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About Founders and Coders

Location: London

Founders and Coders is a UK-based non-profit organization and global developer community. Their tuition-free, peer-led web development training in London helps students from all backgrounds break into tech and make a social impact. They also work with... Read More

Founders and Coders' training program is designed for people who are serious about a career in web development, are self-motivated, prepared to work long hours, and committed to collaborative working. In addition to the coding bootcamp, they run Tech for Better, an app development program for nonprofits and social entrepreneurs. With support from Intersticia, Founders and Coders designs, tests, and builds new digital services using developers in London and Gaza. This program provides an opportunity for student and graduate developers to gain experience, improve their employability, and work on projects that make a real difference. Participating organizations finish the process with a working mobile web app.

Founders and Coders' London program, based at Space4 in Finsbury Park, supports itself by operating an in-house employment agency. Their hiring partners are companies committed to ongoing professional development and providing mentorship to junior developers who are starting their journey into engineering.

Courses

Web Development Intensive

Cost: Free
Duration: 16 weeks
Locations: London
In-person Only
Course Description:

Each course runs for sixteen weeks at Space4 in Finsbury Park, five days a week from 10:00 to 18:00 (we do not offer part-time or remote courses). During the first half of the course, you’ll spend eight weeks learning HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Node.JS and other basic building blocks of web development, as well as user-centred design and entrepreneurship, via workshops and team projects. During the second half of the course, you’ll tackle two extended team projects, one based on ideas pitched within the cohort and a final project for an external client that you will select as part of the Tech for Better programme.

We have no paid teaching staff. While we do employ a part-time facilitator who coordinates course logistics, the course is primarily “peer-led.” You will learn to code by pair programming with a partner, working on team projects, and from “near-peer” mentorship by recent graduates. We support ourselves financially by acting as an employment agency. You can help us keep this programme free for future students by working with us to find employment, both after you graduate and throughout your career.

Founders and Coders is a community founded on the principle of reciprocity, and we expect all graduates to contribute back to the viability and development of the programme. As a student, you will spend 1-2 evenings/month mentoring prospective applicants. When you graduate, you will spend at least one full week volunteering as a mentor during the first eight weeks of the following cohort.

In the last two years, 57% of our London intake were women. In our experience, cohorts thrive when teams represent a diversity of experiences and perspectives, providing many opportunities for people to learn new ways of thinking from each other.

Subjects:
Node.js, JavaScript, UX

Founders and Coders Reviews

Average Ratings (All Programs)

Founders and Coders logo

4.85/5 (60 reviews)

Anonymous
Senior Software Engineer | Graduated: 2015

4/6/2021

Course
Web Development Intensive

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"Life-changing educational experience surrounded by inspiring people"

I had an amazing experience at Founders & Coders. Undoubtedly, it was a challenge to absorb so much information and to learn so many new things in such a short space of time, but I think more than just the hard skills that you learn in the place, what... Read More

Ryan
Software Developer | Graduated: 2019

2/4/2021

Course
Web Development Intensive

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"Everything I hope for and more!"

Founders and Coders (FAC) have a list of prerequisites which at first might seem daunting to a beginner but it helps whittle down the list of candidates that are truly committed to becoming a Software Developer. FAC will be there to help support you at... Read More

Sam Harris
CEO | Graduated: 2019

1/30/2021

Course
Web Development Intensive

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"The most incredible life changing and enjoyable thing you can do"

Founders and Coders is a truly amazing experience and education. A brilliant programme in how to code with a focus on building projects so you actually learn what you're doing and then compound that by teaching others. It is also the kindest community... Read More

Anonymous
Full stack developer | Graduated: 2020

1/25/2021

Course
Web Development Intensive

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"A one of a kind community"

I've rarely worked with more interesting and passionate people. The staff team and current students are actively involved in supporting applicants to complete the tough pre-course material, and graduate volunteers lead on delivering the curriculum. The... Read More

Anonymous
Graduated: 2016

3/5/2020

Course
Web Development Intensive

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"Great experience with amazing people"

Founders and Coders is much more than a bootcamp.
My experience with it was great and am really happy I went through it.

Beside the fact that in 16 weeks you will be able to get a job as a software developer, u will be part of
a great community where everyone... Read More

Eade
Software Engineer | Graduated: 2018

3/19/2019

Course
Web Development Intensive

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"Worthwhile bootcamp to springboard you into coding"

Founders and Coders is a coding bootcamp that is the perfect springboard to jump into the world of coding.

