, keep learning.