Software development is a rewarding and lucrative career. The employment opportunities are virtually endless, and the dynamic nature of the job makes for an interesting career path.
Getting a traditional computer science degree is no longer the only way to start a career in software development. Thanks to programs like Shopify’s Dev Degree, aspiring software developers have a streamlined pathway to a successful career in development.
This article explains what Shopify’s Dev Degree program is, and goes over the steps to take to get into it. We also discuss career opportunities you can expect after getting your accredited computer science degree.
What is Shopify’s Dev Degree program?
Shopify’s Dev Degree is a four-year program specifically designed to shake up computer science education in Canada. The program allows computer science students to work on development teams at Shopify and receive academic credits for it.
Unlike a traditional computer science (CS) bachelor’s degree, Shopify’s Dev Degree combines work-integrated, mentor-guided, and self-paced learning to provide students with sought-after development skills and prepare them for the work environment. The program also offers paid tuition and remote studying options, among many other benefits.
Shopify Dev Degree program requirements
As with any computer science program, you need to meet certain requirements and follow an application process to get into the Shopify Dev Degree program. Let’s review a breakdown of each step.
1. Submit your application to the Dev Degree team at Shopify
The first step is submitting an application to the Dev Degree team at Shopify. Applications are typically open from early fall to late winter. Applying is a simple procedure that involves no commitment and merely requires you to provide some basic information about yourself.
You’ll have to be admitted to one of Shopify’s partner programs to be accepted into the Dev Degree program. These include Carleton University, York University, and the Dominican University of California for fall 2022.
2. Write a personal statement
The next step is completing your personal statement. This involves answering a wide range of questions relating to the subjects you are interested in, your reasons for choosing software engineering as a career, and past experiences that helped shape you. Here are some examples of the questions you may encounter:
- Please talk about an experience of learning something new and share how you applied that learning.
- Please tell us why you are choosing the Shopify Dev Degree.
- Please tell us about your experience managing multiple priorities.
3. Answer computational questions
Software developers need to be able to think critically and deeply. These computational questions are intended to test your problem-solving abilities and assess your readiness to learn computer science. For instance, you may be required to decode a message or provide a command sequence to obtain something. Here are two examples:
- Decode the message above to discover one of our core values in Dev Degree
- Let’s take a connected graph with a large number of nodes without weight on the edge. Also, assume that the adjacency matrix is not available. If you need to find a path to a destination, how do you find the shortest possible path?
4. Go through the 3-step interview process
Once you have completed the personal statement and answered the computational questions, you will go through a three-step interview process in early spring. This consists of the following:
- Interview with a Dev Degree intern. The first interview is an informal chat with a Shopify Dev team intern. This will allow you to learn about their experience with the program and get a firsthand account of what it’s like to work as a software developer at Shopify.
- Interview with Dev Degree team members. After chatting up the intern, you will move on to the admissions interview. This involves meeting two Dev Degree team members who will provide you with a variety of details and expectations about the program. The focus is to learn about your background and how your past experiences relate to the Dev Degree.
- Interview with Shopify developers. The last interview will focus on the technical aspects of the Dev Degree program. You will meet with two Shopify developers to discuss a problem-solving question. It is worth noting that past programming experience is not required; the interview will attempt to assess your cognitive processing skills and put your abilities to solve complex problems to the test.
5. Receive and accept offers
After completing your developer interviews, you will have to wait until late spring to find out if you have been selected to take part in the program. Selected candidates will receive an offer to join the Dev Degree learning program.
Shopify Dev Program Acceptance Rate
The Shopify Dev Degree is a highly coveted program that attracts a lot of applicants. On top of this, the number of Dev Degree student placements within Shopify’s development teams is limited.
The program accepts just 10 to 15 students from each university each year. With that being said, there is no hard and fast rule regarding the acceptance rate; the number of admitted students may change from one year to another depending on various factors.
The average salary of a Shopify Dev developer
An internship at Shopify comes with many perks, not the least of which is the chance to become a full-time engineer after gaining the necessary work experience. When it comes to compensation, the Ottawa-based e-commerce platform offers Canadian developers some of the most generous pay packages in the country.
Here are the average salaries for intern positions within the Shopify Dev team, according to data obtained from levels.fyi:
- Summer 2022 remote intern salary: $30/hr; $5,200/mo
- Winter 2022 Toronto, Ontario (remote): $33/hr; $5,720/mo
- Summer 2021 intern (Waterloo, Canada): $41/hr; $7,107/mo
But remember, an internship at Shopify is not your only career option. You can use the skills and experience acquired through the program to find placement throughout the industry.
A good place to start is the Upwork Freelance Jobs section. Once you’ve completed your university courses and have your Shopify Dev Degree, you can start exploring your work opportunities by sifting through thousands of Shopify development job offers.
Use Upwork to get a job as a Shopify Developer
Thanks to Upwork, you can reach a wide range of employers looking for a developer who matches your exact profile. More importantly, Upwork’s services allow you to demonstrate and market your diverse skills to prospective employers, increasing your odds of receiving interesting offers.
To get started, create a profile and highlight all of your skills and relevant work experience. This is entirely free and can be done in a matter of minutes. To help your profile stand out from the pack, consider adding an introduction video that briefly goes over what you are offering. Once your profile is complete, you can start exploring ways to earn income as a Shopify developer.
Here are your options:
- Search on Talent Marketplace. A quick way to find Shopify developer job opportunities is to search on Upwork’s Talent Marketplace. If you find an offer that interests you, submit a proposal and set your rate.
- Sell your services on the Project Catalog page. A second method you can try is matching your services to what clients need. The Project Catalog page allows you to create easy-to-buy projects that are tailored to a specific need.
- Let employers find you. Software developers are in high demand. Companies often reach out to them to discuss a freelancing project and employment opportunities. Applying to Upwork’s Fastlane will accelerate this process since our recruiters will help match you with trusted clients.
As you accumulate work experience and positive client feedback, finding new work becomes exponentially easier. Upwork offers independent professionals the perfect platform for diversifying their work portfolios and growing their careers.
