Frontend Simplified

Frontend Simplified has been a great experience and way to begin my journey as a developer. I started knowing almost nothing and have come a long ways since. The course material is both straight to the point and in-depth, with lots of hands on coding as you go and some good final projects to apply what you've learned. I now know how to create websites with React, and will be learning much more as I go on. Since I've started in April I have seen ongoing updates, improvements, and additions to the course material, even a newly added module on AI in the Frontend industry. Also, the mentors/support team are very helpful and quick to respond at any time.

I am an active-duty Soldier who has been a Correctional Officer for the past 20 years. My military job is not very technical in nature; however, I have learned so much from participating in the FrontEnd Simplify Bootcamp. I have taken some coding classes before this bootcamp, which have helped. I greatly appreciate that David offers the real best practices from the leading companies, and not hypothetical ones. The hardest part about the process is learning that name conventions are not set in stone. Coding follows strict rules, but class naming conventions allow customization, which is nice but confusing. Confusion isn't bad; it just means my brain needs to view, see, and process information in a different way. I can slowly feel my thought processes shifting from a regular end-user mindset to a developer mentality. It hurts my brain, but it's fun and will help me pursue my new career. 

I'm currently about 3/4 through the course, and I must say I have learned a lot! I started with absolutely zero coding experience and I can now create websites on my own. Everything so far has been as advertised. Detailed videos that I can follow along and learn how to code, and excellent, knowledgeable, very helpful support staff who are available 24/7 (great for different time zones). It is taking me slightly longer than anticipated, but I am also working full time, and trying to really learn these brand new to me concepts. I am looking forward to finishing the training and starting my new career! 

“FES provided a solid foundation in modern development technologies and offered 24/7 mentor support, plus valuable peer-to-peer collaboration. I’m looking forward to exploring the career support and networking opportunities, which were key reasons I enrolled.

The curriculum moves fast and leans heavily on independent learning from multiple sources. If you prefer deep, step-by-step instruction, it may be challenging—but if you enjoy coding and problem-solving, the project-based structure is incredibly rewarding, immersive experience.”

When I started out on the journey, I had no idea what Frontend Development was, but since I've doing the course, I've learnt a lot and I'm quite sure that material taught will definitely make me job ready. I had great expectations of the course at the start, and I can say it has not failed to deliver on that great expectation. I would recommend this program to anyone who wants to do Frontend Development. You'll not regret your decision to do so, you'll find the content engaging and brings out the best in your learning aptitude. The instructors are very supportive, knowledgeable, and their responses to queries or concerns are prompt. All-in-all it's an excellent program!

Wonderful program if you're the right fit.
I am close to finishing this program and it's been a very positive experience overall. You learn HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, and a several additional tools (Next & TypeScript among others). The lessons flow smoothly and even with zero knowledge you can totally do this and get far, as long as you are willing to put in the time and effort. Some material is easy, some is very difficult to grasp, and although you have 24/7 access to mentors that can assist you, FES makes it very clear that a significant piece of becoming a frontend developer is learning how to research and figure things out on your own. This makes the student/mentor dynamic a bit tricky at times. Be prepared for moments of feeling lost and confused...but I think in a way it's part of the "initiation" process on your journey to become a Frontend professional: learning how to remain calm when facing issues and stuckness, and where to seek answers and solutions. Either way, if you can't figure something out, they ARE there to help you, whether via chat, or via zoom and screensharing. 

Each module focuses on a different tool or skill, and integrates a project that you code together with the instructor (David Bragg), so you learn by doing and taking notes, not just watching. These projects can later be used for your portfolio when applying for jobs. You also get to do several internships through the program. FES offers additional live sessions for different topics, and you can watch the recordings in your own time if you can't make it to the live zoom. If you're into connecting with other students, there's also a chat forum and you can be matched with an accountability partner.

Things I liked less (aka constructive criticism):
-David Bragg is a good instructor overall, but he talks really fast sometimes, which made me slow down videos to 0.75 speed whenever the topic was challenging. 
It's a solution I guess... but I don't think an instructor should ever talk fast when teaching, whether the material is simple or complicated...it is energetically problematic. 
I will note that it's not always like that, but it's something that can be improved. 

