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‘You don’t need a degree to succeed in tech,’ says coding boot camp founder
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26 Feb 2025
When Deric Yee was still studying finance and venture capital at Lancaster University, he caught what’s known as the “startup-founder” bug.
He was inspired by his peers, watching founders passionately pitch their visions, build their companies, and brainstorm new ideas.
At one point, Yee was no longer content to be an observer. Perhaps, he thought, perhaps he too can build something.
And he wasn’t just seeking to land a tech job with no experience; he wanted to create tech jobs for others.
So much so that even found himself helping to run a student venture capital firm to help support startups in Northern England.
Soon after Yee graduated in 2019 with First Class Honours and returned to his home country, Malaysia, he found himself working in venture capital.
Not building startups, but crunching numbers and compiling market research reports.
The shift was subtle — yet highly dissatisfying.
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How to find a calling, brutally
This was when Yee discovered how founders were almost frantic in their search for tech talent.
In most of the networking events he joined, founders said the same thing: We need coders. We need developers. Where are they?
But they weren’t willing to list any tech job with no experience.
Yet, despite this disheartening outlook, Yee decided to code. The prospect of becoming a talent was promising.
The journey to get there, however, was nothing short of brutal.
“It was probably the most demoralising point in my life,” Yee wrote on his website. “Learning through online tutorials, building projects on my own, locking myself in my room and doing coding-related stuff from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day for at least six months.”
In 2020, Yee left his first job, learned to code and develop full-stack web applications, and even tried pitching several startup ideas.
All of them failed.
But in 2022, his efforts finally paid off.
Pivoting from finance to freelance tech work to building a bootcamp
It started with picking up small projects.
He helped his Computer Science and IT friends with technical interviews and began teaching them for 100 Malaysian Ringgit (US$22.32) an hour. Within the next few months, he was closing projects worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Suddenly, his dream of building his own tech startup seemed achievable again.
But another problem arose — it was a struggle to hire the right developers to work with for his projects.
“When I finally broke into the industry and started building projects for clients, the gap between what traditional education taught and what the industry actually needed became painfully clear,” he said.
“Many of the junior developers I met, even those with degrees, struggled with real-world problem-solving. They could recite theories, but when it came to debugging complex issues or working on scalable applications, they were lost.”
Yee was frustrated. How was it that he, someone who didn’t take the traditional university route for tech, ended up being better prepared for real-world software development than actual graduates?
Then it clicked. Yee hypothesised that the current system wasn’t broken because students weren’t capable — it was broken because it didn’t prepare them the right way.
That’s when he decided to start up Sigma School.
A lesser-known way to land a tech job with no experience
A three-month, affordable, accessible coding boot camp that results in you getting hired for a tech job with no experience.
No tech job with no experience landed? You’ll get your money back. That was Sigma School’s promise.
“You don’t need a degree to succeed in tech – you need skills, proof of work, and the right network,” Yee, a finance degree holder, insisted.
“That’s exactly what we provide at Sigma School. I built it to be the kind of learning experience I wish I had – one that prioritises real-world projects, mentorship, and a direct path to employment.”
This entails end-to-end career support, including resume building, mock interviews, and networking opportunities, ensuring no graduate is left behind.
“I knew firsthand how tough it was to become a software engineer without a structured path,” says Yee. “I was a self-taught coder, and that journey was filled with late nights, countless hours of trial and error, and an endless search for the right learning resources. There were moments when I questioned whether I was even on the right track.”
Sigma School grew from a small boot camp to now having its own physical office in Puchong, Malaysia. Source: Deric Yee
Tech job with no experience? Sigma School graduates proved it’s possible
Yee’s first cohort of students proved to become some of his biggest advocates.
Their feedback helped refine the curriculum, and their success stories validated the model that Yee was building – these students went on to secure jobs or launch their own projects with the help of the school’s network, which included founders and innovators from Silicon Valley and other tech hubs.
