Software, Web and Mobile Engineering

I was on the first post-COVID hybrid cohort that combined remote and in-person learning. A big factor for me was definitely wanting to be able to learn in an environment of others passionate to learn with support of professionals on hand.It was definitely an up and down experience, with highs and lows. You have to complete the pre-course in the month before starting Makers to get everyone on a fairly level playing field, but the first few weeks definitely ramp the difficulty up as you are thrown into the deep end somewhat (as you'd probably expect from a bootcamp). It can definitely be frustrating at times as a lot of the learning is very much self-led. Makers do provide you with suggested learning materials and challenges each week, but the main issue was that there never felt like there was enough time to complete it all! There were coaches there to support you, though I found that especially during the remote weeks I didn't make enough of it, mostly because I couldn't remember everyone we met on day 1 and maybe it wasn't clear enough each week who was assigned to your cohort that week. Support definitely varied, and we did have to push back to get extra content on certain topics, but some coaches also really went out of their way to put on extra workshops. My feedback for Makers going forward would be more technical workshops during the week, especially on complex topics and especially given the amount paid for the course. Regarding the course materials, these were usually fine though with the initial JavaScript weeks, I think we were the first (at least one of the first) groups to use their new syllabus, and at times it did feel a little incomplete (missing some solutions / additional guidance). I know a big focus is teaching us how to learn, but also for me, personally, if I can't self-assess myself against a solution written by a professional, I find it hard it gauge what I need to improve. At times, it did feel like the blind leading the blind when trying to figure something out with other learners, but of course satisfying if you do figure it out (much like the real world!).One of the best parts of the course was the external code reviews where an assessor watches you code and gives you really good, insightful and actionable feedback to improve your overall process. I just wish a bigger thing had been made of these as I only took my first review after the bootcamp had finished and think it would have helped me massively to do them during. The post-bootcamp support is obviously a big part of the overall experience, and that was overall a good experience. While some of the workshops were a bit more basic, I understand Makers have to cater to all levels, especially those who are maybe fresh university grads or haven't applied for jobs before. However, the real value comes from being able to reach out to the support coaches, get your cover letters and CVs reviewed and get help in preparing for interviews.And overall, I can't complain too much since I got hired into a tech role through one of the companies that Makers arranged to give us a lunchtime job talk, something which I wouldn't have imagined possible so soon after finishing a bootcamp!

The course itself was tough. It's worth saying that straight away. Not just because of the coding but because there are 20 of you, all suddenly out of work with limited money, all stressed and all trying to keep your last lesson in your head. It really does make for a tough time. Makers do their best to give all the support they can and I can't fault them for that but be ready for some tough weeks! After that you will be glad you did it and the support in finding jobs is pretty top notch!

If you're considering a career change, I would highly recommend joining Makers.I joined in September 2021 and from the start, I could sense how highly intensive it would have been. Learning how to code in 16 weeks is no joke, but I was positively shocked by how fast I was progressing with my skills. I started with a little bit of background but I definitely polished my skills and learned a lot about fundamental concepts like TDD and BDD which I had never heard before.  My cohort was amazing, I made friends for life during Makers and I really treasure that, especially in a  critical moment like a career change, it's amazing sharing it with other people that can help you and be there for each other.After the course, during interviews, many employers had heard of Makers and they were really enthusiastic about it, so it's a great experience to have in your CV as well! ;) I've found employment after one month from my graduation (with Christmas holidays included in that period of time).Joining makers was the best decision I made for my career. 

