Helio Training

I am writing this review one year after attending Helio Training. Many of the reviews that have been written on this bootcamp seem to come from people who have recently gotten out or are still attenting. I wanted to give this review to describe the challenges, the ups and downs, pros and cons, and how Helio prepared or underprepared me for the real world in web development. 

To start off, I will say that you will not and cannot learn full stack in 13-14 weeks. It is simply impossible, no matter how many hours you spend coding, the concepts will be difficult and will take a lot of time, repetition, building up and burning down projects. With that being said, I believe Helio did not transition the concepts well and I, as a student could not grasp the concepts of Javascript very well. Since it is fast paced, and goes through fullstack, the structure itself is flawed, and leads to confusion, many gaps in knowledge, and lack in competency as a developer. I believe it is professionally irresponsible for Helio to teach fullstack in 13 weeks, it may work better for them to just have a front end course or a back end course for students to choose from and extend it out to be atleast 4 months. 

In my current position, I am a front end developer, and have struggled in the role. Obviously, your first dev job is going to suck and it will have a lot of growing pains for you. From this experience alone, I have realize that Helio has inadequately trained me. Yes, it is important and essential for devs to continuously grow and learn and make this a lifestyle, however, it should be Helio's duty to teach us how to learn these things in a way where it is retainable, which they did not do unfortunately. What I learned from my current job is that it is essential to understand Javascript concepts, what functional programming is and why we use it. Many bootcamp grads do not have the competencies to answer this. At the end of my bootcamp, I could literally not answer concepts in regards to variables, scopes, closures, recursions, etc, you get the point. Helio also does not talk to you about how a dev oriented team operates, and that may throw you into a curveball as well. Its important to know and understand the agile process as well, but that can be learned at your first job. 

As for the career serive, it is and was helpful to me. I was able to get my resume fixed up, and had some connections made. I do wish however that the career services did more follow up and have more connections for grads to get onto. Perhaps, an apprenticeship approach may be better suited for Helio, because many of the grads are obviously under qualified for many of the jobs available in Utah and beyond. 

The instruction I recieved from Helio was disorganized. There was a curriculum laid out on paper, however it was not followed in those orders and became a bit disorganized. The classes were not started in a timely manner, and topics would pivot. The instructor was very smart and well versed in web development, but seemed to lack the passion and enthusiasm that could have really helped other students and myself. When building our projects, we were not given adequate guidance. I do wish that they could have done some group projects based on a concept we learned and build on top of those concepts in the later weeks so that the learning can be better solidifed. Projects are so important to presenting your knowledge to potential employers, so an improvement in that process should be a bigger priority for Helio.

After Helio and a year later, I realize that all the tools I need to learn are online. I spent a couple hundred dollars on codecademy and there are many paths in there to choose from ,I chose web development and data science path, and I actually have learned more from codecademy than Helio and it was $9,900.00 cheaper than Helio. So if you are considering changing careers and going into web dev, I would strongly suggest codecademy first, before considering a bootcamp.

So would I recommend Helio? They have amazing reviews, and mostly positive comments, but the positive comments are from people who come out fresh from the bootcamp,  I urge you to do more research and be more realistic. Finding a first dev job will suck, ALOT. Learning to code will take alot of time and energy, you will have to make a lifestyle change to get this information burned into your brain and Helio cannot teach you that. Can you learn these things on your own? Yes you can. Can you find a job on your own without a bootcamp? Yes you can. Can a bootcamp help? Depends. Helio and other bootcamps may add value because of the career service and people that may hold you accountable. You also work with people who are in the same boat as you. Helio also offers tuition reimbursement if you are not able to find a dev role in 6 months after graduation, however that comes with stipulations, so I would ask about that prior to joining. 

With all that being said, my final note is, just do your own research and come up with your own conclusion, ask many questions and don't feel pressured to join. It is your money at the end of the day and it is your life. 

In my journey to learn how to code and implement these "ideas" we all have...Helio Training was the right choice! I wasn't sure where I wanted to begin my journey but I wanted to be certain the time I did allocate to this new endeavor was done the right way. 

I really enjoyed the classes from the beginning. Although, I can't emphasize how important the pre-work is to get done as you jump right into React after the initial week or two of HTML and CSS. 

I was able to create some connections with peers in the class where we continue to meet, learn, and work on projects together...I plan on continuing with the "shadowing" that's available for 12 months after you graduate from your class/cohort. 

