BrainStation

I had the opportunity to join the Data Science Course at Brainstation and I must say it was such a boost to my skills. I had a basic knowledge of SQL and MySQL but the classes and the ability to teach made me learn quickly. I would highly suggest the course to everyone has deal with big sheets of data. Read less

Amazing course which helped me to the set bases for my data science journey. Not only it focuses in how to get around with Python but also gives extra theoretical information to do analysis. 
The course cover all the major phases when you are working with a data set. From uploading and cleaning it to finally extract meaningful analysis and insights. Moreover, you are available to apply all the knowledge acquired along the course with the different homework you get every class and with the finally project which gives you the possibility to have hand on real data.
Beside, the instructors are very capable and helpful people who help you during the whole journey. Read less

The course was very informative and was at an excellent pace. The instructors took the time to explain the concepts well and were eager to answer any questions that were posed by the class participants. The ability to work on problems during the class and have the instructors post their solutions allowed me to learn by verifying what my thought process was. The final project allowed me to use all the skills I learned in the course to present an actual case and have it evaluated. Excellent course to learn the basics.

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During the pandemic last year, I found myself with more time as work projects slowed down and we were all locked down at home. I was already working in a marketing role, but I wanted to further upgrade my skills in the digital space with some of the more technical skills such as SEO, SEM, paid ads, branding processes, DM tools, etc. 

BrainStation's DM Bootcamp was the most brutal 3 months of my life. However, I learned SO much. It was a really valuable experience. Not only was it a great exercise in regenerating some of my dormant cognitive abilities, but I learned a lot about my own working habits, collaborative work under extremely high pressure/stress, and personal boundaries re: mental health. Mel Greene was my educator and she was AMAZING. She was so organized, knowledgeable, kind, but also firm. She knew how to keep us motivated and on our feet. 

Pro-tip: If you also suffer from anxiety and depression, please make sure you have a strong support system in place before starting the program. I cried, A LOT. Doubted myself, A LOT. I was very lucky that I had close friends and family who were always there to support me when I was overloaded. Deadlines are tight, the workload can be overwhelming, and there may also be tense situations in group settings, so please equip yourself with the right tools before diving into the rabbit hole. 

My feedback to BrainStation: PLEASE provide more mental health assistance for the bootcamps. Bootcamps are inherently tough mentally, please don't make it even harder for those who suffer from pre-existing mental health issues. Much like the career advisors, I think it would have helped me significantly if there was a counselor or a professional to talk to during this highly stressful period of time.  Read less

This course has been instrumental to my career progression! The instructors were well versed in what we need to be successful in the world of data analytics. I am able to follow analytics conversations even more than before and even better I am able to contribute effectively to my professional teams. Read less

After much research on similar programs, I chose the BrainStation UX Design Bootcamp for its varied curriculum and rigorous 12-week timeline. Having spent many years outside of a learning environment, I was uncertain how the immersive educational experience would affect me. My genuine interest and desire to learn propelled me forward throughout the 12 weeks. Seeing the quality of my work climb as time went on, I felt more and more prepared to take my new UX knowledge into the work world. Not having a background in tech or design was never a detriment, as I was consistently able to leverage my previous experiences and stories with the guidance of my Educators and Career Support. The fact that it was a remote learning experience was a plus because most of the jobs available today are remote; online learning helped me acclimate to future work environments. Upon graduating, I had continued support and guidance from my initial applications through salary negotiation once I received an offer.

Because of the solid foundation I built at BrainStation and their Career Success program, I was recently hired as a UX Writer for a FinTech app. 

If you are considering BrainStation, prepare for a highly rigorous and robust curriculum. Much of your work is held to industry standards, and the work you do outside of class is just as, if not more important than, the work you do in class. Get to know your cohort. They are your teammates. Take advantage of 1-on-1 time with educators and TA's. They are your team leads incredible resources. Identify your strengths and areas of interest as the course moves forward. Those are the opportunities that will be most available to you once you receive your diploma.

The tech world is hungry to benefit from the unique perspectives and contributions of those with varied educational and professional experiences. If you feel ready to change the course of your career, BrainStation can give you the tools and support to make that happen. Read less

Came into BrainStation as a recent high school graduate. First thing i noticed was the absolutely incredible teaching staff! Ernie was the greatest and most patient teacher ever and taught the material In a way everyone was able to understand. All of the other teachers and Teaching assistants were just as helpful! Whether we needed help with an issue we had on a project or just to help you and provide moral support, they were always there when we needed. The best part of the whole program was the amazing family the students formed. When we graduated it was the epitome of bittersweet. Luckily, I still keep in touch with many other alumnus and still work on projects and continue building our friendships. It’s truly an amazing thing. I graduated in May and have been job searching until around a month ago when I accepted an offer to an absolutely incredible company! One which was only a dream of mine until the amazing alumni team at BrainStation arranged an interview for me! Throughout the interview process, they provided constant support and amazing advice! I am so beyond great fun for the amazing experience I had at BrainStation! Truly changed my life for the best! I will never be able to thank BrainStation enough!  Read less

The amount of care, professionalism, and dedication you will get from the teaching team at BrainStation is absolutely unique. Everyone is contributing to students' professional and career success from the beginning and is genuinely interested for students to achieve their goals.
The diploma program is very demanding so it will suit only people who are serious about their career transformation as well as can dedicate the needed time and focus. It's a very intense bootcamp but it is very much worth it. 
The industry knowledge of educators is very deep and covers 360 of all sorts of projects, clients, situations. Educators will also help you to understand the difference between future roles and career approaches (agency vs in-house vs freelance). 
So far it has been the best investment in my education.  Read less

Excellent Program if you are planning to do the work. Everything you learn is useful, some of the content seemed out of date or not useful, UNTIL YOU GET INTO THE INDUSTRY. As soon as I got a job out of school I realized how relevant all the content actually is. You need to put in the work to understand the content and be able to use. If you put in the work I can tell you that you will shine at the new company and quickly move up the ranks. I personally have.  Read less

Firstly,  If you’re looking to get a diploma from a non-tradition institution in a short time, this bootcamp is it.

