CodeCore Bootcamp

I was part of the September 2018 cohort and graduated in December! Found a job immediately after graduating.

Personally, CodeCore gave me the tools and skills needed to find a junior position out in the wild. I was self-learning on my own but I believe that if I didn't enroll in the bootcamp, I would've never found a job on my own.

The bootcamp gives you some direction as to what to learn, what you should look at, and HOW you're supposed to learn. Practicing on projects and digesting various new frameworks was exactly what I needed. I would highly recommend this bootcamp to anyone who's interested in making the transition into web development. The key thing to remember is that you have to put in the work. There were 3 months worth of long nights during the course, but it was completely worth it!

I was hesitant going into the program because I really didn't enjoy the experiences I had with programming prior. CodeCore was able to quickly change my mind and I soon realized that it was a career I wanted to pursue. The staff made the daily (Monday - Friday) 9 hour grind so much more enjoyable than it sounded at first. 

The instructors and TAs were all extremely competent and very helpful in making sure you become proficient in the course material. Like most things in life however, you get what you put in. If you put in the extra work and effort outside of class hours, you'll get the most out of this program. 

After graduating, the staff kept in touch constantly and seemed very keen in my employment status. Many of my interviews were set up by the staff and without them, my network definitely wouldn't have grown as fast as it did.

All in all, if you're curious about web development or just want more exposure, this course is excellent and you can really get a lot of out if. 

10/10 would recommend.

Thank you Tam, Steve, Luc and all the TAs.

Long story short - I did my research and looked at all options to get into tech industry in Vancouver (university, college, bootcamps and etc). UBC and all 4 year programs were out of the question quickly - I already had a degree and I did not want to do 4 more years of school. Plus unless you secured a coop - you wouldn't have a good time trying to get a job after anyway.

I ended up narrowing it down to BCIT and CodeCore. They both attracted me for a bunch of reasons:

• Good job placement after
• Both gave marketable skillset
• Length of programs (3 month vs 1 year)

I got accepted into both after my test / application. What really turned the tide for me is that Instructors in CodeCore allowed me to customize my program. They worked together with me to get exactly the skills that I wanted - providing support with relevant TA's and adjusting my exams criteria to fit my needs.

I signed my work contract 4 weeks into the program (not sure if it is still the record). I got it because of the help of the CodeCore people. I'm still working at that company 1.5 years after.

So yeah, I think CodeCore is the best option we have in Vancouver currently.

If you're reading this, you are probably considering attending a bootcamp and in all likelihood you have a few questions/reservations. That's very good! So did I. Below are some of the questions I had, along with what I've learned from attending CodeCore's Developer Bootcamp as well as working my first months as a developer. I hope they can help you reach an informed decision.

Can you really learn to code in 12 weeks?

Short answer: not really; but you can learn enough to be useful as a Junior Developer. Life as a developer is going to require you to keep learning. Not just 12 weeks and not just the first year(s). You'll probably be learning until you retire. There already is so much to learn, that no human being is ever going to learn it all and new coding languages / frameworks / libraries / updates are almost a daily thing. If you want to be successful, it will help if you find the tech sector and most importantly coding itself interesting and fun. From someone who used to make plenty of money in the oil industry I can tell you that money alone will not keep you motivated. You are going to have to enjoy the actual day to day activities of a developer. If you (think you) do, then YES, you can learn to become a useful developer in approximately 12 weeks, although it will help if you spend some time preparing for it. The more time you spend learning, the better your chances will be.

Will they teach me marketable skills?

Sure! Will you learn coding languages that you will require in your first job? Maybe. There are too many languages and stack combinations out there for any bootcamp to be able to teach you. You will learn the foundations of coding in 2 or so programming languages though, and you will be able to say that you learned these in a short amount of time. Most / all programming languages have similar features. They all have (variations of) variables, arrays, objects, conditional statement, loops, etc. Once you know a couple of languages, picking up a new language/syntax becomes easier.

Besides the actual coding, you've demonstrated that you will invest in yourself and that you are willing to learn. You will learn how to develop software as a team and you will learn about development strategies. All very useful things to know. You won't be leaving empty handed.

Can't I learn all this online for free?

