Embark

No, there is no cost to participate. The program is generously funded by the County of Monroe COMIDA Industrial Development Agency, enabling residents of Monroe County to participate for free.

All participants in NextCorps Embark must meet these qualifications:

• Current resident living full-time in Monroe County, NY
• Have access to a desktop or laptop and the internet
• Available at least 5 hours each week for training and learning
• Able to attend weekly, 2-hour in-person training (weeknights)
• Coding/programming experience helpful, but not necessary
• Experience building websites helpful, but not necessary
• Strong interest in designing and building apps and websites
• Interest in someday building a software startup is helpful
• Coachable, eager to learn and willing to put in effort
• Willing to engage with fellow program participants

No! That’s the value of no-code tools like Bubble.io, FlutterFlow and others. They enable anyone to build their own full-featured software applications without having a formal background in coding/programming. During Embark, we will teach you how to use these tools and launch a freelance or full-time career as no-code developer. You can even use your skills to build your own apps or startup ideas.

If you do this training and put in the effort, then absolutely! You won’t make six-figures immediately upon graduating the Embark program, but with some real-world experience, you can charge freelance rates ranging from $35/hr ($70k annually) initially to $150/hr ($300k annually) once you have real experience under your belt. Many of these available jobs/projects are remote as well, meaning you can work from anywhere and take advantage of the lower cost of living in Monroe County (versus moving to major software developer hubs like San Francisco, Austin, Seattle, NYC, etc.).

Yes! No-code tools like Bubble.io are an awesome way to build minimum viable prototypes that can even scale to full-production applications, allowing you to make tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars per month. If you put in the work and are selected, we will teach you how to use your no-code skills to launch a successful startup in the third phase of Embark.

The program will be limited to a maximum of 75 participants to ensure we can provide quality instruction to participants, with the expectation that 25 participants will continue through the full program and receive pro-level no-code certification. Note that participants who do not meet the qualifications and/or put in the necessary effort will be removed to ensure all available resources are directed to the highest performing participants.

You will need to dedicate an absolute minimum of 5 hours per week, which includes 2 hours of live instruction. However, to be successful and truly build your skills as a no-code developer, you will likely need to spend at least 10 hours per week. Note that this can be done at your convenience — it does not need to be done during the day and/or while you are working a full- or part-time job.

The program will kick off with an in-person session at NextCorps on January 10, 2024. From there it will last up to a maximum of 9 months, as follows:

• Phase One (2 Months) – In this phase, we will teach the basics of no-code to up to 75 individuals selected to participate.
• Phase Two (4 Months) – Up to 25 participants from Phase One will be selected to learn advanced no-code concepts and achieve certification.
• Phase Three (2 Months) – Up to 10 participants from Phase Two will be chosen to receive guidance on launching their own software startups.

Some of the weekly instructional sessions will take place in-person at the NextCorps headquarters in downtown Rochester (260 E. Main St., 6th Floor). Transportation to/from these sessions will not be provided. However, public transit options are available nearby if needed. Some sessions will be virtual on Zoom, requiring a computer, tablet or smartphone with internet access in order to participate.

Yes. We are designing this program around the needs of people who have full- or part-time jobs. Sessions will take place at times that are convenient for those working full-time. They will also be recorded in the event you are unable to make a session for any reason (work, illness, childcare, etc.).

You will need a desktop or laptop computer with internet access in order to participate in Embark and use no-code tools like Bubble.io to build applications. Computer equipment will not be provided to participants due to the large number of potential program participants. If necessary, computers with open internet access at a public library could be used to complete the sessions and exercises.

We will be holding multiple information sessions for those who are interested in applying to Embark and would like to meet the team that is running the program. You can email the program director, Matt Foley, with any questions at matt.foley@nextcorps.org.

Sessions will be recorded so that people can make up a class, should a conflict arise such as illness, childcare needs, travel, etc.