About
About
Bitmaker General Assembly offers full-time immersive courses in web development and UX & product design, along with 10-week part-time offerings in front-end web development, user experience design, digital marketing, product management, and data analytics. Startup accelerators launch companies; Bitmaker launches careers.
Acquired by General Assembly in 2016, Bitmaker continues to empower its students to pursue work they love. It starts by surrounding students with a cohort of highly motivated, entrepreneurial learners and a team of tech industry leaders. Then Bitmaker teaches the skills top companies are looking for and gives the confidence needed to grow long after the course is over. The Bitmaker team is comprised of industry experts who have experience working at Shopify, Symantec, Pagerduty, and Wave. Bitmaker believes that in the right environment, you can do anything.
Recent Bitmaker General Assembly Reviews: Rating 4.41
Recent Bitmaker General Assembly News
- Compare Data Science Bootcamp Costs
- June 2018 Coding Bootcamp Podcast
- August 2016 Coding Bootcamp News Roundup + Podcast
Courses
Courses
Data Analytics
ApplyStart Date None scheduled Cost $2,750 Class size N/A Location Toronto Learn a powerful framework to understand data, from exploring and managing data sets to performing analysis and communicating insights. Following the data, rather than hunches, enables individuals and companies to make better decisions. You'll go hands-on with everything from spreadsheet modeling to visualization tools and build a final all-inclusive project with your new skills.Financing
Deposit N/A Getting in
Minimum Skill Level N/A Placement Test No Interview No
Digital Marketing
ApplyStart Date None scheduled Cost $2,750 Class size N/A Location Toronto Marketing has never been more accessible or flexible for small and large businesses. If you need to understand the landscape of digital marketing tools and gain some practical advertising skills, this course is a great starting point. You'll get the skills to create campaigns the right way. Over the course of 10 sessions, you’ll learn how to plan and execute a digital marketing campaign. Each session will include a lecture and workshop combination, giving you the opportunity to go hands-on with top platforms. You'll get to spend real ad dollars on real clients.Financing
Deposit No deposit Getting in
Minimum Skill Level Basic computer skills Placement Test No Interview No
Front-End Web Development
ApplyStart Date None scheduled Cost $2,750 Class size 26 Location Toronto Our part-time Front-End Web Development course teaches students how to build beautiful client-facing websites. Students learn how to go from sketches to code using HTML, CSS, UNIX, and JavaScript. Whether you're a designer who needs to prototype user experiences or a manager who works with technical teams, these skills are becoming as ubiquitously expected as word processing.Financing
Deposit $500 Financing AvailableGetting in
Minimum Skill Level Basic computer skills Placement Test No Interview No
Product Management
ApplyStart Date None scheduled Cost $2,750 Class size N/A Location Toronto Learn to navigate the product cycle, from evaluating users and analyzing competitors to creating an MVP and developing success metrics. Learn how to identify risks and opportunities at every stage of the process to lead a product's creation. You'll go hands-on every step of the way, to build and present a product roadmap.Financing
Deposit 250 Getting in
Minimum Skill Level N/A Placement Test No Interview No
User Experience Design
ApplyStart Date None scheduled Cost $2,500 Class size 26 Location Toronto Learn the skills required to design amazing user experiences. This course will focus on developing and applying course design principles to web and mobile design. You will learn how to create a visual hierarchy with emphasis on the actions you want your user to take. You will use the tools of the trade with hands-on projects in this course to build a portfolio of work. User Experience Design will help you get comfortable working with the restrictions of on-screen design and applying essential principles to everyday design projects.Financing
Deposit $500 Financing AvailableGetting in
Minimum Skill Level Basic computer skills Placement Test No Interview No
UX and Product Design Full-Time
ApplyStart Date None scheduled Cost $10,500 Class size 20 Location Toronto Want to get into the exciting field of UX design? This is the course for you. Learn how to design amazing app and web experiences. Whether you have some experience in another design discipline or are just a design enthusiast, this course will prepare you to jump into your first UX role. This isn't a typical, theory-heavy course. At Bitmaker, you'll develop your design chops with hands-on assignments everyday. You bring it all together in a comprehensive portfolio project that demonstrates your new skills and design thinking.Financing
Deposit $500 Scholarship Grace Hopper Scholarship for Women in Technology. The $500 scholarship is applied to all women participating in Bitmaker’s immersive program – no application necessary. Getting in