Our company hired some awesome Neumont grads a few years ago, so maybe I went into the class with unrealistically high expectations. As a whole, I've been very disappointed with my "boot camp" skills-upgrade experience.

First, a few things I liked. The instructors were nice guys, I liked the actual facility, and the course outline/syllabus is spot-on with what I was looking for.

My complaints. Despite the instructor being super nice, he really struggled to manage the classroom and cover the content in the syllabus. He definitely did not have the "deep industry experience" I was led to expect. This is false advertising, plain and simple. The instructor did not have significant industry experience, and struggled to explain some basic concepts. It was awkward and I felt a little bad for him.

Helio needs to figure out their classroom technology situation. This is such a fundamental part of their business, I'm surprised it hadn't been thought through. I used a Mac that I bought through them and it constantly had problems staying on their wireless network, crashing, and the display panel was damaged before I bought it. I let the instructor know about the problems and he said there wasn't much he could do to help me because he's "not a network or hardware guy". So I spent the majority of my classroom time without network/internet access. Rediculous.

Alot of time was spent talking about how great the Helio program is. It got really tacky. We were actually pushed to post lots of positive reviews on social media, and they basically told us what we should say in our posts (you'll notice the same recurring points in all the 5-star reviews...not a coincidence). If they spent more time developing a quality product, genuine good reviews would follow.

Finally, the area around their building is sketchy.  Lots of panhandlers and shady characters. After dark I felt totally unsafe walking near their offices. To the north it's pretty nice, but one block to the south is not safe at all after sundown.

If I could do it over again, I would avoid Helio.

I just recently finished the Part-time Full-stack Web Development bootcamp with Helio.  It was a difficult but rewarding course.  I had very little coding experience prior to Helio and with an amazing instructor, mentors in the class, and all of the tools they gave me; I was able to grasp the concepts and execute a full stack web application.  I am confinent that I will be able to get a job.  The connection to Neumont University has been a huge advantage!  I would recommend this bootcamp to anyone who is serious about learning to code and wants a career.  My only caution would be that you better be ready to do the work. 

This bootcamp has been great!  My instructors know the subject matter and I can have my questions answered anytime I ask.  Make no mistake - this bootcamp is hard and you absolutely have to put in the work.  But I'm finding my education at Helio to be extremely valuable.  When I see industry surveys and read web development articles, I can tell the Helio curriculum has been crafted to match up with the very best, current industry practices.

If you want to be a web developer, there is simply no substitute for practice.  Now that I practice coding so much, I'm able to ask very specific questions in class and this is also improving my ability to find answers online.  In fact, that is one of the key skills I've learned - how to find answers through online documentation, example code, and forums.

Overall, I rate this a great experience and I am confident I will be able to upgrade my employment based on my newly acquired skills and knowledge.  Helio is very willing to do everything possible to help me find a new job, so I'm not worried about that.  My advice to others is to come take a Helio bootcamp - but only if you are serious about working hard and practicing your coding.  If you put in the effort, it will totally worth it and you will certainly be rewarded!

I started Helio Training with the hopes of becoming a web developer. I understood that the hard work, sacrifice and determination needed to complete the assignments and contribute to class work was going to be so much more than I imagined. So I studied, practiced coding and attended class everyday ( whether via Zoom or in class).

So far I don't feel like Helio is really worth it. It's part time instructor is incompetent. The course material has been rewritten a few times, and according to the syllabus there's no way we are going to get done in time to complete our projects. We've spent too much time in class talking about things that don't matter rather than working. I put in all this time studying and practicing and I get to class and it doesn't even matter because we're likely not going to focus on the material we're being paid to learn. Overall I feel like Helio just isn't quite there yet. Pass on this one and find yourself something better. 

Helio Training bootcamps are not easy. You don't go from were I was to a full web developer in a couple months by taking it easy, but the instructors and staff are willing to do what ever they can to help you succeed. All you have to do is be willing to ask for help.

The curriculum is very different than other courses and requires a lot of personal work. They expect you to take your learning in your own hands and take the time to practice and ask for help if you don't understand. But if you struggle through it you end up not only knowing about code, but actually how to code, how you like to code, and which rescources you prefer to use. You come out of a Helio Training bootcamp not as a cookie cutter developer, but an professional with your own way of doing things. And you know how to find answers when you run into problems with your code.

