Makers Academy

I joined Makers Academy hybrid Bootcamp in November '21. I embarked on this adventure without realising what a rollercoaster it would be: yes, it's very intense, but in the best way possible, we make new friends, we learn loads through pairing and self-learning... Read More sessions, we get advice from a formidable team of coaches! Once the Bootcamp was over, I had a dedicated career team who helped me get a job just after three weeks. They organised a career fair where we could meet and talk to potential employers, a golden opportunity for junior dev to network and meet other alumni. Not to forget, we get emotional intelligence training which helps us develop our confidence. We get much more than an education in software engineering when we join makers; it's a life-changing experience; we improve so quickly when surrounded by exceptional people!

This sixteen week course will provide you with all the skills you need to land your first developer job. The first four weeks make up a pre-course which teaches you the basics of coding. If you have free time during this period I'd strongly recommend... Read More to keep learning to build up as much of a foundation as you can as once the main course begins it is intense. The subsequent twelve weeks were a blur, you develop so many skills during this time you'll be amazed when you look back. There is a focus on pair programming, self led learning, mental well-being and team projects. Excellent coaches are always on hand to support you, both technical and personally. I'd highly recommend Makers to anyone wanting to change their career!

This bootcamp will teach you how to develop a growth mindset. Studying with a partner will give you the confidence to communicate what you've learned, but you'll also learn not to be hesitant to ask questions when you don't understand something. These... Read More are extremely valuable abilities to have while applying for jobs. There is a lot of technical and emotional help available if you ask for it, so don't expect too many lectures and be prepared to do some extra self-study. The EQ curriculum is what makes a big difference, and the career team will help you apply for your first job in the best way possible. Great Slack community from which you will benefit and may contribute, as their quote goes, "once a Maker, always a Maker."

I've been to university before that, and I have to say that I have learned more in 4 months at Makers than my 2 years at university, hands down. The programme is condensed, not for the faint of heart and anyone planning to do that part time (we were working... Read More 70h/week) but it is so worth it and absolutely guaranteed to get you a good first position in tech ! I was able to learn so much so fast thanks to the coaches who are absolute angels and very understanding of your everyday struggles, but also thanks to the whole cohort. One treasure you will gain out of this experience is the people you've shared it with, they will be your teachers and sometimes your students and you will grow so much more thanks to sharing that experience with 20+ other people. All in all, I highly recommend Makers as a bootcamp choice if you're in London, it's an amazing opportunity for change and growth :)

Makers is an intense 16 week Bootcamp but in the end, you are in a good position to look for that first job! The support throughout the course is fantastic and you do learn to trust their process as the weeks go on. When I did makers the course was fully... Read More remote, I wasn't the biggest fan of studying remotely but I know some people preferred it so that's down to personal preference. Once you complete the course the team that help you with the job hunt are fantastic. It took me 3 months to find a job :)

The Makers Bootcamp is not for the faint of heart, but it is also very well supported by a lovely bunch of people. It is intense, it gets frustrating and glorious, but it is certainly effective in making a career change and getting into a tech job. Makers... Read More are a strong community that will stay with you and support you long after the Bootcamp. I had a blast.

Pros: Guided curriculum throughout the course Schedule maintained with few last minute or short notice changes A lot of resources and tools offered Feedback is available when it is requested Assistance with finding a position when the course has been... Read More completed At least 20 other intelligent, highly motivated individuals in your cohort whom you can use as a resource, chat buddy, etc. Great Coding Review platform You are given the opportunity to have a mentor (typically someone who is 2 months ahead of you in the program) Pair programming offered from the beginning of the structured course (not pre-course) Cons: You may not be reminded of some of the awesome resources and tools, which means you don't benefit from them (i.e. the Coding Review platform is available at any time. I believe you are told about it in the initial paperwork and hub links/resources you are provided but then you may not get another reminder. I was reminded about it from another student 6 weeks into the course after he had done his first one and I asked what he was referencing). Sometimes you just need an answer provided to you and that is not the way the coaching system works. It is designed to help guide you in the right direction and to help you learn how to find the answer yourself. If you are not a go getter and actively try to find ways to receive feedback, you will not receive it. The website states there are daily workshops. I interpreted this as coding or tech workshops. It is not. There is generally 1, sometimes 2 coding workshops per week. There were daily EQ meditation sessions that were at least 15 minutes Although this is a coordinated, semi-scheduled program, there does not seem to be oversight as to whether someone is actually engaging, participating in pair programming, etc. - i.e. you're not in school and you're not receiving emails noting you were not in class today. ; D

I chose Makers for their approach to teaching; the coaching is brilliant and thoughtful, and it prepares you for coding beyond the bootcamp. The EQ training helps everyone work better together (pair programming and working in teams is a huge focus of... Read More the course). What I didn't know when I chose Makers was how supportive the careers team would be when you graduate - the opportunities and guidance they provide is incredible, and it makes a whole new industry feel accessible! I'm excited to be a part of Makers alumni.

After 5 years in an unrelated field (advertising), I decided I wanted to move into software development. After 2 months of self-directed learning, I joined Makers to get relevant skills necessary for employment. Pros of Makers: 1) they do an excellent... Read More job of integrating you into a cohort of students, ensuring open communication is easy and exposing you to pair-programming, an essential skill for working in software that you can't get from working alone; 2) they cover a wide range of skills, and I felt I learned a lot of technical skills I wouldn't have been able to through self-directed learning; 3) by the end of the course, I had a portfolio I was proud of; 4) the job-hunting part of Makers, which kicks in after the course is done, was excellent... I had a well-paid job within a month. 5) One-on-one reviews with a coach are absolutely invaluable, and improved my coding skills immensely; 6) As someone who has always used a PC, I was advised to borrow a MacBook from Makers for the course. Although I was annoyed about this at first (I'm not an Apple fan and avoid using their products), I now think this was very useful for me so that I am now equipped to code on MacBooks and PCs. Cons of Makers: 1) It would have been good to know the course was MacBook-based before going into it (I bought a new Microsoft Laptop for the course, which I didn't need!) 2) the course is designed to include more content than anyone can actually complete. This is to make sure no one ever had nothing to do, you're not expected to finish everything. However, it can be hard to figure out the minimum level of knowledge required, so it's not always clear if you're on track; 3) the group projects can be stressful. Overall, despite some cons, I still highly rate this course, and if I went back in time 4 months' I'd definitely do it again. Recommended to anyone who wants to change their career and move into software development.

I attended Makers, starting the bootcamp in March 2020 (just as the Pandemic hit). Makers managed to transfer the bootcamp to be an online course which was really great and fostered a strong online community in our cohort. I had spent about a year learning... Read More Ruby ahead of the course starting as I tried to get as good a grounding as possible but the amount the course taught me I think would've taken at least a couple of years to reach on my own. I loved the meditation every day and the holistic approach to the course gave me a really good mindset for appropriating coding problems. I also loved out bootcamp mentor and my placement coach Carina who went out of their way to make sure I was well supported in the transition to working at a company after the bootcamp ended. Overall I would recommend the apprenticeship to anyone, it gave me a great place to start my career and working in industry taught me a lot.