Code Institute

I found the curriculum well-explained and most of it up-to-date, help with the program and job search are something they do well. One thing I enjoyed is that they encouraged me to be independent in my questions, where to do my research so I can fix any... Read More problem without relying in others.

It was hard for me to find a good bootcamp, until I've stumbled upon Code Institute. The Course in Full Stack Software Development is well structured and it offers all the tools to get work-ready after completing the Course. Becoming full stack developer... Read More means dealing with a huge amount of data and learn to connect the dots between different parts of a website, knowing how to work with Agile methodologies. This was made possible by the course of Code Institute and especially by the people working behind it. A big part of work is of course up to the student, but I was always helped by my tutor and my mentor, who kept on checking how I was doing with the projects. On top of that, there is a Student Support, who can help out with code reviews at any time.
Only con I'd say is that the education is fully remote, that's hard to get to know a new field and people by sitting alone behind a computer. This con I'd say is relevant to bootcamps in general: cutting costs of renting rooms for the classes come first than giving a proper in-person training (which might be old-fashioned but I believe it's still the best way to learn and attentive to the well-being of students). I tried to look for a bootcamp on site but it seems none exists at the moment. However, as mentioned this con relats to the field of bootcamps in general and not to Code Institute. I think Code Institute was the best bootcamp I could find among all.

Pros are the learning material for the most part is easy to follow along with and well structured with plenty of support provided!

Cons are some parts of the course around the frameworks can feel a bit rushed.

Overall the course is well structured and... Read More each area leads well into the next

Pros:
After submitting my final project, 1 month later I found my first tech job.

Cons:
Outdated material on some topics.
A lot of bugs on the code shown in the videos.
A lot of additional self learning.

Overall experience:

I enjoyed doing the course even... Read More though sometimes there were bugs in the code shown on the videos, there was not enough time to fix them or troubleshoot what exactly the problem was so in that case because there was not enough time to study the material properly and complete each project, it felt like I was sprinting through everything to try to hit the deadlines on time.

But in saying that I don’t regret doing the course because it gave me a really good knowledge of coding and exactly what I needed to start my career change, as when I started the course at the beginning I had no clue what HTML and CSS was at the very start. For those that are looking to change their career, doing this course can give you a really good start into getting to the tech industry.

Having the classes with the facilitator and the 3 sessions per project with the mentor were very helpful in general in terms of guidance and additional questions on each project. The slack community is also very helpful.

I am glad I completed the course because the end goal was to get a job in tech and one month after submitting my last project I ended up with my first tech job.

Although parts of the course were fine (HTML, CSS), many other parts were very poorly taught. There's a massive lack of understanding about teaching methodology within CI. I struggled with JS and believed that was solely because it's a tricky language... Read More (which, to be fair, it is), but then we reached Python - which I had a grounding in - and also struggled a huge amount due to the simply bad way that it was taught and presented. Django was taught incredibly badly too. The content has since been re-jigged (too late for me, alas), but it was a hugely disheartening experience to slog through. We were thrown into a Django project for PP4 with almost no idea of how to complete it. I genuinely almost quit at that point, and had to hire outside tutors to teach me the basics which I was missing. I've looked at the new Django content and although it's an improvement it's still not great by any means. The best thing to do would be to drop the Flask section (which I found absolutely awful, possibly the worst taught unit of all, and there are too many frameworks and languages covered already) and spend real time actually teaching Django properly. Django is a massive and important topic, far more time is needed on it. It could easily be a 1 year course in itself.
The most obvious example of bad methodology was my PP5 specialisation content, where we were first given around 50 consecutive videos (not sure of exactly how many but by god it felt like 50) with zero user input - a really bad way to teach - followed by 100+ worksheets to struggle through - again, a really bad way to impart knowledge (plus the worksheets were riddled with spelling errors) - followed by 2 'walkthrough' projects where the student did not have to write a single line of code, only watch along with the videos and click through the pre-built projects. I'm sorry, but this is an absolutely disgraceful way of teaching, on a course that cost a big chunk of money. I cannot say this strongly enough: THIS IS EXTREMELY POOR TEACHING METHODOLOGY. I had to spend many multiple hours on YouTube and Udemy courses, plus hire private tutors, trying to actually learn what CI were supposed to be teaching me, which makes me seriously ask myself why I handed over so much money to learn with them in the first place. I realise that there's a lot of content to get through but SURELY it's better to narrow the scope slightly and teach what's left in a deeper and better way.