Yes. Yes, you can. That is, if you don't account for the cost of living. Everything you need to know is online. The problem is finding the right things to learn, in the right order, without spending too much time on subjects that don't really matter. The other major thing is getting the support you need, when you need it. Of course there are free programs online that try to provide structure and even support. So yes, it can be done. It takes determination though. It is much harder to get out of bed every morning and then code all day if you are doing it all by yourself. At least for me it would have been. The other big thing for me was recognition. CodeCore does not just provide a certificate, they also provide you a network and references. If you go it alone, you're going to have to work harder to demonstrate your new skills and build up your network.

So, is it worth it?

That really depends on you. CodeCore will provide you structure. They'll provide you a reason to get out of bed and a place to go to every day. They'll provide you a room full of people working towards the same goal. They'll provide knowledgeable teaching assistents and instructors who will look at your code with you and answer your questions. Something which can significantly speed up your learning curve. They'll provide plenty of guidance on how to go about finding your first job and they will help you where they can. In my specific case, CodeCore pretty much handed me my first job on a silver platter, something for which I'm very grateful. You'll find as well that CodeCore has a lively community with alumni, TA's and instructors all sharing information and helping each other out where they can. The community / network aspect of attending a bootcamp is something which in my opinion generally isn't highlighted or valued enough. If you're looking to break into the Vancouver tech scene, then having that local network is almost worth the price of admission anyway.

Overall though, for any bootcamp, CodeCore included, you get out what you put in. You are going to have to put in the hours learning to code. You are going to have to put in days, weeks, maybe months building on your portfolio and applying for jobs daily. If you have the opportunity and the determination to go down this path, I highly recommend attending CodeCore as they will do their best to help you get where you want to be. 

CodeCore teach basic things from many topics, but not what employer wants to see. You learn lots of the ruby on rails but not many jobs for that. Other bootcamp already switch to javascript which is more popular now and also future. Teacher are so so, class notes not good, but if you have questions you can find answer online or from teacher usually. My advice, find local developer and ask to be intern right away. You will learn better and faster what you actually need to know to get job after. 

CodeCore helped me transform my career. I was working a dead end job in a small town before moving to Vancouver specifically for the bootcamp they offer. Now I am working at a job I love that I was able to get after graduating.

I found the course to be challenging and engaging. For those willing to put in the work and can afford it CodeCore is a great experience that can greatly acclerate the initial part of developing web development skills.

As long as you understand that web development is a difficult skill to develop, and that it will take a lot of determination and effort on your part before you are job ready I would reccomend CodeCore.

As much as you will learn over the bootcamp, its is only 3 months long. You will need to continue pushing yourself and honing your skills for many years to come if you want to pursue a career in tech.

CodeCore is a great way to acclerate your learning giving you strong foundational skills that you can build on to keep up with the every changing demands of technology.

Besides the technical aspects of CodeCore you will also become part of a vibrant community of people involved in the Vancouver tech scene. You will get exposed to people working in the industry and will leave with a respectable network if you take part in the community events that happen regularly at the campus.

If you are serious about becoming a developer CodeCore is well worth the time and money. They give you the nessesary skills in the least amount of time to get started in the field.

If you are interested in reading more about the bootcamp I wrote weekly blog posts while I was attending that can be found here

My education from Codecore was not relevant to the job market. The school passes many students who are not qualified for the positions available. They set the bar very low. Although some instructors are very knowledgeable and enthusiastic, the vast majority of the education is insufficient to prepare a student for the real world. They market themselves very well but they under deliver. They also offer nearly no post-graduation support to find employment. If I could go back, I would learn it on my own for thousands of dollars less.

I attended the Jan 2016 bootcamp after quitting my first full time job since graduation, it was not the easiest decision but I am so glad that I trusted my gut and went for it. I actually studied computer science in school, however because I lacked personal projects and was probably weak on the fundamentals, I never really felt confident for a web developer's role eventhough it was something I was very interested in doing.

 I met Tam a few years back when i was still in school (~2013 i think) when he and a few other codecore instructors gave a free ruby lecture in downtown over a weekend. I was very impressed by Tam's knowledge on the latest technology and his teaching, he is able to convey all the information effectively making everything very simple to understand. so I subscribed to the codecore email and moved on. Until around 2015 when codecore announced that it became accredited, I was getting no where close to becoming a developer and was not able to find a job that I could learn the skills, so I went in and chatted with Tam, and finally made the decision to quit my job attend the bootcamp. I remember just before the course start, Tam sent me an email that had this line: "2016 is going to be a transformational year for you, and we are so excited to be a part of it". Right now I must say that he was right. I now have landed on my dream job with a higher than average starting salary, I have gained a LOT of skills and I'm confident with what I do, and I have a big portfolio with lots projects that I can show case in interviews.

