BrainStation

I graduated recently from the part-time UI design course at BrainStation's Vancouver campus and I can say these ten weeks flew by amazingly quick! Before starting the program I had been juggling several online courses for UX/UI design, which wasn't something that was working for me, as I felt overwhelmed with the wealth of information on the web, and felt unsure if I was learning enough of the right concepts. I think that if you're somebody who thrives under a more structured learning environment, then BrainStation will definitely enable you to get to where you'd like to be. Despite coming from a background completely unrelated to computer science or design, and starting from basically zero, I finished the course with a great portfolio piece and a solid proficiency in programs like Sketch and InVision, which are industry standard tools used in today's companies. 

The class was small (around 8 people) so you really get an intimate learning experience and lots of one-to-one time with the instructor, who was incredibly insightful and supportive. She makes an effort to touch base with all her students during each class and takes the time to help us through Slack if we ever need her outside of class. Each week's lesson is packed with information, but what I found most useful were the industry relevant anecdotes that Kelsey, our instructor, gave during her lessons.

We learned about visual design, wireframing, and prototyping. The entire program is designed around the final project, which is something you start working on from Week 2. 

I would strongly recommend BrainStation to anyone who's looking to dive into the field, kickstart a new career, or even reacquaint themselves with UI concepts relevant to today's rapidly evolving industry. The skills you pick up really gives you the confidence to go forward in the next steps in your design career. 

I made the decision to transition from being a Chef to UX late last year and after visiting a few different schools, decided on Brainstaion. Maybe the deciding factor was the beautiful building, but the staff also spent a lot (A LOT) of time talking to me and answering any questions I had. There were a few bumps in my onboarding process, so my advice would be to be super specific with what you need and when.  

Once I was there, I absolutely loved my experience. The TAs were great and the lead instructor Alex was so knowledgeable and thoughful it was inspiring.  If you are task orienteed and a self starter you will have no problem with this course.  If you have trouble staying on task and focusing, prepare yourself for some sleepless nights.  

You learn such a wealth of knowledge during the course but it doesn't end there, you have to work just as hard when it ends if you hope to get a job.  I recived an internship offer at a really great company 6 weeks after the course ended.  Brainstation will tell you it can take up to 3 months, but the reality is it all depends on how hard you work and how willing you are to hustle, get your portfolio together and put yourself out there.  

My biggest complaint, and they already know this, is that students have limited access to the building on evenings and no access on weekends. Make sure you have a good home office setup before starting the course.  

Overall, in ten weeks there are bound to be highs and lows but the reality is that I went from no experience in UX to landing a dream internship in 16 weeks total.  That is a massive shortcut compared to going back to college/ university.  I also made the connection for the internship through the Brainstation Alumni Slack channel. You can easily put yourself ahead of the game by reading a few books (the design of everyday things, the best interface is no interface) about design before the course starts to give yourself a foundation and prepare mentally.  If you are willing to put in the work and bet on yourself, you can succeed through a full time course at Brainstation, and it is an excellent option for making a complete career change. 

I've taken multiple professional development courses and Brainstation has by far been my favorite experience. Not only is the location convenient (steps from waterfront skytrain station), but the curriculum has always been very detailed. It's fast paced for sure, but the teachers are professionals in the industry and always seem to be willing to take extra time outside of class to make sure you're staying up to speed. The last class I took was for Data Analyst. As as a marketing professional myself, I had a lot to learn on the database side but I absolutely loved this course! Wish I could take it again to soak up even more learning! 

My class was with Raymond and Angad, great duo, highly recommended! 

Prior to doing to Digital Marketing course at Brain Station I had been working in Marketing, but more in the traditional sphere. After the company I had worked for went bankrupt I found it hard to find a new job, as Digital Marketing had become more prominent, and I did not have the appropriate skill set. The time spent at Brain Station was great, going through the theory, talking to industry professionals, and really engaging in the applications neccessary to be successful. Luckily for me, in my final few weeks of classes I was in the interview process for a marketing role with a focus on digital, and was able to leverage the language and use what I had learned at Brain Station throughout the interviews and was fortunate the land the role a few days after presenting my final project.

