The George Washington University has launched a new bootcamp focused on financial technology, the school announced Wednesday. The training program will be run jointly by Trilogy Education and is designed to train students in tech tools that make them more marketable for financial sector jobs.
The skills taught at the bootcamp include using programming tools like Python and SQL, a range of machine learning applications, emerging technologies like blockchain and cryptocurrency, and others. The program will be based at GW’s Arlington Education Center in Ballston.
GW says these skills can come into play with things like analyzing credit card histories for fraud, building decentralized identity systems with blockchain, predictive modeling for stock prices, and developing AI-powered tools that can help customers with their financial transactions.
“The finance industry is experiencing rapid digital transformation, driving DC’s finance professionals to learn new technology and data skills to remain relevant,” said Christopher J. Deering, GW’s interim dean of the College of Professional Studies, in a statement.
With this certificate program, GW is hoping to attract people who want to pick up skills that are in demand at financial institutions like McLean-based Capital One and the array of tech consulting giants with D.C. footprints like Booz Allen Hamilton and Deloitte.
In a December 2019 report by Findexable and Startup Blink, D.C. was ranked as 51st out of 230 cities globally for fintech, based on the size and quality of the fintech sector in each city. The top places were the San Francisco Bay Area, London, New York, Singapore City, and Sao Paulo.
Before bringing it to GW, Trilogy Education has run this fintech bootcamp at other schools including Columbia University, Northwestern University, Rice University, UNC Charlotte, and The University of Toronto. Trilogy is a division of 2U, an edtech company based in Lanham, Md. The company helps GW run several other bootcamps in coding, cybersecurity, UX/UI and data analytics.
“We see this fintech bootcamp attracting a wide range of professionals who want hands-on experience working with the latest technologies that are transforming the future of business,” Deering said. “This program is both for finance professionals who need to update their skills as well as tech workers who see fintech as an innovative and lucrative field to pursue.”
Beyond the technical skills taught in the bootcamp, GW says students will have access to career-planning services like “trained coaches, recruiting assistance, portfolio reviews, webinars, and employer events."
