The Best Irvine Coding Bootcamps Of 2023

This is a long review, but I know how intense this process can be for those of you looking at attending a bootcamp. It has now been about a year since I decided to attend a bootcamp to change careers. I looked everywhere online when I settled on going to a bootcamp; I read every review, I watched every video on Youtube, I even messaged alumni of different bootcamps on LinkedIn, and eventually, I found my way to Codesmith. For the last 3 months since the program, I’ve considered myself lucky everyday I made the choice I did.
 
 Codesmith is without question, the best educational environment I’ve had the privilege to learn in. I’ve been lucky enough to go to good schools in the past, but I’m really proud, frankly, to say that this online bootcamp has really left them in the dust in key ways. I’ll make a note here that I was hired as a fellow by the program after my time in the immersive program, so if you need a grain of salt to start, there could be one. 
 
 - Admissions: It is worth making a comment right away that getting into Codesmith is not easy, but it is NOT an unjust process like I experienced in other programs. I speak from experience as someone who applied elsewhere, tried to go through admission processes at other places (everyone should have options), and eventually conducted the literal technical interviews for Codesmith myself, the admissions process is doing its job well. I won’t get too lost in the details, but I will say that if you can pass the Codesmith technical interview, you have what it takes to become a software engineer. They test on every quality and detail that I was tested on in a real technical interview for the job I have now. That all said, don’t rush into this process. It is possible, having seen both sides of admissions, to brute force your way through, with time. Do NOT throw $20k into something before you are ready. If you understand, for example, how to add methods to a prototype so they can be inherited by other objects, you could be ready. If you have no idea what I mean by that, do not stress even a little bit; just take your time to learn is my point (:
 
 - Curriculum: The curriculum is fantastic. You will touch all the technologies you need to get a full-stack developer position: Javascript (you’ll be a pro), React, Node.js, Git/Github, etc. However, what you come to appreciate and feel confident in by the end of the program is that you could see any tech, any framework, even any new language, and given realistic timelines / expectations by your team “in the wild” could learn what is needed to solve a problem in whatever tech stack. This is really because — Codesmith doesn’t create cookie-cutter engineers; Codesmith creates first-class problem solvers who communicate empathetically and technically like senior engineers. If you want to understand why outcomes seem so high for this program compared to others, the answer begins with these 2 qualities above all the rest.
 
 - Portfolio: Not a ton to say here, although a ton could be said. It is worth noting that you will have a better time job hunting when you have real open-source products on the resumé. And Codesmith focuses on making you build real, open-source projects before you leave. You don’t want to pay for a program that is tutorial style really, because why not just spend $2k (at most) in Udemy courses and be done with it? Codesmith makes you build in small teams of engineers (like in the real world), on projects that are technically impressive and that are REALLY challenging. You’ll hear “hard learning” thrown around a lot in and out of the program, and there is no form of better learning than solving a bug you’ve been stuck on for 6 hours with a team; this makes a good portfolio for sure.

- Hiring Support: I have so much love for the hiring support team answering every ridiculous, anxious question I ever hit them with, day or night. Codesmith really points you in a direction at the end of the program and teaches you how to carry yourself in interviews in the tech industry. Tech interviews and getting hired generally as a software engineer is honestly very formulaic. It’s almost entirely behavioral / very ceremonial, which was somewhat surprising to me. Codesmith guides you through all of these processes and really do their best to ensure you have support networks (during and after the program) to guide you through the idiosyncrasies of the tech industry. I would NOT have gotten a job as smoothly as I did if it wasn’t for their mentorship.

- Management/Team: This part could be a never-ending rant. I think what you will find, even will find just by attending the free workshops, is that Codesmith is a community of really passionate people that are putting in the work for the right reasons. I truly believe Codesmith only works because the instructors and the management of the organization are people who are passionate about seeing people change their lives. Will Sentance is the founder and owner, and not only will he give your cohort a lecture at the end, but you will get several chances to hear from him throughout the program; could not be any more apparent this person cares about fostering a space for people to change their lives. Eric Kirsten is a senior board advisor that will lead you through the hiring program. Eric is another huge element of the “secret sauce” of success at Codesmith. Takes a certain level of tailored mentorship to get an engineer to negotiate $15k in base salary after only 8-12 months of studying the industry, and Eric will take a hands-on approach to make sure you get that. Phillip Troutman, he’s the chief academic officer, is another key player you’ll hear from often. Let me tell you, part of the secret of Codesmith is convincing students every day they can do everything and anything so that they actually go out and attempt insane feats of engineering; Phillip is the key to that happening. Every program has different instructors, but in the central remote program — Katrina Villanueva and Jared Lewis are *the* reason students understand the core curriculum so well. Their compassion and attention towards student success is without question what makes the CTRI immersive so effective. For the sake of not making this piece of the review endless, I’ll stop here, but yes, there are that many incredible people in this organization.

