Skillcrush

I'm thoroughly enjoying the front end development blueprint. I never in a million years would have thought that I could be a "techy" but here I am, comping at the bit too learn more and more!

As an absolute beginner, what I really love about this course... Read More is that it's completely dumbed-down without ever making you feel like an amateur. I just feel like I'm building the foundation to a fabulous new career.

The elements are useful and clearly presented and you get to work at your own pace, which is great because I like to zoom ahead.

I'm a bit of an introvert, so the social aspect of learning will be the most challenging for me.

I took the Web Design course last year and am now about to begin the Web Developer Course. Just a couple of months into the first course, I was able to obtain an entry level, remote, position at a tech company (a *total* career change) because I could... Read More demonstrate and interest in html and css. And this is the first time I've ever really had job satisfaction.

My favorite things about Skillcrush are
- the multimedia lessons - They do a great job of making things entertaining. They're modern in the way they convey information, including being playful and funny at times. This takes the edge off the learning process and makes you feel like you're dealing with real people (which you are!)
- the supportiveness and responsiveness - They have so many students but will personally email you back to help you answer your questions
-they're accommodating - I had to be moved twice into later Mightybell circles (the place you go to for feedback from the instructor and your classmates while you are learning) because I was "delayed" in finishing the last part of my blueprint
-all the webinars and resources they provide - I have learned so much from these. You can learn a lot about coding from the courses, but they also provide a ton of professional development support, which is invaluable
-between their responsiveness to emails, and them taking the time to move me so I am in an active Mightybell circle (despite being months "behind"), to the responsiveness of the instructors in Mightybell, I always feel supported. I never fear that I will run into something in a lesson that I have a question about and not have my question answered (message boards you run into on other sites are fine, but at this stage of the game, I really need this level of support (I need my hand held a little)
-they are extremely encouraging - they repeatedly talk about experiences like imposter syndrome and how to tackle it, reminding you that yes, you can do this and you are legit
-they want your feedback - if something needs improvement, is not as clear as it could be - they are happy to hear it and they work at updating their material so it's the best (and most current) it can be
-you can do the courses at your own pace - I work full time, run an art practice, have a family and a life, so I'm often extremely tired when I sit down and learn to code. But you do it little by little (as mentioned before, they will move you to a newer circle if you fall way "behind" -- up to a certain amt of times -- so there is really no "behind"...)

Things to keep in mind -
I found HTML and CSS easier to learn that JavaScript, which seems like a common experience. Even with HTML and CSS, things didn't totally gel until I built my first website. That's when you take the leap from being oriented to the material, doing practice exercises and activities (which are very relevant to the first actual website you will build)... but when you build your first site, you then synthesize all the things you learned about coding so far and have to put it all together. This requires going back to the material, asking questions, Googling (and yes, Googling is part of every developer's world, no matter how advanced because you will run into challenges. No matter how knowledgeable you are, something isn't going to work the way you expected and you have to become good at learning how to problem solve and find answers - that's just part of being a developer)

Now that I'm finishing up my JS course I know I have to take it again (I have lifetime access to the course material) because this first time around my very tired brain is getting primed and introduced to the information. Things are slowly starting to click, but to click even more I need to start again knowing what I know now. Someone less tired might pick it up more quickly. Don't get discouraged by JS! It takes practice. And I'm very confident that by the time I make my next website, armed with what I learned about JS, I will become even better at it when I put it to use for my own website. Again, for me, there's nothing like that leap from taking what I learned in Skillcrush and applying it to the real world. You can't expect to watch these lessons and do the activities and then be a pro over night. You have to take all the great things you learned and then apply them again and again. Skillcrush gives you the education, tools, and support to be able to do that.

For me, learning is a step by step process. I don't have the time, resources, or energy to quit my job and just focus on coding full time or go to a university for a degree in computer science (nor can I afford a bootcamp), so this is an excellent fit for my lifestyle. Less than a year ago I knew nothing about coding, then I built my first website for a product I needed to promote. Not only did I gain a skill but I saved money because I could do it myself. And then I changed careers because of all this (a life changer for me). I've learned that this is an excellent career path for me because I want to work remotely and make a good living and I enjoy the creative aspect of coding nothing into something. I can't wait to see where I am on my one year anniversary -- likely coding my own website with JS for the first time - so an even better site than the last!