Would reccomend for those looking to sharpen their skills and gain a better understanding of the digital sphere.

I took the full-time web development program at BrainStation and it was great.

The instructors were absolutely incredible not just in their knowledge base, but in teaching the material. Honestly there are a lot of smart people out there that know the material but it's very hard to find a teacher that can convey it well. There was a point in my cohort where they wanted to bring a new instructor onboard and he went through one day where he was actually teaching. He was incredibly knowledgeable but was unable to convey the material to the students. A few students brought this up to the teaching staff and for the rest of the program, we stuck with the regular education team instead. That level of dedication to their product is definitely appreciated.

Beyond that, I honestly did not expect the level of post graduation support that they provided. I half expected them to just throw you out into the world after the program ran its course. Instead, I was put in contact with a senior manager who set up recruiting events and provided support until I eventually found a position. And for the record, the first job I got after graduating was from one such event.

One thing I would say though is that I wish the curriculum was a bit more thorough, but most of this I would strictly attribute to the timeframe and the nature of this kind of bootcamp in general and not BS itself. The current curriculum covers a wide breadth of topics by doesn't drill in in terms of depth.

I would definitely recommend this program to anyone interested in trying to get into tech.

I took the UX full-time course at BrainStation at the Toronto campus, graduating in March 2018.  Looking to pivot my career from accounting to UX/UI design, I felt that this course is what I needed for a solid kickstart.  It provided that foundational knowledge needed, with lectures on UX/UI design principles, technical tool skills, and general career advice.  The lead instructors were personalble, experienced, and knowledgable.  The TAs were also very helpful, as they had both taken the course before.  Everyone in the class was super supportive and collaborative.  Sure, you can learn UX/UI through online articles and individual learning, but the oppotunity to fully immerse yourself for 10 straight weeks is invaluable. Also, you have the opportunity to build your network in the field, be it your classmates, instructors, or the industry partners that BrainStation holds.  As with everything, what you put in will determine what you get out of it.  

One thing about the course that could be improved is the depth of the lecture material.  I felt like some topics could've been covered more extensively.  That being said, I know 10 weeks is a short time to cram a lot of topics in.  You'll need to be diligent and dive deeper on your own with some topics (e.g. I don't come from a design background, so I had to do some individual deeper learning on topics like colour and typography).  Though there does allow a lot of free time for you to have one on one time with the instructors on things you'd like assistance on.

Overall I had a positive experience, and would recommend the course if you're looking to break into the UX/UI design field.

Attended this course with no prior knowledge or experience with tech or programming at all and was swept away at what I got out of it at the end of 10 weeks. Firstly, it was comforting that BrainStation interviewed every candidate to find out about their potential intentions of joining the course. For me, I wanted a career change and knew that web development was the path I wanted to pursue, and was lucky enough to be put in a cohort with 13 others, each with very diverse backgrounds and intentions. The course is designed to equip individuals with the relevant skills required to start a career as a junior web developer, which means to train your brain to function as a programmer, to be comfortable finding answers when in doubt instead of asking and getting what you want all the time - as technology is always changing and programmers need to be resourceful rather than being spoon fed. I quickly realized that I wasn't picking up the course content as quickly as I wanted to and was fortunate enough to have Jonathan Bluks as our lead instructor along with two of his TA's who facilitated the course content very well. They always provided just enough help to answer the core question, while giving enough leeway for my own personal growth, and I know for a fact that they feel more proud of students than the students themselves whenever anyone of us have a eureka moment (the hi5's are real, hard, and very genuine). The course content is also very relevant to what the industry is looking for, I found that to be especially true now that I'm applying for jobs myself, and it's great to see that whatever BrainStation taught has led to some pretty decent conversations with programmers and recruiters alike. Even if they require another technology package, it's still very easy to pick up with knowledge of with what was being taught in class.