 - School / Life Balance: There is very little balance. This is my very real, very difficult con for the program that I would not hide from anyone. You will eat, sleep, and breathe Codesmith, which at times will be a lot to handle. This program is hard. You will watch your cohort go lows and highs of imposter syndrome almost daily. It can even feel a bit cult-like, I suppose, at times. But what can I say — you get a room of intelligent people together every day who want to change careers in a (seemingly) impossible time frame into a field that is really challenging and competitive. It isn't crazy to assume that process will be hard, but if you put the work in you’ll be so glad you did it one day. It took me about 10-11 months, from start to finish, from the day I decided to attend Codesmith, to the day I got a job offer.
 
 There are other great programs out there for sure, but if I was to do this all over again, I’d be right back at Codesmith.

I came from an industry outside of software engineering, and LearningFuze has provided the necessary skills and support to changing careers. My instructor, Brett, has been outstanding and is readily available to answer questions. The career services team has thoroughly prepared me for interviewing and provided resume/LinkedIn workshops and feedback. Overall the experience has been excellent and has given me the confidence to pursue a new career.

Attending Sabio has been one of the best career decisions I've made. I used to work in facility maintenance and after just 6 months, I jumped into a career as a software engineer working with one of the top military contracting firms in the U.S., nearly tripling my previous salary.

Sabio curates their coursework that almost identically mimics the actual day to day of software engineer. This could come as a shock to some, as it isn't necessarily a completely hands on approach to teaching, as they slowly ween you off of lectures and teach you to self research and also utilize what they call the Q, a process to which you can speak one on one with an instructor to receive guidance. I almost found this annoying at first, but you learn that this is what the day in life of a software dev is, and that's utilizing every resource you have to solve problems given to you by an employer. I have spoken to a lot of different bootcamp grads all different schools and Sabio consistently comes up as a school that not only prepared the developers in getting a job, but outperforming their peers in the workplace as they have the experience to take care of problems that are given to them. They also stand out by selecting developers to work on an MVP for real entrepreneurs, increasing your confidence on working with a real development team. This helped greatly with the interview process, as you're given real life experience that you can speak on and show off.

I used VETEC to pay for the course, but I've seen some reviews that state Sabio is harsh on VETTEC users, but I do not want those who use the benefit to be thrown off. The VA has strict guidelines that Sabio has to hold developer accountable to. I know this as I initially had an issue for an academic probation, but after speaking with the VA, I was explained of the strict rules that the bootcamps are held to. As long as you follow the curriculum and what is asked of you, you will have absolutely no problem utilizing any VA benefit with Sabio.

As an individual coming from NO computer background what-so-ever, I want to  share my experiences.

First of all, I have a great support system at home that allowed me to focus 100% on this course for 4 months. I was able to take a recourse to prepare me for the full-time program. 

The first month was HARD. I thought I was going to give up. The assignments are fast, and I spent all of my free time studying. It was difficult not to compare where  I stood to others in my class. At my toughest moment, I reached out to my Career Services Manager and my TA. They both helped encourage me and offer support when I needed them. 

I would say the most important take-aways for those looking to join the bootcamp: Make sure you have a support system. Don't compare yourself to others in the class. Stay dedicated and find the motivation behind why you're doing this. 

Coding Dojo has great resources throughout the course, that continue on for 6 months after you graduate. There is also an option to pay more for a yearly alumni pass. 

The bootcamp is definitely tough and fast pasted, but I think it is a good learning environment. The class is designed so that you learn the basics and then practice using more advanced activities, so a lot of the time is spent actually trying things out on your own. I really enjoy how collaborative my classmates and I have become, and the support I have gotten from my TAs and Instructor. 

Hello to everyone reading this! 👋 I came into this bootcamp with very minimal experience in programming I come from being a warehouse lead. I wanted a career change I’ve always been a tech person at heart, breaking things down and putting them back together. I wanted to take the risk and go into a bootcamp and being a local looked at all other options but ended up taking this one and I do not regret it. My instructors have been nothing but amazing! From the first day I felt the energy of the virtual room and took in the guidance he had for us, I have spent a lot of time learning this is not easy by any means. What I suggest is having an accountability partner so you can stay on track with your goals you do not want to fall behind. What I enjoyed is when things finally clicked! My instructor emphasized don't focus on the grades focus on the material make sure you understand it instead of chasing the grade and not understanding what you did. I am currently 3 months in and 3 months to go i definitely recommend this if you’re willing to put in the work and have a great experience here I’ve made friends here that will be my best buddies for years to come.

As a former project manager and data practitioner who was around highly technical people, I developed a strong interest in better understanding and sharpening my technical skills to be a  more active member with a stronger say in the building process of the product. 

