Makers Academy

Changing careers is a very daunting and scary thing, especially if like me you have been in your career for 14 years or more. The biggest thing you are going to need is understanding the industry, coding comes after that and this is exactly what makers... Read More has helped within a big big way. Sure coding is important but it is not the be-all and end all of working in software if you can believe that. At first, it will be stressful and your way of thinking is most likely going to have to change if you are anything like me but trust me when I say it is in your best interest.

Makers teaches you how to become an effective self led learner, allowing you to pick up a new tech stack and build anything. There is a large focus on test driven development and planning which really helps you develop effective working processes. What... Read More impressed me most is their dedication to good mental health and well being. There is a big focus on mentality and understanding how to work with others in agile workflows. There is also a great emphasis on how to be patient with yourself as you learn and understanding that the course is the beginning of long term growth. Makers taught me more than just how to make good software, they also helped me discover my own strengths and how to recognize them. I would highly recommend this course to anyone looking for a new and exciting challenge.

Makers was a fantastic opportunity to make a career change. The course content was good, focussing on the important skills you need as a developer, which helps to set up for success after the course is over. The aftercare of Makers was by far the most... Read More impressive part of the course for me, the process is well managed and the hiring team is fantastic at helping you with your CV and interviews. There are lots of high-quality partners hiring through the academy and these opportunities are worth their weight in gold. The hiring market for junior developers is hard but is made a lot easier with what Makers can offer you.

Learn to learn how to make anything, that's a tall order! However, it's a great goal and Makers definitely meets that challenge with an agile approach. The bootcamp was a hard journey that I value highly and I feel empowered to be able to make anything.... Read More Sometimes it didn't feel straightforward how each particular lesson or exercise on the course fit into the big picture, however perhaps that's the nature of tackling as abstract and complex of a problem as learning to learn! You learn it's best to fail quickly and often, that pair programming and talking out your logic is sometimes invaluable, and about a myriad of topics that nascent experience can only skim the surface of. There are plenty of workshops offered as well as one-off workshops when a group of Makers all have similar needs. Technical support in the form of coaches is available and helpful, but you're also learning to de-bug your problems yourself. The end of the program was a little unsettling by the very nature of stopping an intensive 3 month structure and then preparing to apply for jobs. The careers support side of the program has a strong emphasis on learning your own effective process for meeting the challenge. The coaching available during this time is incredibly helpful and prepared me with confidence in an approach to job hunting that I'd never had before. Additionally, the roles available to apply to, from companies recruiting through Makers directly, are high quality opportunities. Community is also emphasised during the program, looking to bring people together in new ways, encouraging communication and relationship development. Even though I was on the remote program, my cohort was extremely cohesive, supportive, and energising. I can only imagine that the bootcamp in person is an elevated experience of what Makers manages to pull off remotely. Well done to Makers Academy and their incredible staff!

Makers Academy takes you from zero knowledge of web development to being able to plan, create and host your own web apps using the most in-demand languages and technologies. Through the use of instructional seminars and regimented pair programming sessions... Read More - daily - you quickly learn whilst sharing your knowledge with the rest of your cohort and this only compounds the rate at which your skills develop. There are challenges at the end of each segment that showcase just how much you've learned, to yourself more so than anyone else. At the end of the course, I found myself employment ready. Making the most of the post-course support to build a competitive CV and hone the art of writing a cover letter, I found myself on the end of a job offer within a couple of months. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to make a career change!

The course teaches you how to work in the tech industry, but not just by teaching you to code. You are taught good conventions and practices and are supported on the journey very well, having a peer group to talk about how everyone was coping really helped.... Read More The only negative I took from the course was when it ended, I struggled to keep the structure that I had built, however, the coaches recognised this and gave me the support I needed.

Attending the Makers course is extremely fun and a massive learning experience. I would recommend it to anyone who wnats to learn how to could. It was great meeting new people that are all in the same boat and get to work with all of them. You will have... Read More to enroll with the mindset that Makers will provide the resources but it is self-led-learning throughout the course.

I would definitely recommend Makers to anyone looking to move into software development. The curriculum and learning materials are rich and useful, the quality of coaching is really high, and the post-course support for the job hunt is fantastic as well.... Read More The course is also run attentively - when my cohort had problems, there was no hesitation in adapting the curriculum and the course structure to suit everyone better and it felt like those running the course were always open to discussion. The workload is intense and full on, so I would recommend that anyone looking to do Makers spend enough time beforehand to feel prepared, and to feel secure that software dev is the right path for them. I would also recommend doing research beforehand into the nature of the job hunt, how long it might take and what kind of jobs are available, so as to have realistic expectations. I was lucky enough to get hired by a Makers partner pretty much immediately, but the process can be less straightforward. However, at every point Makers provides incredible support, and I had an amazing time doing the bootcamp. I now have a skill I hope to take forward and develop through the rest of my career, and Makers gave me the foundation necessary to do that.

My experience of Makers was fantastic. It is intense and requires a lot of hard work, but it was definitely worth it. I was hesitant at first about the emphasis on 'learning to learn' and on pair programming, but I ended up loving. both of those things... Read More - especially pair programming! Stumbling through coding challenges with someone else who doesn't hugely know what they're doing (just like you) is a great way to learn. A little awkward at first, but in the end it was my favorite part of the course. It was also a great way to get to know people, as they course was entirely remote. The staff was incredibly helpful, and I loved the emphasis on emotional intelligence as well as becoming a good developer. Definitely recommend!

Makers teaches you how to be a good software engineer no matter what language you use. This doesn't just include technical skills like object-oriented design, test-driven development and problem-solving. It also includes "soft" skills like emotional intelligence,... Read More working in a development team and managing your own wellbeing. Makers also instils a mindset of self-directed learning and development, which is important for developers who always want to keep progressing.