In addition, weekly assignments and a mid-course hackathon, along with a final individual project to showcase your personality and coding skills, provide enough starter projects and more importantly the skills required to be able to reflect on how you'll want to shape your career or build a web-app from scratch. Overall, as a graduate, my advise would be to think through your purpose of taking the course, make sure BrainStation is aware of your goals, always be humble and willing to learn instead of being prideful and resistant to change. Learning can be fun with your classmates as we all struggle together and are willing to voice out our problems to learn from each other. It was amazing how, at week 7/8 of 10, everyone thought to themselves somehow "Hey, I don't think I'm really good, but somehow I feel that I could actually do this and I know where to look for resources" and remembering how at the start we were all staring blankly at our screens not knowing how to start.

Definitely recommend BrainStation to anyone looking for a full-time Web Development Bootcamp, their continued 12-week career guidance program shows that they're willing to go above and beyond to help land you a job after the course. Small tip: don't be put off by the price tag, they have a fair amount of scholarships and financial aid as well as flexible payment schemes. 

I took the UX design course at BrainStation this spring. The course helped me focus on building a finished portfolio piece - the final project was the user experience design of an app, including UI design, prototyping, user interviews and personas, and information architecture design. We learned how to compile all these parts of the project into a single final product.

I found the course material to be informative and engaging, but it was made far better by the industry professionals leading the course. They were able to expand on the material provided by BrainStation and offer their own insights and anecdotes on UX and what it means to be a designer.

Overall I found the course to be engaging and very informative, and I am happy with my finished portfolio piece. I would recommend the course to others, as it is incredibly valuable to be taught by and communicate with industry professionals.

Wyncode was a life-changing experience in so many ways.  I intended to change my career and do something I'm passionate about and love (coding).

Wyncode was supportive from the start. Allowing me to apply for a scholarship, giving me a great option to pay and supporting me throughout my time there academically and emotionally.

It was a hard journey learning and evolving but well worth it.  I obtained a job two weeks after graduation.

The co-founders, teachers, and staff are the BEST!

Joy

It's hard to sum up the Wyncode experience in a short review so I'll do my best to keep things concise!

Wyncode has truly been a life changing experience.  I remember reading similar statements on course report before starting and was skeptical... but it truly was.  It is a very intense 11 weeks but if you are 200% committed in doing whatever it takes to become a web-developer you'll do just fine.  My favorite things about Wyncode were the instructors who across the board were incredibly competent and passionate about their work.  My head instructor (Ed Toro) was AMAZING and the teaching assistants played a crucial role in helping people along the way.  My cohort was especially warm and supportive (which is important when spending 12 hours a day with them!).  The support team at Wyncode was also all around amazing and very receptive to feedback.  Wyncode on the whole does an amazing job of catering quickly to student needs. 

All in all my experience at Wyncode was everything I had hoped and expected.  My team won pitch day and I was hired before the bootcamp was finished.  I can't say this was the case for everyone and I feel very fortunate to be in the position I am in now. 

Some Words of Advice

- Anyone Can Code (Sort of)  Yes that is true... however that doesn't mean it is for everyone.  Be sure you understand what you are getting into.  Coding is very much a hard skill that needs to be PRACTICED. Wyncode is not a college style course where you can skate by, get a pat on your back and add it to your resume.  Don't be this person: "Wow 91% hiring rate, all I need to do is enroll and I'll be set".  Employers will know if you can code or not and that's on you.  Wyncode will do everything it can to help you succeed but you need to put in every ounce of effort.  Any negative reviews on course report most likely come from people who unfortunately didn't understand what they were getting into or didn't understand the crazy amount of effort needed to make it work.

- PREPARE LIKE HELL.  Do NOT think that the pre-work is sufficient for being ready to start this course.  My recommendations before starting (also what I did): 

1. Complete ALL of the ruby track on Codecademy/Ruby Monk 
2. Do a command line course on treehouse or codecademy
3. Read "Learn Ruby the Hard Way" (free online book)
4. Complete a full-stack ruby/rails course on Udemy (about 40 + hours).  You will have built a Rails app before starting Wyncode.
5. Prepare more through other resources.

If you are deciding on starting a cohort sooner vs later, I would complete the above before enrolling.

- There is free parking around the corner! 

Do not trust reviews that say otherwise.  These come from people who for some reason refuse to walk 1-minute to campus!