Before I jump into reviewing Makers, a little context.I'm older than most people embarking on a technical career - I had just turned 39 when I applied for Makers. I had been aiming at a musical career since I was a teenager, and despite some success here and there, I was still temping in universities to pay the bills. I was no stranger to tech but hadn't coded anything other than a few childhood ZX Spectrum experiments. Perhaps it was my age, or the fact that my daughter was starting to ask what my job was, but things had to change. When my wife told me of Makers, I quit my job immediately to focus on getting in.The pre-course was a great was to get to grips with the basic tools of the trade - IDEs, the command line, github and so forth. At this point, the Makers student is already at an advantage over someone with a book about JavaScript.The course itself is very intensive and requires your full attention, all day. This tricky when your sleep is interrupted every single night, and I am pleased that Makers have started a part time version of the course - this would have been my preference if it had been offered at the time.The curriculum structure is great. Makers mainly teaches Ruby, which is not the most popular language professionally - however its simple syntax allows you to keep your focus on learning the basic patterns that underpin all mainstream coding languages. This emphasis, combined with a couple of weeks' introduction to JavaScript, provided a great impetus to jump in and learn something new whenever it is needed.Your time is divided between classes that highlight the key concepts, self led learning and pair programming on increasingly complex challenges that neatly demonstrate that week's pertinent topics.The course's first two group projects are in Ruby and Rails, and the third is a free choice. These allow the student to experience what it is like working on a professional software team.The general atmosphere is very warm. The Coaches and other staff are friendly and approachable, the building itself was well organised, smart and generously stocked. Thoughtful inclusions such as basic food supplies, games and musical instruments really made all the difference. The presence of a dedicated yoga/meditation/counselling practitioner was absolutely invaluable.Obviously Makers aren't responsible for this, but all the other students were lovely. The course was pleasantly feud free.Makers' support doesn't end when you finish the course - you are instead ushered into the Makers Alumni online community, where they help you get a job. They support you through the process of putting together a CV, writing an application and interviewing for jobs. It's great for getting to know other developers and networking to get jobs, and this has been vital during the pandemic. The job board has a special place in my heart as it's where I found my first coding  job!To sum up - if you want to become a software developer, definitely go to Makers. But if you can't be sure of a good night's sleep every night, do the part time course!

ProsProvides a lot of support once graduatedThe course was enjoyableGood place to networkGreat coaches to speak to and learn fromGreat office (pre-covid)ConsThe review system could be worked onSome times it was hard to get in touch with coaches if something urgent was needed

I had a wonderful time at Makers Academy. I've landed an incredible role within a leading AI startup, and have fast tracked my career transition.PROS- Community. I find it helpful to be part of empowering communities, and between the students and coaches Makers has put together an excellent one. This certainly helped expedite my learning. Whilst self teaching code helped me with syntax etc, after Makers I feel like I could confidently produce well written/tested/documented production code in most languages.- EQ stuff is excellent. Daily check ins, daily led-meditation and yoga several times I week. I attended all of these, and have continued most of these habits since finishing the course.- Job hunting support is strong. Good coaching sessions to prepare for interviews, and great emotional support through outCONS- Being fully remote was a bit of a con for me, as in-person classes hadn't resumed when I started- I think some students could have benefited with a little more 1-on-1 coaching time on the main course. I didn't feel like I needed anymore, but I know other students disagreed with me

Lots and lots of pros to this course. Great coaches, excellent syllabus, progressive outlook. The key thing for me is that I left feeling confident about picking up new languages and working in new tech stacks. You also cover lots of things you probably wouldn't if self-learning, such as TDD and doing multiple projects in teams. Another big bonus is the careers team, and the relationships they build up with hiring partners.In terms of cons, I'm struggling. It's definitely an intensive course and I did more hours outside of standard hours to stop me from falling behind that I thought I'd have to. It's definitely a lot of money. But the ability to get a job quicker will mean it will essentially pay for itself. And you'll be more confident and well-rounded when you do land that job.

For anyone considering a career change I would highly recommend joining makers. The course is highly intensive and will make your work really hard. My skills improved significantly over a very small amount of time. The real value comes from the people and the community. Everyone in the cohort had a genuine interest in tech and the overall environment was very inspiring. Joining makers was the best decision I made for my career. 

Makers Academy is a place full of good vibes, which is one of the main reasons I decided to start my journey with them. Is inclusive, full of great coaches ready to help you to learn. Their motto is "Is not hard, is just new" and that is a great mantra not only for your career. Spoiler Alert: If they'll ask you to believe the process, do It, it works.

Makers Academy takes you from zero knowledge of web development to being able to plan, create and host your own web apps using the most in-demand languages and technologies. Through the use of instructional seminars and regimented pair programming sessions - daily - you quickly learn whilst sharing your knowledge with the rest of your cohort and this only compounds the rate at which your skills develop. There are challenges at the end of each segment that showcase just how much you've learned, to yourself more so than anyone else. At the end of the course, I found myself employment ready. Making the most of the post-course support to build a competitive CV and hone the art of writing a cover letter, I found myself on the end of a job offer within a couple of months. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to make a career change!