Hence, I decided to join the UCLA Full Stack Coding Boot Camp. I looked into many options before making my decision and selected UCLA because I was looking for a good curriculum, strong academic support, and one-on-one tutoring in a balanced form as this is how I learn best. This is exactly what I found every step of the way. 

To any prospective students, I would recommend taking a good look at your learning style and environment and seeking a community that supports that style because the course can be challenging but if you have a strong community of instructors, peers, and staff helping you get to the finish line there are no limits to your learning. 

Nucamp provided me with a unique opportunity to further my skills as a full-stack developer. The curriculum was challenging and kept me engaged, but the hands-on projects and supportive community made it a fun and fulfilling experience. Not only did I secure a certificate in fluency of Bootstrap as a result of completing the program, but I also gained confidence in my abilities and a solid foundation for future growth in the field. I highly recommend Nucamp for anyone looking to break into tech or upskill in web development.

Product school was a great resource in helping me with my industry transfer into product management. My instructor, Toby Martin Hughes, was very informative and is definitely a very talented product management instructor. I am pleased to have attended this class, and look forward towards my career as a PM.

Having just completed the introductory course from August-September 2020 I can confidently say that the introductory program has done its job at helping me determine whether Cybersecurity is a good fit for me long term. In fact, this is the only university program in my area that I know of that offers an introductory course before fully committing hundreds of hours and thousand of dollars into CyberSec. For example, UCLA's extension course did not have an intro and required you to put $12K for the full course, regardless of whether you realized it wasn't a good fit for you early on. Think of it as a sampler before the real thing. 

Aryan, our instructor, is not a racist and I don't like seeing a good professor's name get dragged down like that. As an Asian American I know discrimination when I see it and I haven't seen it in the class at all. In fact, I thought our cohort had a diverse mix of Latinos, Asians, Blacks, and Whites and had a couple women as well, each with their own experience level in IT, and I saw Aryan treat everyone there with respect. Yes, his jokes may fall flat sometimes but remember, we're learning from people in IT, not communications, so it's pretty much a given. Aryan was very helpful and patient in guiding volunteers thru hands-on labs that the rest of the class would follow on their own computers. If you were having difficulties keeping up with the lab there was always an associate professor, who you could ping, and you and him can split off into a separate Zoom call where the associate gets you up to speed. For example, last class I had some stubborn networking issues on my Virtual Machines that prevented me from keeping up so I messaged the associate instructor on Slack and after 15 minutes of fiddling with the settings, got my machines back up and running. I also appreciated how Aryan would relate what we learned that day to something he either experienced during his time at Boeing and Disney, as well as telling us stories of how the best hackers he met had backgrounds you'd least expect, which helped me since I was someone who came from software sales into CyberSec. He also helped us develop good habits early on that would help us be successful in tech, such as being familiar with Slack and using Google for researching solutions. What was also pretty nice about the course was that once it was time for class to end Aryan respected our schedule and didn't lecture over time, but offered to show an actual computer hack to people who wanted to stay for longer. 

The course load was very doable, as long as you stay diligent. Expect to read around 15 pages before each lecture, with most of the pages consisting of diagrams and screenshots and "What is ______" homework questions. Completing the labs were pretty simple as the directions are very clear and the screenshots that accompanied them were self-explanatory. I would highly recommend getting familiar with how Networks work and doing the labs multiple times so you get a good feel for the different console commands in Kali Linux and Windows 10. I thought the technical learning curve was also very manageable for someone with a common grasp on computers. I know as much about computers as the next guy and I was still able to keep up with the rest of the class. In fact, I actually surprised myself with how I installed the Linux and Windows virtual boxes by myself, thanks to the directions on the VM installation labs.  

Would I recommend the Introductory course to a friend? Of course. The ability for you to try out the field of cybersecurity without going all-in is a very helpful feature for those looking for other career options during these *cough* times. Aryan is a solid, albeit quirky, instructor who I could tell is passionate about Cyber Security and the opportunities it brings to those who choose this field. Granted, since this is an Introductory course I think it is a good idea to set appropriate expectations so people don't set one star reviews with the intent to damage a man's reputation. Will this course make you interested in CyberSecurity? Yes. Will it make you into a turbo-1337 hacker in 4 weeks? Not yet, but it does scratch the tip of the iceberg and give you enough of a foundation to feed your curiosity. If after the course you still want to be a turbo hacker, then the Intro has done its job and that's what the extended program is for. 

I highly recommend First Step Coding's  "Bootcamp Prep Course " as an introduction to the curriculum, and format you'll experience in a Bootcamp.
Andy and Shlomy were great instructors.  They have both technical expertise and teaching skills. The  final “interview” with Kurt at the end of the class put me on the data science path. The material from this course gave me a good foundation to start prepping for a bootcamp.
I just graduated from Metis' Data Science Bootcamp, and it all started with the Bootcamp Prep Course.