What sets FAC apart from the other bootcamps is the level of support. Since the prerequisites that need to be completed before applying are tough... Read More

Over the four month course, I have learnt more than any other four months of my life. It is an intense learning environment, one where it is best if you do not have anything else going on on the side. You need to be ready to be immersed in the bootcamp. Although at times it was mildly stressful, it was definitely worth it.

FAC has completely turned my career around. I managed to find a job in a small start up in a great place in London within half a month of finishing the course, where I’ve now been for about nine months and having a great time.

I would highly recommend FAC, it was so so worthwhile.

Helen Zhou
Software Developer | Graduated: 2018

3/14/2019

Course
Web Development Intensive

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"Incredible bootcamp to get into the tech industry"

Founders and Coders is a 16 week bootcamp course, that ensures you develop the skills to become a software developer. The first eight weeks are focused on learning the principles of JavaScript (that can be applied to other programming languages), as well... Read More

The curriculum is open source, mostly based on contributions from previous alumni, and is improved after each cohort based on Agile principles. There is a course facilitator that oversees the process, whilst for the first eight weeks there are mentors from the previous cohort to coordinate the self learning.

I would highly recommend the course - it teaches you the technical as well as the personal skills required to become a software developer. Being able to learn in a safe environment, with support from your peers and the mentors, was invaluable. Although it was intense, and a lot of information to take in, it was definitely a rewarding experience. Our cohort also became a close knit group that still meet quite often as well!

Founders and Coders provided me with the groundwork to pursue my career in the tech industry, and I will always be grateful that I was welcomed into such an amazing community.

Paul
Graduated: 2017

11/13/2018

Course
Web Development Intensive

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"Not free, not a bootcamp"

To summarise it in a few words: a sheer waste of time.

The course is simply not properly taught and I would have better used my money on some udemy classes. At least they are done by professionals, not by improvised mentors that just finished the same... Read More

Reporting problems is more or less meaningless, they are just blinded by their own political views (read: radical feminism in its most dogmatic form) and as long as they make sure that you donate (because you have to, they put it on paper - it is not free, that is just another lie!) and do not ruin their image, they are fine with things as they are.

And I do not say that without evidence: our cohort was a major shipwreck (lot of people not finishing it due to poor selection process, just to get a class going and get some funding, I would say), but still on twitter they keep celebrating the alleged "success" of the campus without any speck of shame.

Oh, no, wait: if you object and complain too much, you can forget to work in their small projects for a very cheap pay. Well, thanks, but no thanks.

Avoid this trap, don't repeat my mistake!

Hannah Tucker
Frontend Engineer | Graduated: 2017

2/21/2018

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"Amazing fullstack coding course!"

An amazing experience, I couldn’t recommend it enough.

Firstly for the sense of community whilst learning. Students are expected to support fellow students during the course, and you also contribute through hosting meetups for new coders and through mentoring.... Read More

The course material was fresh and current, largely because Founders & Coders is based on an iterative model - each cohort of students feeds back on the syllabus and the experience as a whole, so the course is updated & improved each time. As a student the learning is mostly focused on ‘learning by doing’ (workshops and coding challenges, as well as a weekly group project). Don’t expect to be spoon fed, but do expect to learn valuable skills for a developer, i.e. *how* to learn new skills, how to research new technonlogies, and how to work in a team.

Another point of difference from other bootcamps is that for your final project you work with a real client, usually a charity. This is great on your CV as employers appreciate candidates with client experience, and of course it’s fantastic to help out a charity by solving a real-world problem with your newly-learned tech skills!

Natalie Seeto
Graduated: 2017

2/18/2018

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"A course like no other"

I am a graduate of Founders and Coders and I can honestly say it is one of the best things I have been a part of.

The curriculum is ever evolving determined by current trends in tech. Topics during our cohort included accessibility, Node, Express, relational... Read More

Not only do you come out with these skills; you also become part of the Founders and Coders community. This was the main selling point for my decision to attend Founders and Coders. All alumni and students go above and beyond to ensure everyone feels welcome, and are more than willing to help out when asked.

One last (and in my opinion the most important) thing about Founders and Coders; it prides itself in diversity and accessibility. My cohort was made up of 75% women. All in our cohort come from a variety of professional backgrounds and are of varying ages. It’s also free.

A truly remarkable boot camp that I would recommend to all without hesitation.

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