Attending the Makers course is extremely fun and a massive learning experience. I would recommend it to anyone who wnats to learn how to could. It was great meeting new people that are all in the same boat and get to work with all of them. You will have to enroll with the mindset that Makers will provide the resources but it is self-led-learning throughout the course.

Makers was a great experience to not only learn to code and explore different tech stacks, but also to gain experience working as a developer in agile teams and through pair programming. It really teaches you a lot about test driving your programs and how to debug. Both internal and External code reviews are available so you can keep track on your progress. The thing that separates Makers from other bootcamps is the wellbeing aspect (meditation, yoga and workshops) and the career support after you graduate.

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. 

I really enjoyed my time at Makers Academy. You learn so much and it’s great that you can get in with very little coding knowledge.It’s an intense course where you learn new things every day and can be draining but Makers offer great support and are genuinely passionate about mental well-being. I did the remote course which was good but I feel I would’ve benefited more from being there in person so if you have the chance to do the course on campus I would say do that.

Makers has a well-defined program, which works through the various facets of software development in an organised way. There are extensive banks of learning exercises, along with good access to coaches. I would say that there is space for some additional resources that teach you the topic, rather than just provide exercises for you to practice it.The decision to use Ruby as the primary language is sensible in many ways - it is a straightforward language, and, with the addition of Sinatra or Rails, allows you to build websites. However there didn't seem to be many junior developer roles in Ruby. The course also teaches JavaScript, by translation from Ruby, and encourages students to branch out to new languages/frameworks for their final projects.The after-course support from the careers team is where Makers really shines. Help is available for graduates to consolidate their learning, apply for jobs or interview for jobs, with regular workshops run for each. There are also careers coaches available for 1:1 advice and support. The coaches are interested in graduates as individuals, and focus on helping them to understand and display their most marketable skills.I learnt so much on the course!

I undertook the Makers course as my career was stagnating. I learnt so much in a challenging and engaging environment and Makers go above and beyond to make sure the new entrants of the white, male world of tech are diverse and know to be inclusive. Even though it was remote I felt connected and have made lots of new friends and perhaps most importantly am now employed within three months of completion!

The intensity of the course set me up to push myself and create a substantial amount of work for my portfolio. Although I would personally change some aspects of the course, the general layout provided was significantly valued. Teamwork and pair programming is essential to this program and the lessons taken away from this were invaluable. To improve, I would allow more time for independent study, such that students can have time to solidify their understanding.

Pros: Pre-course material - helps get you up to speed. Support - teachers are always there if you need them. Cohort - you are a team, not individuals. You will meet people in the same situation as you. Pairing - you will always get asked about pair programming in interviews. Mediation - a nice way of relaxing even if you think it's not for you. Careers Team - you get help with anything, they will also check up on you to see how you are doing. Cons: Fast paced - you need to be dedicated or you will struggle

My experience at Makers was overwhelmingly positive. There is a strong focus on Test-Driven Development and core Object-Oriented Programming principles that are not language-specific, and form an excellent grounding in the fundamentals of software engineering. The mornings are spent attending workshops or making use of the wealth of resources placed at the students' disposal. Students are encouraged to set their own goals (with some guidance) and to use their time as they see fit to a large extent. It is stressful at first, because there isn't an awful lot of handholding, but ultimately it builds resilience and confidence and a belief that you can learn anything you need to overcome a problem. There is an emphasis on collaboration, with pair-programming sessions in the afternoons and several group projects designed to mirror the way a real software engineering team would function in the workplace. Coaches are available to help if you get stuck, but will often try to nudge you towards the right solution rather than telling you outright. When I graduated I felt  confident enough in my ability to learn that I was able to throw myself into new projects using unfamiliar technologies with no sense of trepidation. I should also mention that the careers support is first rate. There are regular CV, application, and interview workshops, and coaches are available to give feedback on any application you write. You are assigned a designated career coach, who will check in with you regularly, and the interview alert system ensures that you are given tailored preparation for every stage of the interview process.