The bootcamp is 12 weeks, it used to last only 8 weeks, but they cover more curiculum now and I felt quite intense already with the 12 weeks experience. We learned Ruby, Sinatra, ruby on rails, Javascript, JQuery, Ajax, React, NodeJS, html5/css, and so on, we built so many personal and group projects including a major final project that everyone can present on the last day to a floor of people including recruiters, company founders, peer developers, etc. all the instructors and TA were extremely knowledgeable, they are all devs who work in local tech companies, so while learning technical skills from them, you are also building your network in the vancouver tech community right there.

In terms of admission requirement, this bootcamp can help anyone who wants to work or start a business in web development. There is an admission test you have to take, so If you have absolutely no computer science or engineering related background, like if you have never heard of "loop" or "variable" or "string", it is probably easier for you to start with the part time fundamentals course and go from there; however if you have a little bit of knowledge or is willing to challenge yourself, codecore provides prep material including the online course such as codeacademy which you can go over before the bootcamp, which I believe is pretty helpful and is enough to get started. My class had people from a lot of different occupational background, everyone who attended all the classes and stayed until the end all did very well. Codecore also helps you to prepare interviews, connecting you with companies that are hiring, providing information and invitiation for recruiting events, open houses, meetups, etc, so you can have as many resource as you need to find a job. They also offer free retake if you are not getting what you want. I felt pretty nice having this as an insurance in case I failed.

People kept asking me why codecore, why not lighthouse, the answer is easy: I have seen Tam's teaching before and I loved it, I knew that I didn't have to look around. The 3 month's experience definitely proved that I was right. I also went to Lighthouse's demo day, learned about their culture -- it's qutie different, i'm not saying it's bad, but I still prefer codecore if I were to choose again. Lighthouse is still 8 weeks, so if you looking for a quicker timeline, you can choose lighthouse. Codecore felt more homie, and codecore encourage building more independent projects so you are forced to implement everything by yourself instead of relying on group memeber, this ensures that everyone has the chance to practise the technology we learned in class and conduct individual research. Codecore also did group project since working in a group is a crucial skill, but the last project was all done individually, and we were all very amazed what we were all able to do in just 3 months. When I attended the lighthouse demo, I noticed that the projects were done in a group of 2~4. Just some comparison for your info. 

If it is your ambition to become a software developer, imagine this:

12/hr days of structured, high quality learning, and practice, every day, for three months. Imagine all of that, coupled with working with a tight-knit community of likeminded individuals all pursuing similar goals, and then also learning with mentors that come from all over the industry, many of them CodeCore graduates themselves. There is simply no better path to becoming a developer than attending a bootcamp. I tried to self-teach myself for months before I even decided to attend to a bootcamp, thinking that I could 'go it alone'. This turned out not to be the case, and I'm so glad for it. 

And that's because there is so much more to being a software developer than just getting a 'job'. I assume either bootcamp in Vancouver will get you a job, if that's what you're looking for. However, after getting a job from attending the bootcamp, I've found that what is far more important than getting a job, is having a community to share your successes with. And this is what I've found to be the greatest strength of CodeCore. They value community. They want you to be/work on campus. They want to introduce you to likeminded people. They want to connect you with people. They want you to retake the course if it's too difficult/something comes up. They want to foster relationships.

I've enjoyed an amazing experience at CodeCore so far - I've made friends, met mentors, got a job, and began a career- and I know it will continue. 

 

Why I picked CodeCore

I was accepted to two of the prominent bootcamps in Vancouver. Ultimately I choose to go with CodeCore for the following reasons:

1. CodeCore is a 3 months program - I didn’t have a strong programming background, so I thought the extra month would help me better internalize the material.
2. Better environment - larger space, plenty of study area, and leather chairs!
3. I read on reddit that CodeCore produces better technical students. 
4. Scholarship for female students.

