IRE boot camps going on the road, scholarships available

IRE is bringing its acclaimed data and coding boot camps to three cities this fall and offering scholarships to each camp. These boot camps are sponsored in part by the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation.

The camps will include instruction in data analysis and cleaning using Excel, SQL, Python and — for the first time — R.

Demand for in-depth, hands-on data training has continued to grow in the last several years, and the three annual Computer Assisted Reporting (CAR) boot camps that IRE hosts at its headquarters at the University of Missouri School of Journalism have been at or near capacity. After also seeing record attendance at the CAR Conference this year, IRE decided to bring more data training to its members.

"A data or coding boot camp will change a journalist’s life," IRE Executive Director Doug Haddix said. "This immersive hands-on training will equip journalists with skills to wrangle data, find hidden watchdog stories and explore new ways of storytelling online."

Each camp also will have 10 tuition waivers available through a competitive application process, thanks to support from the Park Foundation and donations from IRE members at the annual CAR Conference last March in Chicago. The scholarships will pay the full tuition fee and do not cover travel or lodging.

Here are details on each camp:

• Python Boot Camp, Oct. 5-7 at Point Park University in Pittsburgh. Data analysis and wrangling in the Python programming language. Experience working with data is required; no previous coding experience necessary. Click for details on fees, scholarship application and registration.
• CAR Boot Camp, Oct. 13-16 at the University of Indianapolis. Data analysis and cleaning in Excel and SQL. No previous data experience necessary. Click for details on fees, scholarship application and registration.
• R Boot Camp, Nov. 12-14 at WBEZ in Chicago. Statistical analysis and data visualization in R. Experience with spreadsheets is required; no previous coding experience necessary. Click for details on fees, scholarship application and registration.

IRE will also host its annual fall CAR boot camp on the University of Missouri campus on Aug. 5.

IRE also plans to host some on-the-road boot camps in Spring 2019. If your organization can provide space in a computer lab and would like to host a camp, please contact Senior Training Director Denise Malan at denise@ire.org.