Minimum Skill Level Basic computer skills Prep Work Mandatory prep course that includes learning design fundamentals and the basic use of popular design tools Placement Test No Interview No
Web Development Full-Time
ApplyRuby, Rails, JavaScript, Git, HTML, CSS, jQuery, Sinatra, SQL, Front End
In PersonFull Time40 Hours/week12 WeeksStart Date None scheduled Cost $12,500 Class size 26 Location Toronto Our immersive Web Development course has been helping students jump into full-stack development careers for years. Constantly evolving to feature emerging and in-demand technologies, this course teaches object-oriented programming fundamentals and prepares you for a career in web development. By the end of the course, you will have created and deployed several web applications. With hundreds of graduates, our Web Development course is proven to help students reach their goals – whether upgrading existing skills, starting fresh in a new career, or launching their own business.Financing
Deposit $500 Financing AvailableScholarship Grace Hopper Scholarship for Women in Technology. The $500 scholarship is applied to all women participating in Bitmaker’s immersive program – no application necessary. Getting in
Minimum Skill Level Basic computer knowledge Prep Work Mandatory prep course that covers the basics of HTML, CSS, Git, Unix and Ruby Placement Test No Interview Yes
Reviews
Bitmaker General Assembly Reviews
- Web Immersive Bootcamp- 10/8/2015Serguei • Manager • Graduate • Course: Web Development Full-Time • Campus: Toronto
Skepticism is understandable. The bootcamp value proposition does seem too good to be true—and indeed, many bootcamps are overstating their claims about how much value they bring to students.
I’m a Bitmaker alumni, and I firmly recommend its program. It has been one of the most difficult learning curve of my life, but most importantly it made a high-impact! Code is hard and do understate that aspect, but Bitmaker Labs has designed a perfect program to dive in and feel comfortable learning.Your code journey does not stop after the 9th week of Bitmaker Labs Bootcamp and its up to you to sharpen the skill set that has been given to us at the lab. I highly recommend continuing being curious and mastering your skills.
Serguei K.
- My feedback on Bitmaker Labs- 9/8/2015Michael Fich • Graduate • Course: Web Development Full-Time • Campus: Toronto
I decided in May to quit my full time job and take the 9 week immersive web development course at Bitmaker Labs as I had a strong interest in learning Ruby on Rails. The course provided much more detail on the lifecycle of the HTTP request than I had anticipated and also an introduction to TDD as well. The instructors are very knowledgable and helpful, and the entire environment was very fun and welcoming! I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking to learn web development with no prior experience in programming.
- User Experience Course - Bitmaker 1st Cohort- 9/8/2015DS • UX Designer • Graduate • Course: User Experience Design • Campus: Toronto
Prior to the course I was very much into UX but didn't have any training or experience in it. My wife was taking a different course at Bitmaker and she suggested I should take the one about UX. I looked into it more and thought it would be a good idea.
Right from the first class I was really impressed with everything I was learning. The material was very good and they provided a lot of links to read up on your own. I think I learned more outside of the class but overall I think my UX unedrstanding grew tenfold. Especially after going to a UX conference that the instructor suggested.
We worked on a project throughout the 12 weeks. That was very helpfull in practicing our new skills as we learned them. Maybe there could have been a bit more time dedicated to that part during class hours.
Overall, after taking the course I knew that I had to change my career from graphic design to UX and I think that the course provided a solid foundation for me in understanding UX.
- Web Development - June 2015 cohort- 9/4/2015Abby • Course: Web Development Full-Time • Campus: Toronto
I recently completed the 9-week web development course at Bitmaker. After doing a lot of research, I choose Bitmaker because I wanted to learn both front and back end skills, and I they offer the opportunity to accelerate the learning process.
At first I was a little skeptical about the schedule because when you have four hours every afternoon, it is easy to get distracted and be unproductive, however, as long as you are willing to remain focused and dedicated, and put the time into the program, this was the best part of the day. It was during this time I was able to work on the assignments and figure out what concepts I understood and where I was struggling.
I quickly learned that the true value in the course is the instructors and TA's. They all have a wealth of knowledge and experience in the industry. More importantly, they were great at spending time with each student to answer any questions we had. What I really appreciated was that the TA’s would help walk us through each problem and solve the problems ourselves rather than giving us the answers right away.
