Houston’s Rice University Offering FinTech Boot Camp

With the FinTech industry continuing to expand, the sector seems poised to be a source of job growth for years to come. Just as coding has been billed as a future-ready skill, being versed in these financial technologies is also anticipated to be a benefit for workers. With that in mind, Rice University’s Glasscock School of Continuing Studies in Houston, Texas is offering a FinTech Boot Camp to teach students skills related to the industry.

As Houston Public Media reports, the 24-week course covers such topics as blockchain, machine learning applications in finance, financial programming, and more. According to the course’s site, it offers a project-based curriculum and a part-time format, with classes held on two weekday evenings as well as Saturday mornings. Although it’s not intended to take the place of a two or four-year degree, the goal of the course is for students to expand their skillsets.

Speaking to the need for course, Assistant Dean for Professional & Executive Programs at Rice University’s Glasscock School of Continuing Studies, David Vassar, told Houston Public Media, “In Houston alone over the last year there have been around 40,000 job openings across various sectors that required the skills taught in this boot camp.” He went on to say that the course is intended to “bring people to market quickly with the set of skills that the market needs.” Furthermore Vassar notes that this the latest in a series of such boot camps his school has launched, with previous courses covering data analytics, cybersecurity, and more. Commenting on the success of these programs, he said, “I think the market has received them (boot camps) well in part because they’re accessible. You’re able to do them while you’re still working so they’re part-time programs. And they target those skills that are in highest demand in the market today.”