San José State Product Management Bootcamp

If you’re looking for a comprehensive Product Management education to get you through the A-Z of being a Product Manager, then San Jose University's Product Management Bootcamp will help you get that with its 25-week part-time PM bootcamp.

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Since the program is longer, it allows students to go for a more immersive learning experience. You will develop a learning portfolio, actually use product management tools, and learn fundamental concepts in product strategy & planning, prototyping, product analytics, and business fundamentals among others.

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You will also get career coaching and an opportunity to form strong bonds with your classmates as it will be quite a long ride.

This program is best for students who have full-time commitments but would still like to learn Product Management in a cohort-based, instructor-led environment. You are also someone who places emphasis on getting the foundational theories down to pat and with career support.

There are no publicly available reviews for this course.

This course is most similar to Co.Lab's 4-week Product Sprint because it teaches you the fundamental concepts that an entry-level product manager should know. Both are introductory programs targeted towards beginners building their product management foundations.

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After completing this course, it is recommended that you join Co.Lab's 8-week PM Bootcamp to apply your learnings and build your own product with a cross-functional team consisting of developers, designer, and a mentor, and actually ship a live product.

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Cost

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This course costs $13,495 USD and is more expensive than Co.Lab’s Sprint ($500) and Bootcamp ($3800 USD) combined. The price markup is high because this bootcamp is affiliated with San Jose University and has post-program support services. If you don’t feel like both of these do not factor into a successful job search, then Co.Lab is definitely a great bang for your buck.

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While this bootcamp runs for 25 weeks allowing for a more comprehensive take on the product frameworks and theories, it has little on the side of practical application. Co.Lab’s Sprint and Bootcamp run for 4 and 8 weeks respectively, and provides you with a cross-functional building experience and community support.

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Learning Outcomes

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With both programs, you will get a Certificate of Completion as well as a student portfolio. However, this course lacks the live building aspect that Co.Lab’s student portfolio has in the form of a functioning MVP, shipped live with a team of developers, designer, and mentor, in an agile environment.

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That being said, our focus at Co.Lab is to help learners gain confidence, credibility and tangible experience, beyond just the certificate. Portfolios with Co.Lab are just the end result - the work involves speaking to real users, doing market research, and potentially working with a team to build out a real MVP.

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Additionally, Co.Lab portfolio are hosted publicly for you to share with recruiters, hiring managers and supporters. You can check out other student portfolios here.

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Personal Brand Support

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Co.Lab’s programs are unique in that we focus on helping you stand out from the crowd, by building your personal brand and community online.

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Co.Lab's Sprint and Bootcamp programs also have a robust Build in Public program, where you get to share your wins and learnings to your professional network - ensuring you remain visible to recruiters and hiring managers.

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Lastly, both program grants you entry to an exclusive Discord community of tech professionals where you can get advice, networking opportunities, and referrals.

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Mentorship

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Co.Lab also has weekly mentor check-ins to ensure that you're guided appropriately by industry professionals.

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In fact, your spec in the Sprint & Bootcamp programs will be personally given feedback on by your mentors. It will also be published on Co.Lab's website and posted in Co.Lab's social accounts.

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There will also be an end-of-cohort celebration where top students get to present their product idea to the public.

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Curriculum Content

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Both this bootcamp and Co.Lab Product Sprint explain the Product Manager role, their responsibilities, and the fundamental skills that entry-level Product Managers should have to land a job.

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While this course dives deeper into key product management concepts, that is because it is 25 weeks long compared to Co.Lab’s Product Sprint program (4 weeks). Not to mention, 27 times more expensive. If you are looking to get your Product Management fundamentals down to pat, then this bootcamp may be for you.

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If you just want to learn the streamlined version just enough to land a job, then Co.Lab’s Product Sprint is the better option.

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Cohort-based Learning Experience

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Both this bootcamp and Co.Lab’s PM Track are cohort-based. They have live online instruction with group and independent active learning challenges. However, there are still key differences.

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With Co.Lab's Product Management Sprint and Bootcamp program, you are in a cohort-based model with built-in accountability. You go through the program with other learners. You get to share your learnings, compare and contrast ideas, and provide you with real people who can be your sounding boards.

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Lastly, you decide as a team what kind of tools to use, when to meet (although there are designated check-in dates), and be generally in charge of how to manage and lead a development team. If you are someone who thrives in a structured environment like this, then Co.Lab will be a great fit.

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