Recently, a number of online learn-to-code schools have cropped up, but a startup called Bloc promises training with a twist—a personal mentor who will meet with students three times a week. Students get to select their own mentors from a list, and other mentors are always available for chat sessions in case the selected coach isn’t available.
The company recently secured $2 million in funding from a variety of venture capital firms. Currently, it offers a $4,250, 12-week course that teaches students the basics of Web development, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Ruby and Rails. However, the company may broaden its course offerings later.
“We believe an online apprenticeship is superior to the classroom model,” says Bloc cofounder and CEO Roshan Choxi. “It’s the better way to do advanced skill training, so it’s natural that it could apply to other verticals and other topics.”