My Experience at CodeCore

I’m extremely proud to say that I’m a CodeCore Alumni. The caliber of my fellow classmates, the quality of teaching, and the helpfulness of the TAs. Those are experiences you can’t get from any online programs (and I took many including Code School, Codecademy…etc)

They spend the first month drilling in the fundamental and building up your foundation. In hindsight this is the most important part because I did my final project in a completely different framework that wasn’t taught in class. “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime” — That’s the primary difference of CodeCore from all the other bootcamps. They don’t want you to just get a job, they want to make sure you can do the job. 

My Advice

Build depth in your network. This includes your TA, the staff at CodeCore, and your classmates. This is your most valuable takeaway. Go to networking events and invite the people you meet to your demo day. The demo day is the best way to show potential employers your skills and what you can do for them. Help others. Don’t hoard your connections and be generous with your network. In turn, they will also be generous with you. 

I graduated from the bootcamp in October 2015. Two years ago I would have reserved for coding bootcamps the same sort of rabid cynicism reserved for multi-level marketing schemes. Yet--with great relief--here I am, gainfully employed and writing a glowing review.

If you are reading this review you are probably wondering why I chose Codecore over Lighthouse. The main reason I let my guard down for Codecore is their policy of infinite retakes--having talked with Tam and getting a good feeling about his character, having the safety net of retakes convinced me that this wasn't going to be a cash-grab. 

General advice:

1. Read/research/code/review for 12 hours a day. I did not have any prior coding experience outside of making a Blink-182 fan page on geocities when I was 11 and it worked out for me. If you're falling behind, you probably have to work harder--this is not a program you should do while working or having any other commitments to get the best result. Put in the work to get work.
2. Remember that the school is also a professional network. Treat your TAs and fellow students with respect. 
3. Use the TAs. They won't do your project for you but they will improve you if can leverage their brainpower. Narrow your questions down to specifics about the frameworks you are using and general design patterns/principles w/r/t your code. I was reading the other reviews and there was a complaint about TA time--I still stop by Codecore occasionally and they've increased TA coverage. Also, let me iterate, the TAs aren't going to write the code for you so think twice when you ask questions whether the question is worth asking.(shoutout 2 gabe n mike)
4. The curriculum of the bootcamp is reflective of the industry but I recommend challenging yourself and learning beyond the constraints of the course to increase your chances of employment. I don't see it as a fault of the curriculum though--if your skill set is spoonfed then anybody can do it. 
5. From what I hear the one place where Lighthouse wins out on Codecore for me are job placements. The lead instructor Tam served my first contract on a plate for me and everything's been smooth sailing for me so the job search has been great. For what it's worth, everybody in my grad class is gainfully employed and if they aren't, they're doing a start up or something. 
6. Use a mac--it's easier. 
7. Have fun!

Before enrolling in CodeCore's bootcamp, I had bits and pieces of programming experience from having self-taught myself over the years. As I began to get more and more interested in web development, I felt like I had a couple of the pieces I needed, but was missing the whole picture. CodeCore's bootcamp was exactly what I needed - an intense, focused immersion into the fundamental concepts, tools and technologies used in modern web development.

I had a really great experience at CodeCore. The curriculum is really well paced, well designed and they're constantly updating it to keep it relevant. The teachers and TAs are also top notch - Tam, the founder and lead instructor, is an incredibly knowledgable, patient and overall excellent teacher. I learned a ton during the course, and even though I had taught myself a few of the concepts and tools over the years it really helped to fill in the gaps. I would say it's definitely more effective than teaching yourself, especially for the fundamentals at the beginning. There's no shortage of free courses and tutorials on the internet, of course, but having a profesionally-curated curriculum and professionally-taught course means you don't waste your time learning things in the wrong order and going in circles (I definitely did that a bunch before the bootcamp). 

When I was researching bootcamps, I looked at Lighthouse Labs as well. I ended up choosing CodeCore because of their strong ties to the local dev community. I definitely don't regret my decision. CodeCore's always opening up their space to local dev meetups and talks, which was really good to be a part of when I was a student. You get to meet lots of people outside your class. Now that I've graduated, I've been back frequently to attend some of their events and I always feel welcome.

In summary, I would highly recommend CodeCore to anybody considering getting into web development. They have a thorough and constantly-evolving curriculum, excellent teachers, and excellent support.