General Assembly, Author at General Assembly Blog | Page 2

How Technology Powers Today’s Largest Global Events

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Technology is having a significant impact on music festivals, award shows, and sports games, both in terms of enhancing the experience for attendees and making these events more accessible to a wider audience.

In music festivals, technology has enabled organizers to create more immersive and interactive experiences for attendees. Similarly, technology has transformed award shows by allowing audiences to interact with the event in real time. Technology has also significantly impacted sports games, both on and off the field. 

Tech such as AI (artificial intelligence) and VR (virtual reality), amongst many others, is dramatically shaping the world of entertainment, transforming the way we consume and create content, as well as changing the nature of the entertainment industry itself. 

This blog will look at specific examples of how technology has transformed some of the entertainment industry’s biggest events, how this growing industry is increasing the demand for new tech-savvy creatives, and the best job opportunities in 2023

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What Are the Different Types of Software Engineers?

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Software engineering is one of the fastest growing fields in the world. Rightfully so, as code powers our favorite digital products and services, across all industries from consumer retail and healthcare to B2B tech and government. 

But did you know there are many different types of software engineers? As demand for the discipline grows, companies require even more nuanced skill sets to bring their digital visions to fruition. The good news? General Assembly’s bootcamps will provide a solid foundation for any software engineering career option. The choice is yours, depending on your interests. 

So let’s explore 5 types of software engineers that are hot on the coding job boards right now.

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From Retail Worker to Working in Tech: The Ultimate Guide to Making a Career Transition From Retail

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To all the retail workers out there: If you’re starting to feel burned out, haven’t been sleeping well, and are staying up all night fantasizing about a job you will love, you’re not alone. 

A recent survey from Korn Ferry has shown that retailers are seeing higher year-over-year turnover for in-store, corporate and distribution center employees. In 2022 alone, there has been over 75.8% turnover rate for all hourly in-store retail workers – a 68% increase from the previous year. 

However, given the recent changes in the retail industry, these high turnover rates don’t come as a surprise. Like many other industries, digital technologies have significantly impacted retail, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated the adoption of brick-and-mortar stores to take their business online. 

Thousands of retail workers have lost their jobs during the last few years due to these technological changes. In addition, we’ve seen many brick-and-mortar stores like J.C. Penny, Aldo, J. Crew, and many others either scale back their opening hours or file for bankruptcy altogether due to the lack of foot traffic. 

Undoubtedly, the wide-scale adoption of technology has changed the shape of the retail industry and its roles within it. This blog will take you through why retail workers are traditional roles within the retail industry, tech roles to consider, and steps to get started on your career transition journey today. 

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From Driver to Working in Tech: The Best Jobs for Struggling Uber & Lyft Drivers

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COVID-19 negatively impacted many industries, among those was the rideshare industry. According to Forbes, Lyft and Uber ridership dropped between 70% and 80% during the pandemic. Now, three years since the pandemic’s start, industries have gotten back into the flow of daily business, with travel open in most countries. 

However, the impacts of the pandemic are far from over. We’re seeing how the global recession and inflation rates make it impossible for drivers to survive paycheck to paycheck. As a result, taxi drivers have been trading in their yellow cabs for Uber and Lyft with the promise of more money and working on their own terms. 

With the looming recession, things continue to change. According to new research from the Taxi and Limousine Commission, Uber and Lyft drivers now earn less in fares and tips than taxi drivers. Although Uber has increased earnings for their drivers, rising inflation rates have canceled a number of of these wage increases, making it impossible for drivers to pay for basic living expenses like rent and food.

The Rideshare Guy, a well-known blog that drivers follow, polled over 300 drivers, finding that roughly 40% were driving less and that 15% had given up driving completely. 

Sound like you? If you’re reading this and thinking of leaving your driving profession but are afraid to make the first move, we hope this blog encourages you to take the first step in your career change journey. 

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Meet Your Match: Breaking Into the Manufacturing Industry in a Tech Role

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Calling all job-seekers looking to earn decent pay with benefits, job security, and advancement opportunities: the manufacturing sector is hiring. Better still, the promise of upward mobility is long baked into the jobs that build a nation’s wealth. 

