How to Switch from a Non-Tech Background to a Tech Job in Charlotte (2024)

Charlotte's tech scene is lit - the perfect spot for career switchers like us! This place ranks among the top cities in North America for tech job growth, with a crazy 21.3% increase from 2021 to 2022 (more than double the national average!).

Major companies like Bank of America, Lowe's, and Microsoft have turned Charlotte into a prime tech hub, and the city even made CompTIA's list of top tech towns, praised for its low operating costs and growth in fields like fintech and cybersecurity.

What's fueling this surge? Charlotte's business-friendly policies, relatively affordable living costs, and cluster of finance and data analytics firms have attracted talent and investments from all over.

Plus, initiatives like the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance are actively nurturing the region's tech ecosystem. For us career changers, Charlotte offers:

• Tons of job opportunities in software development, IT support, data science, and more.
• Affordable coding bootcamps and certification programs (like Nucamp's bootcamps with job guarantees).
• A buzzing community of meetup groups for networking and finding mentors.

With major banking, energy, and tech corps headquartered here, Charlotte promises exciting career paths for techies from all walks of life.

As Richard Jones of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance says:

"Charlotte is open for business and cultivating its tech talent pipeline."

This rising tech hotspot has a bright future ahead!

Let's be real, Charlotte is the place to be if you're looking to switch to a tech career.

The city's tech scene is booming, and the job opportunities are insane! Companies like Microsoft, Bank of America, and Red Ventures are hungry for tech talent, with roles like Software Engineer, Data Scientist, and Cyber Security Analyst up for grabs.

According to reports, Charlotte already employs nearly 100,000 tech professionals, and that number is only going to skyrocket.

But it's not just about the jobs – the paychecks in Charlotte's tech industry are crazy good.

We're talking an average salary of over $92K by 2024, which is way higher than the national average. And if you snag a role like Software Architect or Data Scientist, you could be raking in well over six figures.

The best part? Charlotte is affordable AF compared to other major tech hubs.

With a lower cost of living and reasonable housing prices, your hard-earned tech money will go a lot further. Plus, the city itself is pretty awesome, with a vibrant culture, great nightlife, and plenty of outdoor activities to keep you entertained when you're not grinding away at your coding job.

Charlotte is where it's at for those tryna switch to a tech gig straight outta a non-tech background! Check out these remote non-tech jobs in the city - we're talkin' everything from pharmacy techs to salesforce devs and more.

The opportunities are mad diverse, especially for peeps with skills like organizing projects, talkin' to teams, and getting stuff done on time.

Some of the hottest tech roles that are a total vibe for non-techies include project managers, business analysts, UX/UI designers, and data analysts.

Many roles leverage existing skills like communicating, problem-solving, and making sense of data, but in a whole new tech-centric way. Plus, you can peep other non-tech jobs in Charlotte that could be a smooth transition.

To really stand out and snag one of these roles, you'll wanna level up your game by learning some programming basics like Python or JavaScript.

Understanding project management methods like Agile and Scrum also helps. Don't sleep on design skills either - knowing industry tools like Adobe Creative Suite can give you a serious edge, especially for UX/UI roles.

Charlotte's tech scene is booming, and they're hungry for fresh talent from all kinds of backgrounds.

David Martinez from the Queen City TechTalent Initiative put it best - "Charlotte's tech ecosystem wants peeps with unique perspectives and experiences to join the party." With the right training and that go-getter attitude, non-techies can totally crush it in the Queen City's tech world.

If you're trying to make that switch from a non-tech job to a sweet gig in the tech world here in Charlotte, there's no shortage of options to level up your skills.

Coding bootcamps are all the rage these days, with places like UNC Charlotte Boot Camps hooking you up with the coding chops you need to slay in web dev, data analytics, and more.

Grads from these programs can see their salaries skyrocket by over 70% on average!

But bootcamps aren't the only option.

Charlotte's got some seriously legit universities offering tech degrees and certs that'll make employers drool. Fullstack Academy's got the scoop on all the details, from UNC Charlotte's Bachelor's and Master's in Computer Science to killer certifications like CompTIA Cloud+ and Microsoft's MCSA that can help you stand out from the crowd.

And we're talking major cash boosts here – IT pros with certs can rake in 12% more than their uncertified peers, according to CompTIA.

But that's not all! Charlotte's got a buzzing tech scene with free workshops, meetups, and resources galore to help you break into the industry.

From the Free Code Camp Charlotte crew to the Charlotte Area Tech Collaborative and Tech Talent South, there's no shortage of places to connect, learn, and score that dream tech job.

Alright, tech dudes and dudettes looking to make a career switch in Charlotte - this city has a dope tech scene with plenty of meetups and events where you can network and connect.

One of the biggest is the Charlotte Tech Professionals Network with over 2,000 members - a solid place to share knowledge and hear about job opportunities. But if you want something more niche, there are meetups for specific interests like JavaScript, PHP, and Ruby.

LinkedIn is a must-have tool for anyone hunting for tech jobs in Charlotte.

Optimize that profile with keywords, endorsem*nts, and your achievements to get noticed by local recruiters. Joining groups like Charlotte IT Professionals and Tech Talent Charlotte gives you access to job postings and insider industry scoop.

For local job boards, check out WorkInCharlotte.com, CharlotteChamber.com, and CharlotteStartupHire.com - they're dedicated to listing tech roles in the Queen City.

But the real networking action happens at Charlotte's annual tech conferences.

The Queen City Code Camp in the spring offers coding workshops and sessions led by industry pros. Then in November, the Internet Summit brings over 2,500 digital experts to explore the latest in marketing, design, and development.

Attending these events is a solid way to meet new people and potentially land your next gig in Charlotte's booming tech scene.

Charlotte is the place to be if you wanna switch gears from a non-tech gig to a sick tech job. Take Barbara Lee for instance - she went from teaching little kids to coding like a boss at this wicked fintech company.

In her own words, "Teaching was cool, but it didn't let me flex my analytical skills, ya know? So I signed up for this intense full-stack web dev bootcamp, and bam! The projects and hardcore curriculum gave me all the tech skills I needed to land my dream coding job." Mad props to her for taking that leap!

Then there's Michael Jackson who traded retail management for cybersecurity at a major bank here in Charlotte.

Dude knows the key is networking - he hit up all the local tech meetups like CharlotteJS and connected with folks on LinkedIn to scope out different roles. In the end, cybersecurity was the perfect fit for his problem-solving talents.

Other career switchers in the QC have some solid tips for newbies trying to break into tech:

• Make your skills work for you: Flex those project management, communication, and problem-solving muscles - companies dig those transferable skills.
• Build a portfolio that pops: Personal projects, coding challenges, contributing to open-source - show off your tech skills.
• Consider a bootcamp: Accelerated programs like Nucamp give you the full training package to make that career transition.
• Network like a boss: Hit up local tech events, join online communities, and link up with professionals in your field.

If you've got the drive, dedication, and right resources, Charlotte is the spot to score a sweet tech gig, no matter your background.

The opportunities are endless!

Chevas has spent over 15 years inventing brands, designing interfaces, and driving engagement for companies like Microsoft. He is a practiced writer, a productivity app inventor, board game designer, and has a builder-mentality drives entrepreneurship.