Wyncode to me is a good investment if you love tech, have a foot in the door for a tech opportunity, know what your plans are after the course or just want to learn something new. I don’t recommend it for people who just want to change careers because tech is booming right now this has to be something you’re hungry for.

 I was fortunate enough to have both instructors during my cohort and both have very different styles of teaching. Ed knows so much and get really excited about his passion but it tends to make him speed up so if you’re not keeping up you have to ask a billion questions per day just to keep pace.  Auston is younger, more laid back, and is more relatable to people who are newer to the tech/ coding field. He knows his stuff as well and his approach to helping you understand on your level is awesome.

The space is great, it can be noisy at times but after class there’s usually a classroom dedicated to quiet hours and a picnic table outside to help. Next door is a gym that plays loud bass EDM often during those quiet hours but it’s ways to work around it.

Wyncode always has events to help network, learn new skills, hackathons etc and yes FREE FOOD. Parking does suck so a uber or some type of bike may do you best. Being in Miami before class (9am) and after (5pm) you will run into heavy traffic GUARANTEED so plan accordingly.

The curriculum is tough especially for the first 3-4 weeks but if this is something you really really want you’ll overcome it without even noticing it but YOU HAVE TO PUT THE WORK IN. The TAs are great, they’re of limited supply during most days but it’s easier if you find a classmate working on what you are and work together.

JOBS ARE NOT GUARANTEED, getting a job is just the same as applying and interviewing at any other job in the country, you have to sell yourself and your skills, work hard and never stop learning 

Great place to learn and improve skills! I completed the Product Management course at Brainstation Vancouver during the fall and it was great. The content of the course gave me a complete view of the Product Management lifecycle; we went over the different areas for PdM, as well as some valuable tools & techniques: product canvas, personas, mvp, mkt analysis, pricing, risks, roadmap, and many more. If you are new to PdM or want to get some PdM technical training, then this is the place to go.

Also, after taking this course I did a CSPO training and I can say that Brainstation's course was very very valuable for the CSPO training too! So, if you're thinking about CSPO certification, then I'd also recommend doing Brainstation's PdM course, as it will prepare you deep in the PdM field.

The trainers are experts in the PdM field and will guide you during the course in the definition of a product idea as this a hands-on course.

Staff was very very friendly and helpful! Thanks girls! Facilities are minimalistic and are perfect for a collaborative environment, plus it's located right in downtown.

BrainStation was an easy choice when I saw that they offered a part-time gig in the evenings that I could fit into my busy work schedule. Although it was sometimes difficult to sit in a classroom after a work day, I always left with more valuable knowledge than I walked in with, which I see as a 100% success for a course. It was awesome to be able to put together a final project to begin a Data Science portfolio for potential new employers to be able to see. The course itself covered a broad area of Python which I found very useful. Overall I would highly suggest this class to anyone looking to get a head-start in the data analytics industry!

I've just finished the Digital Marketing course at the Toronto BrainStation campus, and to be honest, I'm kind of sad about it. I felt a surge of energy every time I attended class, and BrainStation became one of the highlights of my week. The instructors are amazing, as they bring in real-world experience and break down complicated subjects so that students can understand them. I loved the youthful, tech-focused and positive vibe permeating the space, especially because it provided a great environment for networking with my teachers and fellow students. And the free snacks were always a nice bonus! I'll definitely be back for a few weekend workshops. Maybe I'll see you there?

The Product Management course at Brainstation gave me new ways of looking at challenges I deal with on a daily basis. The course followed a logical progression from ideation, to development to launch and analysis of a new product, and the content was very relevant and practical. The instructors live and breathe product management and were very generous with their time, providing meaningful one-on-one conversations regarding the course material, tech startup culture, and career progression. The class was diverse and my classmates' varying perspectives led to some insightful discussions.

I enrolled with the part-time course in Product Management with BrainStation to have a more holistic view of the role of a product manager. This course has helped me to further understand how to manage the lifecycle of a product, has provided me with powerful management resources, and industry-standard structural tools to keep going. This course has helped me feel more prepared to pursue my career goals. Thanks to the academy for the great atmosphere, and to my teachers (Stewart and Kia) for their great job.