The instructor was very willing to spend time outside of class to help me understand and execute difficult concepts. And all the instructors they hire are industy experts who have actually worked in the industry. No boot camp student teachers at Helio.

And while some bootcamps only provide career services and portfollio building for their part timers Helio does it for all their courses, even the online ones. 

Overall, a difficult but worthwile experience. 

I'm reading all these reviews and I really don't understand where the negativity is coming from.  I'm learning a ton in my class and disagree with statements about how Helio represents Neumont or how instruction is not organized.  The teachers are clearly experts and they clearly care about our learning.  I love the personal approach and feel like everyone at Helio wants each of us to succeed.  We have feedback in the form of competencies that are marked off so we can see our progress.  The class is very fast paced but I wouldn't want it to slow down, there's so much to learn in a short time period so it has to be fast.  I would definitely recommend Helio to others. But only if you're serious and willing to spend the time on all the work. Like I said, it is very fast paced.

I would recommend this bootcamp if you are looking for a challenge and really want to learn the full stack.  The instructors are absolute experts in the field, and it is great that they know some much.  The facilities are excellent and it is great to be downtown, with so much so close.  Helio exceeded my expectations.  I have to say that I observed that the most successful students in the first cohort were students that completed the assignment and spent time out of class practicing what was beeing taught.  This bootcamp is not for the faint of heart, or for someone who is not up for the challenge.  I would highly recommend if you are willing to work and be taught high-end full stack JavaScript.  The staff was very helpful and friendly.  I found that the career service help, resume building and seminars were also very helpful. I would recommend to anyone and everyone!

I'm already a developer, but I've been stuck with old school projects for forever.  I'm finally working with a newer project so I took this class to brush up on angular and nodeJS. If you already know anything about coding, avoid Helios. The course was so basic that it was hardly worthwhile. Glad my employer paid for it, ha ha!

Not sure why they do this, but they were always talking about Neumont University and how Helios is the bootcamp version of it. It was confusing, like is Helio just a condensed version of Neumont or is it really for people like me who are just needing some skills updated? Honestly all their talk about Neumont just makes Neumont look bad.  Made it look like Helio was the kid brother trying super hard to measure up, lol.

I should mention that the instructors were great guys and knew a lot.  I think they were just given low quality junk to teach. Overall, my "bootcamp" (bootcamp? wut?) was just really disorganized and soooo painfully basic. I'd skip Helio and consider one of the many other options out there. 

Have really enjoyed Helio. Very grateful that they put this program together. Was heavily looking at other camps, but am very pleased with my decision to try out the new program with Helio. Would definitely recommend.

Pros: The instructors' experience is invaluable. Many bootcamps focus on relevant, but older standards (Angular). The instructors at Helio have an incredible scope of cutting edge industry standards (Redux, Polymer, node.js API's, Docker Containers). They also teach the latest updates and the purpose behind the build for programs like Angular. There are pros and con to both styles, but entering the industry through Helio will make you incredibly valuable to a forward thinking employer.

Cons: The material covered is not as 'fun' as front end dev camps. It is like looking at the outside and inside of a car, or looking at the paint job vs the engine. Helio teaches how everything runs and how to make it run better so your employer can sleep at night. Not as flashy, but extremely valuable. Also not so much a con, but could be if expectations are wrong.

I personally recommend that applicants understand the scope of the course so they can set correct expectations. The focus of the course is not to teach how to make a website look good (front end), but how to make it run well. It focuses much more on website operation and interaction with API's and databases, and crafting testable code. Also expect to do research outside of class if you are new. You have to do the precourse work. I came in never having built a website and had to spend an hour or so a night going over the covered material.

Would definitely recommend to anyone with the dedication to learn difficult material. Incredibly rewarding to go from nothing to building website functions in just a few weeks.

I've been to a couple other coding bootcamps in the area over the past 5 years, and I am not impressed with Helio. I feet like the teacher doesn't really want to be here, and (despite what their website says) definitely isn't passionate about coding. Seems really annoyed whenever someone in the class doesn't understand something. I agree with what's already been said about the weak learning materials as well.  On the positive side, the facility is nice and located close to where I work.

With so many other solid dev bootcamps in the SLC area, don't waste your time with Helio. It is a new program, but they are really struggling with the easy stuff.