Community Spotlight: The Toronto Tech Industry Wants You!

As Toronto's original programming bootcamp, HackerYou grew out of a demonstrated need for a better option for cutting-edge digital skills training. In 2012, we ran just two courses. In 2017, we're running more than 50 including our bootcamp program, which is now registered as a vocational program with the Ontario government. Thinking about taking a bootcamp program? Let us tell you why we think Toronto, and more specifically, HackerYou, is where you should be.

We're diversifying tech one step at a time

Before starting HackerYou our CEO, Heather Payne (one of Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women), founded Ladies Learning Code. LLC is an organization that delivers beginner-friendly workshops on programming and other technical skills all across Canada. It started with just a tweet - and has since grown into a country-wide movement to teach beginners from diverse backgrounds the digital skills they need! Though HackerYou is co-ed, our bootcamp proudly boasts an average of 60% female-identifying students. With a female CEO, a diverse instructor team, and students from all walks of life - we are proud to create an environment that welcomes everyone.

Canada needs technology workers

Toronto? Like, in Canada? Yes! According to current projections, Canada will need over 200,000 additional skilled information & technology workers by the year 2020. And as the fourth-largest city in North America, Toronto's tech industry is booming. Our neighborhood boasts home-grown companies like Shopify, which happens to be around the corner from our 12,000 square foot location on Queen Street. We encourage you to come for a visit and see why Vogue called our neighborhood one of the coolest in the world.

There's literally never been a better time to learn to code! Even Justin Trudeau (you know, our awesome Prime Minister?) understands the importance of learning to code! He's said:

"We need to do a lot better job of getting young people to understand what coding is and how it's important, [and]...making sure that Canada's...meeting the challenges of the future and the great opportunities that Canada has to play a significant role in the world."

Canadians are the nicest

If you're going to learn to code, why not learn from the nicest people out there - Canadians! In addition to being incredibly nice, polite and passionate about technology, our full-time instructor team ensures our content is up-to-date in the industry. We recently added React to our bootcamp curriculum to better prepare our graduates for the most cutting-edge jobs and projects.

We also have talented part-time instructors, including powerhouse independent developers like Wes Bos, and talented folks who spend their days working at companies like Shopify, Huge, and Nascent. You'll be mentored and taught by people who live and breathe Toronto tech.

We'll support you in Toronto and beyond

We're committed to helping you succeed, inside and outside the classroom. No matter what your goals, or where in the world you want to work and live, the skills you learn at HackerYou will set you up for success. We interview everyone who applies for our courses - whether you're joining us for the bootcamp, or a part-time course. While you're here, you'll get to know our incredible network of 350+ bootcamp alumni, who are doing amazing things, not just in Toronto but also around the world. Like Emilia Dallman, now a product designer at Facebook in Menlo Park who recently spoke at F8, or Milena Pribic, a product designer at IBM in Austin. Our grads in Toronto own their own digital agencies, and work at big media companies like the Globe and Mail and Rogers, and also at cutting-edge agencies like TWG and Climax Media.

Toronto has never been better. When deciding which bootcamp to apply to, look north of the border. Make this the year you learn to code. Join us in Toronto and learn something cool!

Questions about Toronto or HackerYou? Email us at info@hackeryou.com, and read what alumni have to say about HackerYou on SwitchUp!