Ready for a new job? Or a new hobby? Or just some new faces? April will shower you with opportunities to network and learn new skills in the tech sector. Opportunities abound for technologists of all levels to get involved. From aspiring coders to beginners to expert networkers, April has something for everyone.
Chicago Apprenticeship Meetup at Enova: Apprenticeships in the software community are all the rage these days because their hands-on, project-based approach can help new developers get up-to-speed ASAP. This month, Chicago Apprenticeship explores the approach of Enova. (Enova, 175 W Jackson Blvd, Tuesday, April 5, 6pm. Free.)
Latinos/as Who Code: A Panel Discussion: Dev Bootcamp hosts a panel discussion with programmers and technologists who identify as Latino/a about their experiences learning to code, hunting for jobs and working as developers. (Dev Bootcamp, 351 W Hubbard St, Suite 700, Tuesday, April 5, 5:30pm. Free.)
Built in Brews at Context Media: As the big dog of the tech networking calendar, Built in Chicago brings its in-person behemoth of a networking event to ContextMedia this April. ContextMedia is a startup that works to improve health outcomes by creating technology that facilitates doctor/patient dialogue. (ContextMedia, 330 N Wabash Ave, Suite 2500, Thursday, April 7, 5:30pm. $10.)
Music Hack: The second annual Music Hack is brought to you by the People’s Music School and will be hosted at Fort Knox Studios. Prizes worth up to $45,000 are on the table, so bring your A-game—or a friend who codes (though non-coders can join teams as well) to this all-day event. (People's Music School, 931 W Eastwood Ave, Saturday, April 9, 10am. Free.)
Chicago Uncubed: This non-traditional career fair is aimed at recent graduates or young professionals looking to break into the tech industry. Speakers include senior folks at Tumblr, Indiegogo, Cars.com, Gogo and Civis Analytics. (WeWork Grant Park, 332 S Michigan Ave, Wednesday, April 13, 6pm. $25 and up.)
3 Tools to Master Before You Learn to Code: Clique Studios, a Chicago dev shop, is partnering with Dev Bootcamp on this beginners workshop on the tools you’ll need before you start coding (Web Inspector, Terminal and Github). New to coding? This event is for you. (Clique Studios Chicago, 410 S Michigan Ave, Tuesday, April 19, 6pm. Free.)