This is an intensive 3-month bootcamp that requires more than 60 hours a week, so only join when you’re prepared to commit. A lot of work, time, and effort need to be put in. Don’t come in expecting to get an easy diploma. Emphasize again because it’s important: you won’t have a life for 3 months if you want to produce good work.

The curriculum gets updated very frequently as the industry itself is dynamic. Di was a stellar instructor that dedicated her knowledge and time into perfecting the course materials, constantly. She was articulated and insightful; she gave great lectures and career advice. I attended some of Josh’s lectures and he was great as well. With Di and Josh, you’re definitely in good hands.

The mandatory projects were difficult and time-consuming but they reflected different industries, which served quite nicely as portfolio pieces.

One con about the bootcamp was: it required a lot of research on the student’s part. In some aspects, only the basics were taught - you definitely need to do additional research in order to complete the projects. Also, during the last 2 weeks, there was a lot of spare time that can be used to teach additional lectures. The curriculum might look different for new cohorts though because the instructors are always updating it.

They also had training sessions on LinkedIn profile polishing, resume/CL writing, and job interview skills - those were spot on. Michael and Lindsay had great insights on the job searching process and they were very supportive.

There are financing options for up to 24 months to pay off your tuition. It was expensive but the reputation of BrainStation in Toronto made it worth it. Remember to also inquire about their scholarships being joining.  Read less

I really enjoyed my course in User Experience Design with BrainStation. I found my new passion and felt that I learned a LOT in twelve weeks! The instructor and TA’s were very helpful and empathetic with everyone. The students were great and everybody helped each other. 

Unfortunately, breaking into the industry is very difficult and frustrating with companies wanting 2-3 year's experience for entry level positions. BrainStation has an intense career success program but it would be great if they collaborated with companies where they could offer job placements/internships/practicums for their graduates to help them get their foot in the door. 

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The BrainStation Product Management course greatly surpassed my expectations. It was the perfect combination of lectures balanced with group work, and I really enjoyed both the main instructor and the assistant instructor. They were engaging and helped us learn all of the content! It was also great to meet so many new people coming from different backgrounds to learn the same material - I really enjoyed that aspect!  Read less

This program will give you as much as you give it. I went in here prepared to dedicate 12 weeks of my life to nothing but studying, and learning. If you put in the effort, the instructors, TA's, and support staff will help you along the entire way. 

I came into this program without any real baseline knowledge, but the amount of skills I've learned in the last 12 weeks have really prepared me for a career in UX. I'm a lot more knowledgable and confident in this field than I ever imagined. You really get immersed in all aspects of the field, and its a great way to see which areas of UX you could move forward with in your career, as you are exposed to the entire end-to-end design process. 

As far as job assistance goes, throughout the program they instruct you with multiple resume drafts and linkedin profile setup workshops along with networking tips. I've just graduated and begun what the program refers to as the "post bootcamp- bootcamp". This is the period in which the actual job hunting really begins. I'm confident though, if its anything like my learning experience, I'm sure this will be just as helpful and supportive, provided you put the effort in yourself. 

It's a fast paced, highly demanding program, so make sure you're ready for it!
But again, don't worry, you'll have all the support you need to make it a super fun and rewarding experience.  Read less

BrainStation was one of the best decisions I made when I was looking to transition from hospitality into a design career. It isn't for everyone, so I would recommend a few things to keep in mind that I'll list below, but if you were wondering if it's worth the money to invest in this Bootcamp with the hopes that you will find employment at the end, you can't really do much better.

I began with the Web Development full-time diploma, then transition to the User Experience Design program, graduated, became a teaching assistant, and then found a job right after my contract was through. Most people in my cohort, both in the Web Development one and the UX one, were able to transition into full-time roles after they graduated. The reason it is likely the same will happen to you too is because they have a super dedicated and present career success team that always emphasizes how they will continue to help you for as long as you need them, months or years after your education is done. 

No matter what program you choose, they will make you work for your grades, and there will be times when you will want to quit or feel burned out. I recommend you expect this to be hard as nails, and to expect having to do a lot of problem-solving on your own. Very little of your hand is held because the point is to force you into uncomfortable situations so that you may solve your way out of them. This encourages growth and it is one of the reasons why so many of us found jobs after graduation. 

Overall, if your goal is to transition from one industry to another, or to find a job in tech that you love, you can do much worse than BrainStation. In fact, it should be your first choice. Read less

Overall BrainStation was an incredible experience, all instructors and staff were fantastic, supportive and kind. There was clear direction during the entire process, and the all resources were clearly laid out and readily available. The learning environment was engaging and had ample content, one thing that could have been improved was some parts of the curriculum which could have had more emphasis and focus.  Read less