Lighthouse Labs

My experience at Lighthouse Labs was very positive, and totally exceeded my expectations. I really wasn't sure if it was possible to learn to code in just 2 months but I actually was coding my own apps *from scratch* by the end of the program. For my... Read More final project, I made an MVP for an app that helps you create online invitations. I think the biggest thing is that you spend more time working on apps then you do in lecture, so you are learning a lot more. And, being sorrounded by other programmers and smart people helps you grow a lot as a developer.

I left my comfortable white-collar job to pursuit my fascination with technology and software development - it wasn't easy but it has paid off. The people running LHL really care about what they're doing and it definitely shows. They have outstanding... Read More teachers with decades of combined experience from different backgrounds. The facility is awesome, their staff is kind and helpful and they give you access to some of the best and most innovative people our tech community has to offer through guest lectures, presentations, and talks each week.

I went from zero to having a solid foundation in coding concepts, from which I've been able to continue my learning at a fast pace. They teach you how to learn and solve problems so that no matter what you decide to do after the 8 weeks (internship, your own start-up, etc) you will have the tools to be successful.

I had zero web development experience before joining LHL but found the teaching style extremely approachable. Instructors are technically very expert, and actually good at communicating that expertise. TAs are plentiful and friendly. Everyone teaching... Read More has actual experience developing in the field and the emphasis is definitely on getting things done. There's only 90 mins of lecture a day, to explain fundamental theoretical concepts, but most of the time is devoted to actually building things and breaking them. Don't expect to be spoonfed, instead expect to be trained in how to decipher documentation, how to take an application apart to find its point of failure, how to think logically through a problem - in short, what programming is actually like in the field. I thought it was a good balance between theoretical and practical aspects of software engineering.

Culture is fantastic. There's such a palpable and contagious enthusiasm for learning, people (teachers) are there because they want to be. Being located in a hub of the tech scene doesn't hurt. It's an immersive introduction to what working in tech is like.

LHL is also very well networked and if you're at all competent, it won't be hard to land some kind of job right away and start gaining some real professional experience.

The short version:
Making the decision to join Lighthouse Labs was one of the hardest and ultimately one of the best decisions I have ever made.

The long version:
Leading up to my decision to join Lighthouse I was working as an office manager and taking... Read More various online courses as a way to brake into the programming world. I did this for about a year before deciding to take the plunge and join Lighthouse Labs. Learning online is great but for me working full time and trying to teach myself was taking to long. Having the support and knowledge of all the teachers, mentors, and other students at hand was invaluable as was having eight intense weeks to focus solely on programming. Everyone in the program had to work really hard and long hours but what we were able to create by the end of the program made it worth it. By the end I was able to secure a job right away and gain experience with a company I otherwise would not have had the skills or the connections to join.

I would 10/10 recommend anyone truly interested in tech and who is ready for a challenge to attend.

I worked for a few years in research and was looking for new challenges. I had completed a couple of online courses that made me realize that programming is really fun but these were of course not enough to start a new career. Having already spent a few... Read More years at university, I didn't really see myself doing it again but I came across Lighthouse Labs by chance. Within a week, I had applied, gone for an interview, been accepted and decided to join the program. Of course I was worried I wouldn't be able to complete the course or wouldn't be able to find a job/internship afterwards but I decided to take the 'risk'. Lighthouse Labs graduates seemed to be doing very well so it didn't seem very risky anyway, clearly the teachers were preparing the students very well for what's on the other side and I would 'just' need to work really hard and learn as much as possible.
I am very pleased with my decision. The program was intense (make sure you spend as much time as you can on the prep course, it really helps!), we learned so much in a short period of time and it is absolutely life consuming but so much fun! I was really excited every day so find out what we would learn next. The environment is very nice, being at Launch Academy is just perfect, people who work there are really friendly and it's a very inspiring and warm environment.
Everyone at Lighthouse Labs is supportive and friendly, there are TAs around pretty late in the evening and on the weekend to help us and it is nice to be able to talk with them about the tech scene and the work they do.
Lighthouse Labs has a very good network which helped me start an internship a couple of weeks after the Demo day...no bad at all! ;-)

July web alumni here, and I can say that Lighthouse Labs changed my life. My primary goal with Lighthouse Labs was to get into the Vancouver startup scene as a developer, and I greatly succeeded at that. I have a software engineering undergrad degree... Read More from McGill and had two years of corporate tech industry experience, so I knew I could do well if I worked hard. I worked my ass off on both coding and networking from week 1 day 1 until week 9 Demo Day, and it paid off. I started my new 'software developer at a startup' gig after only 1 week after Demo Day. The instructors and TAs are all great, and the alumni network is pretty phenomenal. The fact that it is located at Launch Academy with HIGHLINE (probably the best incubator/accelerator in Canada) is just icing on the cake. I still stop by often to see friends, network, and talk about my career/goals over beers. Take the iOS/web bootcamp at Lighthouse Labs if you're serious about choosing developer as a career.

TL;DR: I highly recommend Lighthouse Labs. I started off with zero knowledge of web development and now I work as a full time web developer.

Background: I'm a recent graduate of the University of British Columbia where I majored in Marketing and Sustainability.... Read More After I graduated I decided I'd take the plunge and try my hand as Web Developer.

Why not MOOC: I knew about the different online programs and had heard that if you really wanted, you could be self taught. Having gone through 5 years of post-secondary education, I knew a lot about my own learning style and that the self taught route was probably not for me. I personally find that immersing yourself with other individuals who are also interested in the same things makes learning a lot more enjoyable.

Why Lighthouse Labs: I'm from Vancouver and I really enjoy living here. I knew that I wanted to find a career in Vancouver and Lighthouse Labs was the best choice for doing that. I really valued the co-op progam that they provided and I can say that I successfully found a co-op and extended that co-op into a full time offer thanks to Lighthouse.

Program Review: The program was beyond what I expected. I worked harder than I've ever worked in my life and I even thought about quitting multiple times during the first week. I'm so glad I stuck with it because after the initial flurry of learning the foundation, I started to seriously have fun and now I work as full time web developer and I can honestly say that everyday of work is enjoyable.

The Team: I felt that the team at Lighthouse genuinely cared about my learning experience. They expect you to work hard at the course because they work their asses off to deliver top notch content. I had the benefit of being there for the 4th or 5th cohort, after the reorganization (see above). The weekly anonymous feedback forms really helped, every cohort learns a bit differently than the last so I felt that this was a great way to have a bit of customization from our feedback.

My experience at LL was extremely positive. The instructors are experienced, attentive and supportive. The curriculum is comprehensive, contemporary and relevant. The location is stunning yet understated - it is Vancouver after all :) Do yourself a favour:... Read More attend LL. You won't be sorry.

Lighthouse Labs is an incredible institution that really facilitated to my learning style (short attention span, need for real life implementation, craving for less theory and more exercises). Being a developer is not just about knowing how to write good... Read More code anymore, it's about working well in a team, being able to have competency around a business model of a company and being somebody that can contribute to a kick-ass company culture. At Lighthouse Labs I feel like I really grew in all these areas and can truly come into a growing tech sector with confidence as, not only a full-stack developer, but a core part of a any company I become a part of in the future.