Student support was generally good, although the time difference (I'm in Asia) was a mess. Apparently it used to be 24 hour but it's not any more, meaning that at times I took a day off to work on the course, got stuck at 10am and couldn't get any support until 4-5pm, meaning the day had been wasted. Support staff were generally good, though I had a few who were useless.

Half the year was spent fighting with the awful IDE we were pushed to use, lots of the videos are out of date due to subsequent language updates, lots of videos have notes attached with addendums to get around issues that have arisen due to the videos being outdated, lots of videos do not have notes but really need them.

My mentor for the first 4 projects was superb, I can't speak highly enough of her and without her assistance I wouldn't have achieved a Merit grade and honestly probably would have quit during PP4, she was an absolute star. My PP5 mentor was a complete waste of space unfortunately, but I got through it using him very sparingly.

The good thing about the cost of the course was that the money spent forced me to invest time and energy into studying. I've started several free courses and dropped out, but the thought of throwing away so much money did actually get me working hard. So I guess that's something in favour of the course.

All in all though, I simply could not recommend this course to prospective students. CI desperately need to hire people who aren't just good coders but **actually know how to TEACH**; people who've had years in the education industry, not just in the coding industry. The lack of knowledge about how to not just dump knowledge on students, but actually get them to use and understand it is blatantly evident. And I say this as someone who came into this course from a background in education.

My experience with Code Institute has been consistently positive. The weekly stand-up meetings, the tutor support, my mentor, and the program itself are well-structured, and it is a lot of fun to go through the program. I did not have much experience... Read More in this field, but the program guided me well through the learning process, and in the end, I was able to receive my diploma. I can only recommend this program to anyone who wants to dive into the world of programming :)

Participating in Code Institute boot camp has proven to be the perfect starting point for launching a career. The classes and projects are designed to meet industry standards, providing a realistic and practical learning experience. Throughout the program,... Read More I've gained new ideas, learned to use various tools, and developed essential skills in team collaboration. The boot camp's comprehensive approach ensures that every participant is well-prepared for the demands of the tech industry.

The course is structured so that even if you've never coded before, you'll feel comfortable and confident by the end! With a step-by-step approach, it gradually builds your knowledge and skills, ensuring that you grasp fundamental concepts before moving on to more advanced topics. The hands-on exercises and real-world projects provide practical experience, making the learning process engaging and effective.

I highly recommend this course if you're looking to start a new career in tech! The comprehensive curriculum, experienced instructors, and supportive community create an ideal environment for anyone eager to enter the tech industry. Whether you're looking to become a software developer, data analyst, or another tech professional, this course will equip you with the necessary tools and knowledge to succeed.

Participating in this hackathon was a fantastic experience for collaboration, team planning, and problem-solving. It provided us with a unique opportunity to express our creativity while learning new tools, methods, and functions with JavaScript. This... Read More event not only enhanced our technical skills but also fostered a strong sense of teamwork and innovation.

The Diploma in Full Stack Software Development by CI gives you all the tools you need to get started as a Web Developer. From the get-go, they introduce you into the world of web and software development and they bring you from the more visual aspects... Read More (HTML & CSS) into the more intricate details of programming with JavaScript and Python. Support is top-notch throughout and the commulity is buzzing; you are sure to find someone to help you whatever the issue is, and the Student Care team are there to ensure your journey as a Student is as smooth as possible.

I recently completed the Full Stack Software Developer course at the coding institute, and I must say it was an exceptional experience. The program provided a unique and exciting coding experience that truly expanded my skill set. The Tutors, Mentors,... Read More Slack Community, and Student Care were knowledgeable and supportive, and the curriculum was well-structured. I gained valuable hands-on experience and practical knowledge that greatly enhanced my software developer capabilities. I highly recommend this course to anyone looking to delve into full-stack development.