Makers Academy

The Makers Academy course blends learning to code and learning to be a collaborative developer. These are not the same skills, and actually the second set is arguably more important to getting hired as a junior dev. If you wanted you could learn to code alone, using online tutorials, but there's no substitute for having to actually use those skills with other people to build something together. As we found out, a job in software is a team sport, and the course perfectly sets you up to make that career switch.

They have fantastic people and culture at makers. The curriculum is well thought out and constantly updated, the  coaching is quality, and the ongoing support after course end to help find a job is strong. It can be a challenge to fit in everything you want to get out of the course in the time you have, I personally could only spare about 40 hours per week and I think it would merit about 50, but you will be fine either way.

Highly recommend. Read less

If your goal is to get a job as a software engineer, this course will work 
The 12 week immersive course prepares you for learning things at a quick pace which is arguably the most important skill you need to succeed in software engineering. The thing that I didn't anticipate when signing up for this course is how much I'd value the team-working aspect of the course, it really simulates how it feels to work on real projects with others which is an invaluable experience in and of itself but especially when you begin interviewing. Some of the cons of the course are that it can be a little hard to get in contact with coaches, they do state that they are only available officially from 9am till 12pm for coaching as they have other duties as well so if you keep that in mind you should be ok - your coursemates should be able to help too.
By far the best thing about Makers is the careers support you get to access after the course. The team are amazing, they are always there to help you and support you - they are all kind and lovely people and being around that fosters motivation and the kind of nurturing environment you need at this time. They also really do help you get a job whether that is through advice during coaching sessions when applying for external jobs or by finding companies that want to exclusively hire Makers students. Overall, I'd recommend this course if you want to get a job as a software engineer in potentially 13-16+ weeks.  Read less

My Makers journey was special, from learning and solidifying my understanding of certain concepts to meeting great people. The bootcamp is highly self dependent, so expect to manage the curriculum yourself. It’s intense and the coach support is always available. 

One key benefit to Makers is the coaching and career support once the course has finished. The team go above and beyond to help and ensure you’re doing the right things to land yourself a job. Overall it was a great experience and I would definitely recommend it for someone looking to move into development. Read less

Being a Makers student was a great experience and exactly what I needed to start my career in Software. I got all the support I could need from the coaches, a lot of experience with both relevant tech in the industry (like Ruby, JavaScript, MongoDB, PostgreSQL and also testing frameworks) and also agile methodologies (daily pair programming and using agile approach during team projects).Another good thing to mention was the support you receive after you finish the course, with another team of coaches being there to support you in the process of getting a job, helping with creating your CV, preparing for interviews or just speaking with you about your concerns.Overall an experience I can definitely recommend to anyone who feels like getting into this industry. It is intense but fun. Read less

This was a great bootcamp for anyone wanting to join the world of software development. The group work and pairing with like minded individuals made a lot of difference.

Pros
-A really helpful introduction to programming.-Uses a lot of job relevant tech (JavaScript, HTML, CSS, React, PostgreSQL, Mongodb).-There is a lot of group work and pairing, which is useful in preparing for a job.
Cons
-Unlike a traditional academic experience.-There should have been marked exercises/ assessments possibly to help steer a better learning path. Read less

The Makers environment and community is incredible and highly supportive.

Makers goes beyond just teaching you how to code - you also learn how to work, solve complex problems and communicate with others effectively. There is also a focus on your overall wellbeing and emotional intelligence.

Makers tries to simulate a "real-world" environment as much as possible so you are fully prepared to work in the field.

You learn the core fundamentals of coding which you can apply to any programming language you wish, and you "learn how to learn" so you can go on and keep improving yourself on your own. There's a good balance between Makers guidance and working things out on your own.

Can't recommend Makers enough. Read less

It is not only the quality of code knowledge that you can be sure to find here, it is all the many things you will need to be ready for your first role as a developer. I knew Javascript pretty well before Makers, and turns out didn't learn more Javascript then I already knew during Makers - but I hadn't written a single test in my life! And I doubt I would have talked about 100% code coverage if I stuck to Udemy and YouTube. So TDD, OOP, SOLID, Agile, Pair Programming, Git, EQ (emotional intelligence curriculum!) - all of it ... everything you need to hit the ground running as a reliable and promising junior dev is what you'll find at Makers. Put as much in as you'd like to get out and the absolutely AMAZING Makers coaching team will be there to support you every step of the way, from "Hello World!" to hello first job! Read less

I loved my time at Makers bootcamp! I hardly knew any code before Makers, only a bit of Ruby that we needed to learn before joining. The curriculum covers a vast amount with exciting group projects, and is mainly self led learning and pair programming. The experience after finishing the course and joining the careers bootcamp was AMAZING!! You receive loads of support, and they are there to support you until you find a job! I can't thank Makers enough for helping me with this career change and successfully finding a job so quickly! Read less

