Bloc

I'm just over 6 weeks into my Part time Web Developer course and thus far I'm enjoying it. My mentors and connects through Slack have been awesome in guiding and assisting me though some challenging code. This course is definitely stretching my brain muscle but I'm determined to push through and put in the time and focus so that I make the most of my time here. Since I'm not that far into the program yet I can't give a full review but I'm excited about what's in store in the coming weeks. 

Bloc is based on the mentor-mentee model where you work once to thrice a week with a mentor who is out there in the industry doing the exact things you are studying. This is the best thing about the program. Otherwise, I also like their projects and reading assignments which are all short and to the point. They also provide references to other sites with more information should you need help. The course is all online which could be a negative to some, but I find it liberating in terms of being able to plan my time as I want, finding mentors and other students to help out via their Slack community, as well as an awesome mentor who is able to help via messages outside of our meeting times. I haven't had job assistance yet from them but that will be later down the line, thus I can't comment on that aspect. In terms of curriculum, they are always updating it as technology progresses.

I had experience and education in designing and coding before jumping onboard, but even then, the amount of effort and time it takes to really hone in those skills and get better is not an easy task. Studying at Bloc requires a lot of self-motivation and drive, which they do tell you up-front. It is like be like being a full-time student and then some. Overall I highly recommend the program - the number of hours you spend on projects and working compares to a full year of study, and compared to college prices, it's a steal for what you get. 

Bloc is a great place to learn to code. If you put in the effort and time you can get a job in tech. Its not easy and it won’t work for complainers. Hopefully this review will help someone who is looking to join a bootcamp and get into tech. I am about 70% through the web developer track and already have a job as a software developer.

Being completely online, there is obviously a bit of flexibility in completing the course. Even though I am in the web developer, the software developer and web dev track are very similar. The only difference is where the web developer track ends, the software developer track goes on for quite a bit. The web developer, or WDT for short, can be done in 6 months or a year. I started doing the 6 month plan, but part way through I switched to the year plan. With the year plan, you get one meeting a week and only have half the weekly requirements. However, the best part is that there is no restriction on turning in work. You can work ahead as much as you and your mentor want.

Having a mentor is the biggest selling point. Most allow you to message throughout the week to a reasonable amount. Then you have your weekly meetings, 2 a week for the 6 month plan and 1 a week for the year plan. With that being said, there is a slack team that all students, regardless of track, are apart of. Mentors and other students are incredibly active on slack, making it a great place to get help or to help other students.

Coding in and of itself it tough. If you are new to programming, it won’t be easy to learn. Bootcamps kind of need to be treated like college courses. You need to be disciplined to get things done, study, and research.

Bloc’s materials are thorough and they are project oriented. Early on you build projects by following along course materials, very similar to following instructions in a textbook. But, the most fun comes out of the projects where there is no hand holding. This is the part that helps get you work. You build a portfolio of projects that you build from start to finish.

Overall, I highly recommend Bloc. If you have the dream and the drive, Bloc can help you get there.

I am 3 months into the Web-Development Track with Bloc.

​I considered many different 'bootcamp' courses and i'm so relieved i ended up with Bloc.

1. The flexibility - i live in London, i teach part-time, i have a family. Bloc allows me to manage all this as a human-being, yes i have to commit hours each day but i can work these within my schedule and get it done from anywhere in the world!

​2.The mentors - not only is my mentor highly skilled in coding, this would amount to nothing without the ability to break things down to me on my level and also help me to keep my energy and motivation levels up.

​3.The curriculum - i am learning and absoribing great stuff each day.

​Highly Recommended!!

I am a current student in the Software Developer track. I think coming in with some knowledge of coding, even if it's very basic, like one Codecademy course, will make things easier. My mentor is extremely knowledgeable and he's quick to answer any questions I have. I went into the program thinking the mentor meetings were going to be annoying or awkward, but they're neither. They're incredibly informative and it's the best part about Bloc. I can't recommend this program enough to anyone that's very serious about making Software Development a career.

Everyone will have a different experience, what you get out of the program strongly depends on what you put in and what your background is. For me, It had worked out as good as I was hoping for. I am over 40, a non-native speaker with a graphic design degree and 10+ years of print design experience. Adding desktop/mobile app design and coding knowledge to my skill set helped me to immediately nail a corporate contract-to-hire ux/ui position and doubled my salary from my last position as a senior graphic designer.

The design track curriculum is pretty good and constantly being updated based on student’s reviews and industry demands. Students get a lot of hands on experience and all the basics are well presented but diligent research in addition to all the provided materials helps understanding, since the curriculum can only cover so much. Significant time of the program is dedicated to working on projects and designing a portfolio. My mentor Chris Gillis was very knowledgable and supportive, I could not wish for a better mentor. Outside of the mentor sessions, there is a Slack group for all students to interact and experts in the field are fully dedicated to answer questions and help students “get unstuck”.

