Marc Brathwaite

Review of HackerYou

I just completed the Full-Time Web Development Imm...

I just completed the Full-Time Web Development Immersive bootcamp at HackerYou, and I can honestly say that it was an awesome and life changing experience. Heather (CEO) and her team are a group of amazing individuals who go all out to ensure every bootcamp student is extremely well equiped for future careers as developers.

Before the Full Time bootcamp, I worked in the Telecoms industry for 10 years and recently decided I wanted a change in career. After an initial unsuccessful attempt to get into the bootcamp, I was advised by HackerYou to first attend the part-time Web Development course. I truly believe this set me up for success in the bootcamp as I was given a solid foundation in HTML, CSS and JQuery, and I would highly recommend going this route before applying for the bootcamp.

The bootcamp itself was a challenging and rewarding experience. It is designed such that you are taught web technologies and standards which are presently being used in the tech industry. You are also provided with hands-on project-based experience where you would create 6 websites/web applications which can then be showcased in a portfolio website, a critical component in job applications for Junior Developer roles. The instructors are extremely knowledgeable and deliver the course content in a clear and easy to understand manner. They also provide excellent feedback and support on all projects assigned during the bootcamp. I was also very impressed with how in-depth and comprehensive the online notes provided by HackerYou were, and you are given lifetime access to these notes as an added bonus. However, I would say my favourite part of the bootcamp was the extremely positive and collaborative environment encouraged by the HackerYou staff. Even on the gloomiest of days, stepping into the HackerYou office quickly brightened your mood; a fact echoed by many of my fellow bootcamp colleagues. Another highlight was the Industry Day Event held on the final afternoon, where students had an opportunity to deliver their elevator pitches to perspective employers through 2 minutes speed interviews, as well as network with these employers afterwards. This was an extremely fun and enjoyable event, the outcome of which I was able to land an interview and an eventual job offer.

Post bootcamp, Heather still has your back. This amazing woman continues to provide invaluable support through the job-hunting process. She provides a tried and tested procedure for approaching job applications and is available at any time to provide advice in navigating this process. If you do receive a job offer, she also has sound advice for negotiating your job offer terms. If you follow Heather's instructions, you WILL get a job.

Lastly, special mention goes to Charlotte, the Bootcamp Operations Manager, who ensured the bootcamp ran very smoothly and provided excellent support to students.