-Clarity around project instructions and rules: When it's time to work on a final project for a module and you're on your own coding - I often faced confusion around what the instructions were vs. what David showed or said in the video, and sometimes a reference site (the complete site you're supposed to replicate) is not 100% identical to what you were told to do or saw in the tutorials. Things like that where specific details are not perfectly aligned can be disorienting especially when you're so green, and if you hyperfocus on small details they way I do you will defenitely encounter these situations. It doesn't have to be this way, and I hope they make some tweaks to prevent it. 

-Projects that you submit are reviewed and approved, and then the next module is unlocked for you. A nice upgrade could be for a moderator / mentor to not just approve and congratulate you (which is of course awesome), but also have a zoom call with you to go over your code together and talk about it and what can be improved. I think generally FES could improve with giving more 'one-on-one' attention - at least to those who seek it - because this program is not cheap and I think it's a fair expectation to have a teacher spend more time with you and get down to the details, not only when you have a specific question on chat. It is also a matter of how many mentors vs. the number of students, but again, something I'd love to see improved.

** I didn't get to the part where you start practicing for interviews and applying for jobs - they do have modules for that - but I can't comment on those yet ,obviously. 

Regardless of these points (because nothing is ever perfect and that's okay)... I can confidently say that FES is a very good program. Just make sure that you really want to code and that it's the right thing for you. They will not let you join if they're not sure it's a good fit - and that's a great mark of integrity. FES also guarantees success at landing a job if you follow their lead and do your part all the way through - and it's in the contract that if you did everything all the way through and still couldn't get a job, they will return your money and then some. I absolutely hope that I won't have to test them on that, but considering my journey so far I am not worried about my chances, whether it happens quickly or not. 

I hope this helps, and good luck! 

I have really enjoyed FES! I have not yet reached the point of applying for jobs so I cannot speak on that but everything else is incredible! The mentors are super helpful. The videos are easy to follow. I loved that I could do my work at my own pace but the mentors also checked in if I took a break which kept me going! I also loved that the mentors truly cared about the work and made sure the projects were perfect before approving. They made sure I got the most out of the program and I truly learned so much.

I have had a great experience learning HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and React with FES. I feel like I have learned so much in a relatively short amount of time. You set your own pace so the program only moves as fast as you do. The courses are beginner friendly and straight forward. You get plenty of tutorials to build your base knowledge and also a lot of hands on experience to solidify what you are learning. The courses are kept up to date and they are always working toward bettering their program. And the mentors are always available to answer questions and help improve your understanding. I would recommend FES to anyone who is self motivated and interested in learning code and web development.

I have been wandering through the world of web development for two years now but the amount of material and the pace of the ever changing web development environment is simply overwhelming, especially since AI took place. I realized in order to make it, I need two things: 
1. direction what to learn and how to include AI 
2. a support system that helps me out when I am trapped. 
Both I have been missing in the past. Both I found in FES. They are truly on top of things, constantly working towards improvement and being up to date and their support system is absolutely amazing!!! I would do it again any time just for that. That they walk you all the way through getting hired is an absolute plus and gave me the confidence needed to finally go for it. 
Just note that this is still no magical deal. You still have to put in the work and the more you get into it, the more complex it gets. I am still researching a lot while going through the FES material to understand what we are doing. But even in that FES provides an excellent support system 24/7. To me that means the most while walking my way through and I am more than grateful to have become part of FES. 

I started with FES to go back into a direction with my career that I had not ventured into for over 20 years. After 30 years in Client Services I felt the desire to take my career down its intended path and got back to tech. This was a very scary time for me, after learning my health will no longer allow me to work in the public, and I was afraid of failure. My FES Mentors, the program, and the ability to learn the way I need to has been the greatest success. The courses are easy to follow and understand, the Mentors are there to assist with ANY questions you have, and the program allows you to learn real world skills to begin, further, or strengthen your career. I would recommend this bootcamp to anyone looking to develop a rewarding and fulfilling career in Frontend Development!