Breaking into tech as a developer can feel overwhelming. For many of our members, the challenge isn’t a lack of motivation but knowing where to start, how to stay on track, and what to learn.
We created the FCDC Developer Cohort to help aspiring web developers grow their skills, build projects, and gain real-world knowledge you can use to land freelance work or full-time roles.
The next cohort kicks off this September, and we want you in it.
Cohort details
- 📅 Dates: September 1 – November 30, 2025
- 🕐 Sessions: One hour per week on Zoom
- 🎓 Instructor: Colin Gray, Principal Developer at Shopify
- 💻 Focus: Intermediate and advanced backend dev skills with hands-on learning
This cohort is free and open to members of the Freelance Coalition for Developing Countries (FCDC).
What you’ll learn
Throughout the 3-month program, you’ll cover primarily backend development topics that developers use daily:
- Relational databases (e.g., PostgreSQL)
- Document databases (e.g., MongoDB)
- API design and standards
- REST vs GraphQL
- HTTP status codes
- Authentication, JWT, sessions, and permissions
- Hosting (cloud and self-hosted options)
- Docker and containerization
- Logging, monitoring, and debugging
- Testing (unit tests, integration tests, mocking)
What you need to join
This cohort is not ideal for beginners. We’re looking for folks who have at least one year of experience, as we’ll be skipping beginner-level content to focus on the intermediate and advanced skills you need to work in-house as a developer.
Before applying, you should have completed at least one of the following:
- The Odin Project FullStack Javascript course (Recommended)
- FreeCodeCamp – Backend Development & APIs (Optional)
- Roadmap.sh: Backend Developer Guide (for reference and structure)
If you’ve taken a course we haven’t listed or have a different certification, please let us know when you fill out the form.
How to apply
We’re asking applicants to build a basic TODO app to show their skills. This doesn’t need to be perfect, but it should be your own.
Required:
- A working TODO app
- Hosted and accessible online
- Built with basic backend logic
Bonus:
- Add one unique feature (e.g., task priority, color-coding, user assignment) that shows off your creativity and initiative
Why join this cohort?
- Learn in a structured environment from a senior developer
- Join a small, focused group of 5 cohort participants
- Build confidence working with backend and frontend tools
- Get peer support and accountability
- Walk away with advanced coding knowledge and robust skillset
We’re not making guarantees, but we’ll help you find a paid internship offering $1,500 a month for three months, so you have somewhere to nurture your new skills after the cohort ends.
Applications are open until the end of June. We’ll select cohort participants in July so you have enough time to prepare for the learning experience in September.
Jadesola Kareem
Passionate about content and diversity, Jadesola is a content writer. In her free time, with a cup of coffee in hand, she binges on reality shows.