In conclusion, it is a great program and the more knowledge you have beforehand, the more successful you will be. To make things less overwhelming during the program, review intro courses to hml/css, javascript, github, basic design principles. It will not be easy but persistency is the key to overcoming obstacles. Things become easier and understandable if you give yourself the opportunity to reach this point in time.

I have finished five weeks of the 54-week part-time web developer track at Bloc, and so far it's been great. I'm learning a lot and enjoying what I'm doing. Here are some thoughts about the program so far. Things that I like about Bloc:

- The flexibility: I like that I have the choice of a faster (27wk) and slower pace (54wk). I chose the slower pace because it best fits my schedule. I also learn a lot better if the same material is spread over a longer amount of time.

- The fact that it's online: At first, I wasn't sure if this would be a good thing or bad thing, but so far, I haven't thought there's any downside. I like not having to commute to some classroom somewhere.

- The curriculum: so far, I trust that everything I'm learning is current and in demand in the industry. The assignments are challenging but doable. The oral assessments are a little stressful but are valuable because it helps you develop the skills necessary to do well in job interviews.

- The support, both from my mentor and the bloc community: Despite being on-line, you have a lot of resourses to help you get unstuck if necessary. Talking to my mentor every week is a great way to get inspired and motivated.

Thus far, I can't really think of anything that I don't like. I would definitely recommend Bloc to a friend. I'm really glad that I'm doing it.

I started the Bloc program a little less than two months ago and it's rigorous and a little overwhelming and fantastic. I was worried because I'm not a great student, I usually get really excited within the first two weeks or so and then completely burn out by the end, usually doing the bare minimum until the last big assignment and then self-sabotaging at the very end. I told my mentor this in the first email and she's been really great at keeping me on track. Aside from that, even before I officially started the program, the welcome packet offered a lot of important information that helped me switch from a way too accelerated (for me) course to a more manageable one before it was too late. 

One of the best things about Bloc is their transparency. They tell you from the start that this is going to be difficult, that you'll probably experience anger and hopelessness, and all kinds of not great emotions, but what makes the difference is that they don't leave you hanging. There's a full community of students, mentors, and directors ready to remind you that you can do this and give you little steps that make the impossible, possible. Bloc breaks down the gargantuan goal of becoming a web developer into manageable tasks and even on days where I'm beyond frustrated and want to give up (as I have many times in other post-secondary institutions), Bloc is the only program that I haven't given up on and actually cannot see myself leaving before I finish. It's an extraordinary program, especially if it's not reasonable to up and change your life for the possibility of something so different and new.  

You get a lot for what you pay here and I love that everything is up to date. In high school, we learned that by the time you get to the second year of your computer science degree, most of the information you've learned is obsolete or outdated. I know with Bloc, I'm constantly learning about the best, from the best, and that I will be able to step out of this program confident and accomplished. Not only are the educational tools accessible and useful, the community through Slack offers up-to-date information on a daily basis. It's all the best parts of learning and I highly recommend this program.  

I am in the second month of the PT web development program at Bloc and so far really loving it. They've curated quality content so that your learning is optimized, the checkpoints along the way are useful and challenging, and you have support every step of the way ehen you get stuck. I have never so far felt like I was lost - you always have a helping hand from your mentor or from other teachers via the slack chats. I feel super productive, and am excited to continue on this journey at a pace that I am comfortable with. Some weeks are easy, others are incredibly challenging - but the challenge is worth it. 

Hey reader, here's some quick review of the course.

I started the Designer Track program on 10th July, 2017 with the 25-30 hrs & 2 mentor meetings a week (Moderate pace) schedule. 

About to complete the first module ie. Design Foundations ( a bit behind on the pace since I was working full-time)

• Highly structured & curated content (more external resources can be added but then it can seem overwhelming to some, hence it's sufficient enough in the first module)
• My mentor does his job (mentoring, of course) so well that it makes the learning experience more fun and challenging (You get to choose your mentor prior to starting your course).
• The Bloc team is extremely helpful and cooperative in terms of payment procedure and adjusting your pace/ mentor sessions / any other difficulty you may face during the course. 
• Bloc Slack channel is where the real fun and cross learning happens (you can get feedback of your assignments, projects, clear your doubts, discuss topics etc with your fellow classmates & other mentors) (although it can get overwhelming and slow your pace if you spend too much time on it, use it wisely).
• The curriculum is regularly updated (even in between your time through your course).
• It's AWESOME and better than other coding bootcamps (I read a lot of reviews of all online course providers and thoroughly evaluated and compared them; BLOC seemed legit). 

Will post more reviews as and when it seems like posting one. Have a great day!