Prior to enrolling in the course I had no coding skills and was struggling to learn independently, but after completing the bootcamp I have successfully build a web app and I am now able to pick up new skills and have a much easier time learning new languages.
- The Right Choice for a Career Change- 9/4/2015Arya • Web Developer • Graduate • Course: Web Development Full-Time • Campus: Toronto
A graduate of Bitmaker Labs fourth cohort, I joined the program to follow my passion for web development. I chose Bitmaker because I felt it had the most comprehensive exposure to help build a solid foundation for entering the web development world. This included:
- Teaching both front- and backend web development in tandem, focusing on Ruby on Rails, an excellent framework for building a career (and apps!) off of. I felt that other programs in Toronto didn't have as comprehensive a career and instead focused on front-end development.
- A flipped classroom which focused on instructor interactions, of whom there were many. Very approachable and always willing to go the distance to ensure concepts were understood for students. My personal favourite was when students didn't fully understand how the internet worked (for ajax calls), so we had an impromptu lecture on the internet. Lots of lightbulbs went off after that.
- Building a 'community' both within the classroom and outside in the Toronto tech community. Internally, students learned and improved their skills together and got comfortable with pair programming, which is how this industry functions. Externally, we were able to network and get excited for our future.The most important thing prospectives need to realize about coding bootcamps is that you don't become an expert taking these short programs. If you want to become an expert, go back to school for a proper degree.
What this program teaches is a solid foundation for learning web development on your own after you leave the program, and (hopefully) through your new career. Bitmaker does this really well, and for that I'm thankful I was a part of it.
- Web Development - October 2014 Cohort- 9/3/2015Wangdu Duntak • Web Developer/Producer • Student • Course: Web Development Full-Time • Campus: Toronto
I enrolled into Bitmaker Labs as a part of the October 2014 Web Development cohort, and since then I was hired and now continue to work at Kobo as a Web Developer/Producer. Starting out, I had my concerns that my only real formal education in web development was through an after school program in beginner level HTML. I knew I wanted to learn more and so before coming to Bitmaker Labs, I spent many hours going through tutorials like CodeSchool, Lynda, and even Youtube. However, I often found the learning experience to be completely one-sided.
Bitmaker Labs is a platform for learning that pushes you to challenge yourself in being better prepared for the tech industry. Of course, the lessons with the instructors are awesome but I felt like one of the most invaluable resources was the shared knowledge between classmates and instructors on how to better prepare yourself as a junior developer.
The program creates a space for you to not only improve your skills and knowledge in building web applications but the right habits and mentality to accelerate your development.
In a nutshell, Bitmaker Labs is stepping stone to launching new ideas, expanding your network in the developer community and preparing you with the tools necessary to succeed as a developer.
If you ask me whether you should attend Bitmaker Labs, my response would be to simply ask you whether the thought inspires you of being able to create new ideas from paper to full-fledge applications? Are you willing to be engaged and participate with your classmates? And lastly, are you willing to put in the time and effort to learn as much as you can? If so, I would absolutely recommend Bitmaker Labs.
There’s no doubt that there is a lot of work and a lot to be learned. However, if you come into Bitmaker Labs with the right mentality to be involved and excited to learn, the opportunities and possibilities for you as a developer are immense and it’s up to you how you want to plan your next step.
- Nicole • Jr Full Stack Developer • Graduate • Course: Web Development Full-Time • Campus: Toronto
Bitmaker Labs promotes preparing you to step into a new role as a web developer seamlessly in just nine weeks. Can you really learn to be a developer in just nine weeks? I quickly learned by the end of week two that this highly depends on what you’re willing to put into the program. The intent isn’t to teach you everything there is to learn about programming, it’s to equip you with the right amount of both technical and problem solving skills to take your own learning further. Learning how to learn is just as valuable as a technical skill, especially in an industry or environment where things are changing so quickly.
I took the January 2015 cohort and found a full time job as a Jr. Full Stack Developer within a week of finishing the program, where I still work today. At work I'm building web apps with Django and Python, though I knew nothing of either prior to starting. My education at Bitmaker allowed me to transfer my skills to be able to pick up this language and framework quickly. I believe this is a testament to what Bitmaker teaches beyond technical skills.
