Annual Code Camp Offers Free Deep Dive Into Technology Careers

MERRIMACK, NH – During a challenging time when many residents find themselves struggling with employment during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the third annual Granite State Code Camp offers New Hampshire students and professionals alike a free opportunity to explore the possibilities of a new career.

This year’s event will be held Saturday and, because of the pandemic, will be held virtually. The past two code camps have drawn more than 200 attendees and has attracted more than 300 registrants already, organizers said.

The camp will begin at 7 a.m. on Saturday and includes hands-on sessions with industry experts that can provide insight into a world of coding and software tricks of the trade. According to experts, a career in coding technology can offer professionals in New Hampshire a wage of $78,000, which is 80 percent above the state median income with leading jobs in custom software service, technology engineering, telecommunications and internet services and packaged software.

In New Hampshire, experts project that careers in technology and advanced manufacturing will allow professionals working in the field more career growth than any other state in the northeast. The Granite State Code Camp allows attendees to create their own schedule for the day to meet their own interests and learn more about software engineering and puts attendees in touch with leading industry professionals already working in the field including Jim Wilcox, software engineer for Merrimack-based Insight Enterprises and Portsmouth-based Microsoft software engineer Thomas Stringer.

According to Wilcox, New Hampshire has a long history of innovation in technology, from the invention of the BASIC programming language in Hanover to amazing contemporary companies like Pulsar Security in Londonderry and the ATOM Group in Portsmouth.

The “2020 refactor”, especially of Granite State Code Camp brings some of the hottest New Hampshire companies to the attention of over 50 influential, national speakers, and hundreds of attendees in the process, Wilcox said

"The opportunity for coders to work here has never been better, either," Wilcox wrote in an email to Patch on Friday. "Many companies are going on national pay scales. A coder, who can usually work anywhere with a good Internet connection, can now have a Granite State quality of life, while earning a Boston, New York City, and/or San Francisco pay rate."

More information about the code camp and registration information can be found at the event’s website.