Yes, there are free resources. Use them. Why not. Personally, I have yet to. I haven't had the time or the need. But for $400 you get a lot more than information. You get a new career, great resources, amazing support. I could go on...

As a teacher myself, I have an appreciation for well-thought-out pedagogy and lesson planning, and Skillcrush has that. The pacing and sequencing of the information is just right - everything makes sense, there's enough time to absorb, and you can repeat... Read More lessons. There is some self-study needed - I have to look things up online fairly regularly - but it wouldn't be learning to code without that aspect. The teaching assistants are amazingly responsive and helpful, the interface is intuitive and pleasing to look at, and the customer service (I had some issues with my method of payment at first) is really top-notch. I'm planning to take literally all of their courses as soon as my Front-End Developer course is over. They are that good.

I had been trying to get a small business going with a website, etc. for about a year. In the process of learning a little bit about Wordpress, I suddenly had people asking me for help all the time with building a website for them! I knew I needed more... Read More skills to help them, so when I saw Skillcrush, I immediately jumped in with both feet! I am currently taking the Wordpress Developer Blueprint and I am amazed at how much I have learned, and how quickly. Every time I stumble, there is a team of wonderful people always ready with advice or a kind word of encouragement. I would recommend Skillcrush for anyone who is looking to add tech skills to their resume. It's a lot of fun and the live hangouts are so helpful!! I am already trying to decide which Blueprint I want to enroll in next! Thanks Skillcrush!!

I have done a ton of free code programs but Skillcrush has really helped me become more confident in my skill. It was affordable for me when compared to other online coding programs. I really like their philosophy of earning money while you code. I also... Read More enjoy the free resources and the emails that they use to engage me. I will say that some of the resources seem to be daunting. I'm not sure of how the classes really help me once I'm done with my current course, but it has been fun learning everything .

I'm still learning in the Web Designing course. I love that I can do the course at my pace. The videos are very informative and funny. I'm learning soo much, my boss has invested me. I enjoy learning and creating the possibilities I can have with the... Read More knowledge I've gained. The tools they provide are great. I would definitely continue my education with Skillcrush!!

I will say to anyone who is not familiar with the world of code and will like to become so, your best bet is Skillcrush. I was very nervous and skeptical taking this course because I have never done any type of programming before. I am looking to make... Read More a career change and coding drew my attention because of the endless possibilities that suits a life style that I want. I am on my third week and I am loving every minute of it. Adda breaks down the course work in a very easy and understanding way through her videos, and if you're not a watching video type of person there is always the video transcript you can read. Course materials, cheatsheets and tests are given at the end of each session to make learning easier. I looked into other coding schools but in my opinion Skillcrush did the best job of really breaking down the fundamentals of coding and that was the catch for me. I am looking to forward to taking other blueprints with them.

When I first started thinking about switching over to a more tech-heavy subject, I went to go talk to the only software engineer I knew. One of the first things she did, was recommend Skillcrush. It's a great opportunity for newbies to get started in... Read More tech and I loved every second of it. The whole setup is splendid. You get motivational snippets of adivce and information on every turn and although I was not very confident in actually trying out coding, I am now switching my study course from a major in humanities to one in science.
Skillcrush made me realize that there should be more women in tech and that coding is not as hard as it seems to be. For many young people, especially women, it has a tendency to seem completely out of reach but the Skillcrush courses break it down into small, manageable elements you learn on a daily basis. The learning material is very time-effective, considerate of people having to go to work during the week and a ton of fun :) I really enjoyed the classes and appreciated all the freebies I got. They give you incredibly useful tips on which programmes to use and provide you with cheatsheets and free guides to read through. And if you ever need help, you can easily contact people in the community, from fellow learners to instructors who are always willing to help you through any difficulties you might have.
I highly recommend the Skillcrush Web Developer Blueprint I started with but they also have many different programs you can choose from. So don't be afraid of something new and just try it out! I promise it's going to be a great experience!