A 16 week full time intensive training course in Software engineering. Makers espoused a TDD and BDD philosophy. During my studies I learnt how to apply 'Agile working' methodology in a software development project setting. I have learnt how to adapt both self-learning and pair programme to enhance my learning. Through the facilitation of Makers, I was also able to complete several process reviews. As part of our course, we completed a total of 3x team projects and a solo weekly weekend project - 10x in total. As part of good learning, we were encouraged to complete regular constructive code reviews of our peers work. Emotional intelligence; an understanding of the needs of a team and how to support them was also a core aspect of the Makers ethos.  Read less

Makers is a well refined, well structured, intensive coding bootcamp. The coaches are super knowledgable and ready to help, and the curriculum is well curated and structured. The job support after is *excellent*. I initially got a job through Makers at a company that ran out of funding, and Makers added me straight back into their job support network without hesitation. Read less

I decided to change career after moving to the UK, after doing some researches I decided to go for tech with Makers. I will start with the pros.
Pros: 
- Pair-programming: we did pair-programming almost every day. It gave us the opportunity to learn from each other. It also allow me to get used to working with other people.
- good cirriculum structure: It saved me a lot of time trying to figure out what to learn first. It allowed me to learn step by step and progress with a good speed 
- 3 group projects: we worked with Agile, which gave me some taste of working in a team with high speed. I was surprised how the group projects helped me grow as a developer. - demanding workload: yes, I do think it is a pro. We had weekend challenges at the second half of the course, so expect to work really hard even on weekends. But it helped me to learn quick. 

Cons: 
- Full time and expensive. It's actually quite expensive, adding the fact that you have to study full time, you need to be sure tech is really what you want before joining. 
- Sometimes it is quite self-paced, so nobody can promise you that you are able to learn everything fully by the end of the course. You still need to pay a lot of effort to really absorb everything. 

Overall: Yes, the course is demanding. It provides a good structured cirriculum. You can get prepared to join the tech industry in a relatively short time - if you are willing to work very hard. Read less

Applying for Makers was the best decision I could ever have made for a successful career change. 

I had been working as a product manager for many years so I had no doubt that becoming an engineer was something I wanted to do. I have spent time doing online courses which really helped me be a better product person whilst confirming coding was something that made me truly happy, but I wanted something with more structure and would give me all the tools and skills that would make me 'market ready' at the end of it. 
By this I mean that this is not just a programming course. You'll be a dev and start coding from day one,  learn how to work in an agile environment, pair with your cohort peers every day in the weekly challenges, have self organised team projects where you'll be building applications that you can show on your CV at the end, tutors there to guide and support you (but not spoon feed you the answer!), testing frameworks and the importance of TDD, fundamental concepts of software engineering etc... And a team at the end ready to guide you and give you support on finding your new dream job :) 

It is hard work though and not for the faint hearted! The course is based on self learning so be prepared for that as this is not a 'hand holding' course at all and it goes at speed and when you least expected it's demo day and you're presenting your new project to the outside world and can't believe it's "over"! But believe me it's going to be amazing and you'll love every second (ok maybe not when that test is not passing and you can't see why!) and you won't regret it!

So yes, applying for Makers was a no brainer as I had been following them and their course for years and knew they were the best bootcamp around and the better fit for me and the fact that I could do it remotely was perfect! 

Finally, I also got my shinny first software engineer job with an amazing Makers partner within about a month of beginning my job search and started it with a friend from the same cohort!  I had code in production before the end of the first week - that's how well prepared we came out of Makers! I really could not have asked for more :)  

Read less

Makers has an incredible focus on teaching you what you need to be successful in working in software development, as opposed to just teaching you how to code. They have a fantastic set of coaches to teach you during the course with an added emphasis on EQ learning.

Once you've completed the course, the support in helping you find a job is amazing, from guiding you on how to write your CV / the perfect application, to having great deals with companies who will have job offerings exclusive to Makers. Read less

I would 100% recommend this course to anyone interested in moving into the software engineering/developing industry. Gave me to opportunity to just throw myself in the immersive experience, and learn how to self-learn, lots of different technologies, work in agile and meet lots of great people doing the same thing as me! So definitely not alone. The coaches were supportive and worked in a way in order to encourage you to find your own answers, and we very supportive at the job searching stage.  Read less

I am writing this on my penultimate day of training to code at the Makers Academy. I had high expectations of Makers, but what I didn’t expect is that they would exceed those expectations to a such a staggering extent.

This is an extraordinary course. You will be trained to be on your feet and ready to run as a coder, not just with textbook materials – although for the academically inclined there are indeed references to matters such as imperative versus declarative code, design patterns etc. right from the beginning and throughout. The materials are supremely practical – they put you right there in the thick of development work using advanced industry-respected tools and techniques throughout.

I have found the staff at Makers to be as they say they are on their website, which is a rare thing. Every individual, in every capacity has been a pleasure to engage with. Details clearly matter to Makers. As they should. People clearly matter at Makers. As they should. Community clearly matters at Makers, as it should. Everywhere you look, high standards and quality will be found. Not to mention a palpable sense of wanting to be even better and for this to be noticeable in feedback that is frequently collected from students, and from what I have seen, acted upon with haste and eagerness. I honestly couldn’t imagine a stronger passion for excellence. I love it here.