Of course, much has changed over the years. Modern opportunities in manufacturing have evolved alongside the proliferation of technology that now touches nearly every facet of factory operations, from product design and machine operation, to quality control and efficiency management. 

While it’s undeniable “every industry is a tech industry” these days, the manufacturing sector is just awakening to all the possibilities—and you can take part in what some are calling the “Fourth Industrial Revolution.”

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Our Software Engineering Bootcamp Just Got an Upgrade—Here’s the Latest

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From smartphones and Internet of Things (IoT) devices to cryptocurrencies and social media platforms, tech impacts how we work, play, shop, socialize, and do business—and none of that is slowing down.

In fact, despite the headlines, growth in technology roles remains steady. For starters, software developer took the #1 spot in U.S. News and World Report’s “Best Jobs Rankings 2023,” with the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting a 25% increase in open positions between 2021 and 2031. That’s five times the average job outlook, with 162,900 roles slated to open each year.

It’s a demand reverberating around the world, as the global software market is projected to reach $650 billion in 2023. To keep pace, organizations across industries desperately need tech talent to develop cutting-edge products and services. 

That’s why we’re so excited to announce an enhanced version of our best-in-class Software Engineering Bootcamp today. For students wondering how to get an engineering job with no experience—or employers struggling with how to recruit and hire great software engineers—read on for the latest and greatest updates to our program.

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Meet Your Match: Breaking Into the Professional Services Industry in a Tech Role

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Are you looking for a personal growth and career development path alongside giants, considered the best in their field? Do you appreciate autonomy as much as teamwork? Looking for a broad playing field where you can address large-scale challenges? You just might find such a place in the professional services industry—a top employer of tech talent in our increasingly digital world. 

All told, the industry’s worth $6,382.56 billion in 2023, and it’s expected to grow at a CAGR of 5% to top $7 billion by 2027. Thanks to burgeoning technology, professional services firms are able to offer their clients more value than ever before—and you can play the role of changemaker for countless other businesses in search of bold, bright solutions.

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No Tryout Required: Sports Tech Careers From the Evolving World of Sports

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When you think about jobs in sports, your mind probably jumps to professional athletes, coaches, or high-powered agents (à la Jerry Maguire). If you didn’t win the genetic lottery and those other highly competitive roles weren’t in the stars for you, you might have written off a career in sports. Sports lovers everywhere, rejoice: Sports tech is creating pathways for more professionals to join the game.

Industry analyst Research and Markets predicts that the sports technology market will reach $41.9 billion by 2026, a rise of 21.4% since 2020. Innovations using AI and machine learning that seem straight out of a Sci-Fi novel are here—but they’re not limited to just elite athletes. Sports tech has consumer health applications that can help all of us avoid injuries, build strength, and eat and sleep better.

If you love sports, there are many career tracks for programmers, data analysts and scientists, designers, and digital content producers. We’ve compiled the top areas that tech is transforming and the top tech careers in sports—no tryout required.

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How Data Is Revolutionizing Basketball: Q&A with Ballstar Co-Founder Vaughn Caldon

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Basketball has always had an incredibly passionate fanbase, fueled by the exciting and fast pace of gameplay and high-scoring matches. Some of the most famous athletes globally are professional basketball players, like LeBron James and Stephen Curry. Today, the NBA is broadcast in over 200 countries. 

As basketball has grown into a global phenomenon, technology has played a key role in taking the sport to new levels. Data analytics has transformed everything from how the sport is played and coached, to how fans engage with games and athletes. From tracking players’ performance to predicting game outcomes, data has become an indispensable tool for athletes and fans at every level. 

This surge of data in the industry has created unique opportunities for data scientists and data analysts who have a passion for both numbers and sports, as well as for UX designers and software engineers who bring this data to life via fan engagement apps and websites. 

To learn more about what’s behind this data-driven revolution in sports and the career opportunities it’s unlocked, we sat down with Vaughn Caldon, GA instructor and co-founder of Ballstar, a company at the forefront of data analytics in basketball. 

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