I had a great experience at Bitmaker and value the non-traditional education route they take. I thought the curriculum was well structured and moved at a good pace. Extra assignments were available to students who were looking for the added challenge. The instructors and TA's were extremely helpful and stayed quite late to help students, especially during the final two weeks. The students that seem to do well are those who are prepared to work hard, work collaboratively and stay inquisitive.
- Amazing course, amazing people!- 9/2/2015Erick • Graphic Designer • Course: Web Development Full-Time • Campus: Toronto
I recently took "Front-End Web Development" at Bitmakers and let me say; it was one of the best experiences I've had in any course I've taken. The instructor was very helpful, the people there always had a smile, and were extremely inviting! They offered after class help, skype help on their downtime, and even give you access to classroom notes even after you've completed the course! This course was worth the money, and I learned a lot!
I'd love to take a full time program in the future.
- Web Development Full-Time August 2015- 9/2/2015Anonymous • Graduate • Course: Web Development Full-Time • Campus: Toronto
The full time web dev program at Bitmaker labs runs for 9 weeks and you learn HTML, CSS, SavaScript, and Ruby on Rails. So far, I've completed 3 weeks of the program and I am really enjoying the experience. I completed an undergrad program in IT, and I pleased with the training approach they are taking. You are being trained with skills that are relevant, right now. It is fast pace, and challenging but not overwhelming. Like any form of education, you get what you put into it and there's Bitmaker offers a lot to someone who wants to take advantage of their resources. The instructors are very helpful and always willing to offer advice and information in order to advance your progress. Weekly site visits, and industry guest speakers really help put what you're learning into perspective. There's no easy route to becoming developer, but if you're a motivated and willing learner then Bitmaker is a good first step!
- Jamil • Growth Consultant • Graduate • Course: Web Development Full-Time • Campus: TorontoBitmaker came in perfect timing when I left a job and was reflecting on what I wanted to do for the rest of the year in 2014. It was a great decision because everything I learned helped me better understand tech startups and better yet the skills I learned and can now demonstrate helped me win countless freelancing contracts and multiple jobs.
- Great investment if you want to code!- 9/1/2015Bruno • Graduate • Course: Web Development Full-Time • Campus: Toronto
I was lucky to have the full time Web Development program included as part of a compensation package from a local Toronto startup. 9 months after finishing the program and I'm in a web-developer role specializing in PHP/CakePHP. Bitmaker taught Ruby on Rails so well that I am now able to pick up new languages and frameworks quickly.The program exceeded my expectations. I was expecting to leave the program knowing how to code. What I was not expecting was how empowered I would feel after finishing. Having access to such incredible staff, who are experts in the industry, make me feel like I can take on any coding challenge or entrepreneurial project that I have in mind. Definitely worth the investment, but like with most investments, what you get out of it is a function of what you put into it!
- Dec 2014 Graduate- 7/13/2015Stella Kim • Developer • Graduate • Course: Web Development Full-Time • Campus: Toronto
It's been two years since I've been through the Rails course, and since I've held a great web developer job with a second one lined up to start very soon. In short, Bitmaker started a whole new career for me, but it's not your traditional assignment-in, assignment-out type of post-grad education experience. Your own efforts are going to weigh on the outcome of the course 100%. There are no grades, only the lessons you learn from going through with something so intensive and life-consuming. And it all hinges on your attitude.
So if you decide to take the adventure that is a full-time bootcamp, I can only give you some realizations of my own:
First, it's going to be more useful once you've got a clear vision of what you want out of it. Do you want to change the trajectory of your career entirely, or are you thinking of making something from scratch as a basis of a start-up? How you approach the course depend on your answer.
Second, it's an opportunity to push yourself to work on stuff that feels incredibly intimidating to you, every step of the way. The whole nine weeks, I was often overwhelmed, frustrated, but ultimately thrilled to find answers to a day- or week-long problem. The satisfaction in having your small wins at Bitmaker are going to be addictive and unlike any sense of achievement you've felt before. Lots of your fellow classmates will have their own personal wins and it feels great to celebrate them together.
One ultimate benefit is to become a self-directed learner. This is an industry where changes and improvements occur constantly, and different ways to solve a problem always exist. The instructors are incredibly helpful, but not a short-circuited ticket to a quick solution. Ask for advice, not a crutch.
It's going to be a life-changing decision if you want and work for it. Good luck!