The approach is holistic. Emotional Intelligence / Emotional Quotient is, in my view, rightly presented as a key aspect of managing one’s well-being and progress as a learner and professional. Makers’ Chief Joy Officer, Dana, who delivers the EQ curriculum, I find to be a privilege to work with beyond any quantifiable measure that I can think of. As a passionate learner of personal development for decades too, I find her knowledge, application and the training she delivers to be outstanding in its breadth, depth, authenticity and immediate effectiveness. Learn not just to code, but also about who you are, fine-tune what makes you tick, and transform and optimise yourself under her coaching.

Do I recommend this course? Well, do you want to change your life? I mean literally, seriously? If so, and you are courageous, find that it’s aligning with your values, and are ready to make a very full commitment to a very intense but supremely fun and rewarding time: absolutely – even though that single word and this whole review, possibly still falls short of articulating how whole-heartedly I mean that. Read less

Makers is incredibly intense, as expected of any bootcamp, but well worth it. Starting out it's new, which is both scary and exciting. But as you grow and develop with the work you're doing and the coaches to support you, the confidence will start to grow. Pair programming is scary at first, but quickly grew to be one of my favourite parts. As with anything for me, it's the people who help make or break experiences, and everyone in my cohort was lovely. I got on well with everyone and have made friends for life. Having to do weekend work was not terribly enjoyable, but ultimately the whole experience was so worthwhile. Changing careers can be a huge risk, and you have to be willing to put in the time and effort. If you're willing, Makers is incredible and absolutely worth it. Within 9 months of leaving my previous company, I have walked out the other side with a new job and entirely new career ahead of me. Read less

Makers is an intense 16 week bootcamp, teching all you need to know about starting your career as a Software Engineer. The first four weeks of the program are aimed at getting you up to scratch ready for the next 12 weeks of the main course. Workshops are led by friendly and knowlegeable coaches and you will pair program daily to help consolidate the new techniques you've learnt. What gives Makers an edge is that the program also focuses on wellbeing and helping you develop soft skills. As well as technical workshops, there are emotional intelligence workshops with meditation daily and yoga sessions. Once the course is finished, the support doesn't stop there. You get assistance with job searching, writing CV's, workshops to help consolidte your learning further and a lot more. For anyone looking for a career change, I'd recomend this course and say it's the best decision I ever made to attend. Read less

You won't believe how much you'll learn in such a short period of time. Due to its intense nature, it's normal to feel overwhelmed and you're reassured throughout that everyone is in the same boat. There were definitely ups and downs. 

Overall, it pushed me out of my comfort zone and was a great decision as to the first step in my career change. I feel that I've built good foundations in my knowledge and understanding of software development and I am confident in applying the transferable skills that I've learnt to the real working world. 

The job support has been great so far! It's obvious that the careers team love what they do and they will do whatever they can to help you find a job where you will thrive in. Read less

I had a fantastic experience with the Makers Academy program and I am happy to say that I am a proud graduate and Software Developer. The program consists of a 4-week pre-course which helps bring you up to speed with Ruby(programming language) then the 12-week main course covering project-based learning, katas, and weekly programming exercises. I would say that the program is intense and incredibly rewarding but to get the most out of your experience you need to be prepared to dedicate a large chunk of your time for 16 week period. 
Makers follow XP principles which include pair programming and TDD which will give you a good foundation for the real world. Be prepared to lead your own learning which is beneficial as this is a key skill for a developer as learning never stops.

Job hunting support is decent with workshops and a career support team to help you navigate this process. It took me 2 months of consolidating my knowledge and 1 month of applying/ interviewing before I landed my first position. But it took me longer as I opted to job hunt outside of the available Makers Partners. Makers provide a regular list of available positions through their partners through an internal Hub. This allows for a much more streamlined process of finding your first job! I know some of my colleagues found jobs through Makers weeks after graduation! So it really depends on what you feel is right for you. I can say that I am really enjoying my first software developer job with the foundations provided to be by Makers!

I would highly recommend Makers for those who are motivated to make a serious change in their lives, ready to be pushed and regularly go outside of their comfort zone. It really is a good community and environment to meet and learn with like-minded individuals preparing to take the plunge into the world of software development! Read less

It's an intense course but it's amazing how much you learn in just 12 weeks. The coaches run brilliant workshops to help you get a base understanding with key concepts which you then solidify with pair programming every day. Most of the learning is done when working with your peers while the coaches do a great job of guiding students along the right path. You gain valuable experience working on group projects, including a final project to finish the main course which you design from scratch. One of my favourite parts of the team at Makers is there attitude towards the mental health of all the students. From day one it was very clear that this was going to be a safe space which helped build strong relationships between everyone in the course which then also helped with everyones productivity. Read less