Amir Arif, who was initially working as a doctor in the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), decided to return to Malaysia after realising he had a passion for technology. He enrolled in Sigma School’s Full-Stack Web Development Bootcamp to gain hands-on experience in coding, cloud technologies, and AI applications.
Thanks to the team’s personalised mentorship and strong network connections, Arif connected with Axrail, one of Malaysia’s leading AI and cloud technology companies.
Impressed by his skills and project portfolio, Axrail offered him a role as a Presales Tech Architect, where he now works on cutting-edge projects involving artificial intelligence and scalable cloud infrastructure.
Daniel Fong is another example of a student landing a tech job with no experience, thanks to Sigma School.
He started his career as a gig worker but still yearned for a job that would grant him proper stability and upward mobility. He decided to join Sigma School for the Full-Stack Programme and got a job as a software developer before the boot camp even ended.
“No, this is not endorsed or a paid review,” writes Fong in a review. “No, I was not pressured into writing this. And, no. I had no diploma or degree to begin with. What I wrote here is as honest as I could be.”
At that point, Yee knew he had a successful, working model, and he worked hard to ensure that he kept on improving it.
From building strong relationships with tech companies and hiring partners to meeting business owners worldwide to gain insight into emerging trends, hiring needs, and new technological advancements — he gave it his all.
“By understanding what companies are looking for in talent, we can tailor our curriculum to meet those demands,” he said. “For example, if there was a growing demand for AI specialists or full-stack developers proficient in specific frameworks, we would incorporate those requirements into our curriculum.”
It doesn’t end at placement, either. Yee ensures his team maintains a good relationship with both the school’s partners and their students.
“After placing students in roles, we maintain communication with both the graduates and their employers to ensure smooth transitions. This feedback loop helps us refine our training methods and address any gaps that may arise,” he said.
“We continue collaborating with companies to offer advanced upskilling courses for alumni, ensuring they remain competitive as industries evolve.”
Yee welcomes international students, too.
Those looking to come to Malaysia for an affordable training programme benefit from Sigma School’s global hiring team, which helps them connect to remote and in-person job opportunities worldwide. The school even offers visa assistance, accommodation support, and even supplementary English instruction complemented by local teaching assistants.
“Our ‘get a job or get your money back’ promise reassures local and international students that we’re fully invested in their success,” Yee said.
“Don’t let fear or self-doubt hold you back; remember, many of our most successful graduates started with no prior experience. Trust the process and lean into the support systems we provide, from mentorship to career guidance. If you show up every day, stay curious, and remain resilient, opportunities will follow.”
Yee is proud that Sigma School has come this far, thanks to the collective efforts of his team, partners, and students. Source: Deric Yee
What’s next?
Yee has big plans for Sigma School. In 2025, the school’s offerings would expand to offer new programmes in marketing, data analytics, and AI.
Most of all, he remains firmly dedicated to his mission of helping others connect with professional opportunities and making education and career development more accessible, efficient, and impactful.
His other passion projects include Codeo.ai, a mobile app designed to help aspiring developers practise coding anytime, anywhere, and TryJobier.com, an automated job search platform that matches candidates with relevant opportunities and even applies on their behalf.
“The current job market is undeniably challenging, especially for new graduates who are often caught in a Catch-22: they need experience to get a job, but they can’t gain experience without a job,” he explained.
“Codeo.ai and TryJobier.com were both born out of challenges I observed in the learning and job-search process.”
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Yee had some advice for those facing similar struggles with their career, just like he did: build your skills, always be open to learning new things, and know that being scared is a normal part of the journey.
And most of all, cherish the process.
“Focus on building tangible skills and solving real-world problems. Your portfolio will speak louder than any degree,” he advised.
“Don’t be afraid to pivot or explore new fields if something excites you. And most importantly, surround yourself with people who inspire and challenge you. Growth happens when you step outside your comfort zone and collaborate with others who push you to think bigger.”
