Makers Academy

Pros: 
- A well-rounded overview of many aspects of coding you can't get from a solo course. 
- You make many websites in teams, and pick up the exact kind of workflow you need for a job.
- Great way to create a portfolio
- The coaches are very invested, pay attention to you, give great feedback. Ditto for the hiring team at the end of the course. 
- Good job support for those willing to engage with it. 

Cons: 
- The pace is very fast, so burnout risk is potentially high for coding newcomers. I would strongly recommend doing extra work online before applying, so that the transition to JavaScript doesn't come as a shock. I did a The Modern Javascript Bootcamp Course (2021) by Colt Steele and Stephen Grider and I think it made my life a lot easier. 
- Ruby is less popular than it used to be, so if you want more job options, be prepared to explore other languages or learn them on the job.

This has been a once in a lifetime experience and was not just about the code but more about understanding what you are writing in a meaningful way. The approach to emotional intelligence was also something new for me to take in and has now become the baseline for how I take on most challenges in my life (professional and personal). One of the draw backs in the beginning of the course is when you are stuck on a problem a coach will not simply give you the answer but rather try and point you in the right direction which was a bit of an adjustment in the early days as I have never experienced this way of teaching but ultimately this is much more meaning full. 

Pros: While the entire bootcamp was completely remote, I had never felt isolated from day 1 because it's been a jam packed learning schedule right from the very beginning with a huge emphasis on pair programming and team work. The three months were undoubtedly intense and not for the uncommitted. While it wasn't uncommon to code 10-12 hours a day because you just want to learn as much as you can after the day ends,  the makers team encouraged students to make sure they take time to unwind and there are daily meditation sessions facilitated by the Chief Joy Officer, Dana. Personally I enjoyed the bootcamp for its ways of teaching us 'how to learn', rather than spoon-feeding us information or tutorials to follow. That meant at the end of it all, I am now confident I can pick up any new framework or language by referring to documentation and any resources out there. The technical coaches at Makers ensure this by being available to students at all times, however their method is always to guide you to find the solution yourself, rather than giving it straight to you. 7 weeks from graduation I have received two offers from non-Makers partners and will be starting my new career in a week. When the course ended there are ongoing support from the career coaches and partnerships team to help with job applications and if appropriate, being introduced to Makers' hiring partners.  Cons: As I wasn't based in London, the partners weren't right for me even if the opportunities were part-remote. I felt it was harder for me to find the right roles than others in my cohort due to my location in the midlands. However like any job, in the end I was able to find the right opportunity by persevering and speaking to quite a few companies. Ultimately I felt what Makers instilled in me prepared me well for the interviews.

I highly recommend Makers! The course is focused on building tech skills, coding best practices, emotional intelligence, teamwork skills and independent learning and research skills which you can take forwards into your career. I was worried that the course only covered 2 languages compared to other courses which list loads, but I actually think that this has been hugely beneficial - I am really confident that I can apply the skills I learned on the course to learn and pick up a new language quickly. It hasn't been a problem when job hunting either.

Support from coaches is amazing and their post course careers support is also outstanding. I have really appreciated the code reviews with external professionals, swift feedback from coaches on weekend challenges, overnight feedback on job applications and the community both on the course and as an Alumni is superb. You need to be prepared to lead your own learning, work hard and reach out to the friendly and helpful coaches to get the most out of it, so if you're someone who prefers spoon feeding this probably isn't the course for you. Otherwise, go for it!

I had an amazing time transitioning from my previous role as a specialist physiotherapist to software engineer. I had looked into a few bootcamps but picked Makers as it had the best reputation when I asked around some people in the industry. I've learnt so much and cannot thank the coaches and team at Makers enough. It is defiantly tough and takes a lot of dedication and drive, but you get out what you put in. I was employed within 4 weeks of finishing and the company actually cited my Makers experience as one of the main reasons, they approached and ultimately hired me. My advice would be become a Maker if you want to work in tech!

Wonderful course. The coaches were very supportive even in a remote setting. They seemed to truly care about what we were getting out of the course and our wellbeing. 
I feel more confident not only a developer but as a leader and team member. I've finished with improved communication and research skills and a better sense of myself.
There was a real focus on how to learn. I thought I was already proficient in this skill but turns out I had a lot of improvements to make - now I feel like I could teach myself any language.
I would highly recommend this course.

There are plenty of options when it comes to coding bootcamps! If you're reading this you're probably looking at 5 or more different courses at the same time. I was in the same position last year & I've now finished my Makers experience and feel ready to tackle the software development world! 

The focus with Makers is very much about you growing as a student, dev & person and less focused on learning the hottest current language or cramming in absolute maxi different languages over a three month period. This might turn some people off, but for me, as a total beginner, this was perfect! 

It can be overwhelming and by no means is the Makers course simple or easy! But with the tools taught and the lessons followed all of a sudden I found myself coding for fun!

I am a career changer, so it was with a lot of excitement, but with no little trepidation that I embarked on a software development bootcamp with Makers Academy. I needn't have worried. The course is fantastic. Demanding, challenging, intense, yes. But also incredible. The coaches, are superb, and mindful that they are there to teach students 'how to learn', not 'what to learn'. With this in mind, some of the most powerful takeaways from the course are not just technical, but more profound life lessons; the ability to drive self directed learning, emotional intelligence, and effective team working. This course rewards investment; the more you put in, the more you get out. And bonding, and collaborating with your cohort, is were the real joy is. I undertook this course remotely from Bristol, and thoroughly enjoyed, and felt engaged with the course at all points.

Would recommend.

-  The course material is really good and you can always ask for coaches' help when you feel stuck.
- The course puts a lot of focus on TDD, Agile and Pair Programming,  which are required best practices nowadays. 
 - During the course, there are a lot of opportunities to work in teams and review others' code. 
 - Chance to do reviews with external company.
- Makers community is great and alway willing to help.
- After graduation you can get help with your CV  and you can be advised while preparing to different kinds of interviews.