iO Academy Reviews
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Matt Tapley Verified via GitHub
From zero to full-stack developer!
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I applied for the full-stack track at Mayden Academy after a family member had taken the course and raved about it.
Now I'd spent the last 18 odd years working in restaurants and bars, which is a very untechnical industry, and was understandably nervous about stepping into a new career so vastly different from anything I had previously known, with little to no experience of the tech world and being well beyond the age of the regular student.
But immediately after starting the course I realised I had made an excellent choice. The guys running the course are exemplary teachers with expert knowledge on a very broad curriculum.
The course in itself is geared towards training you to be an employable, productive member of a development team from the moment you start your first job.
Over the course of a very intensive, and incredibly fun 4 months, myself and the other students learnt everything from the basics, like html and css for building a simple web page, to really cool concepts with regards to programming like oop (object oriented programming) and the principles key to writing code that employers (and other developers) look for in a developer, with focus on php, javascript, their frameworks, using different types of databases, and I could go on. And on!
Another big factor in standing out is the way in which you learn during the time there. The course is split into modules consisting of theory and projects where your team works in a way that reflects how a real development team works, thus preparing you for the real world and making sure you're ready and confident once you leave the relative safety of the course and go out to write code in the wild.
On top of that Mayden is associated with a wealth of really cool hiring partners, all totally engaged in the process, and many regularly come along to project / sprint reviews to see what's been happening, which gives you a great chance of walking into a role after you graduate, from having built relationships with many of them with little or no pressure to sell yourself to a potential employer.
I loved the course most of all for the experience though. In the space of 4 months I learnt loads of incredible stuff, met some amazing people who will be friends for life, had a laugh while I was at it and was employed as a junior developer in a great company the month after graduating.
If you're thinking about getting into software or improving on already existing interest or knowledge then you won't go wrong speaking to Mayden about how they could help.
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Patrick Kenyon Verified via GitHub
A transformative experience
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To put it simply - I cannot recommend Mayden Academy highly enough.
Having researched various coding courses in London I was always put off by the expense of living in London, not working and paying for a course on top of this! I stumbled across Mayden Academy and of course, came here to find out more about the course. The reviews all seemed incredibly positive, almost too positive and I admit I found myself slightly skeptical. It gives me great pleasure to write a similarly positive review now - I am completely convinced!
I won't spend too much time on the course itself as that is covered on the Mayden Academy website. But what really made my 16-week experience so valuable was the: staff, building and job support.
Let's start with the most important thing (in my opinion), the staff. Whilst I was there Mayden Academy had two trainers, Mike and Charlie. My trainer was Mike and he has the knowledge, patience, and ability to make complex concepts understandably that sets apart good teachers. He fostered a relaxed yet focused working environment. Quite apart from this Mike, Charlie and Margaret (the Marketing Manager) were good, friendly people that are a pleasure to be around. An important quality for a 16-week intensive course...
The course takes place in the most incredible Bath townhouse (it must be five floors). It's the nicest place I have worked and will work in future in all probability. The training rooms are in the basement, but it's a very nice environment and opens straight out onto the beautiful garden and you are spoiled by sweeping views of Bath. For all you cyclists out there, there is a secure place to put your bike, a very decent shower, lots of storage for gear and a place to dry wet clothes in the basement. What a bonus!
Mike has been working in tech in the South West for many years and has established excellent connections with tech companies in Bath and Bristol. The Academy itself has a number of hiring partners who come and watch your progress during the two weekly sprint reviews. This is an excellent opportunity to get to know potential employers and for them to get to know you, take it seriously. Mayden Academy also organizes an evening to meet the hiring partners which was another useful opportunity to network. The last few weeks of the course are interspersed with job applications and interviews. Mike is continually posting relevant job opportunities so that by the end of the course 6/7 of the 15 students had confirmed job offers.
Take the Full Stack Track! If you apply yourself and take it seriously you will come out a very employable junior developer.
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Kyam Harris Verified via GitHubHow I became a developer
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Mayden Academy teach you (among many other things) how to use HTML, CSS, Javascript, PHP and MySQL to a high standard. But much more importantly than that, they will teach you how to use these skills in a professional environment, preparing you to work in a real development team.
You will undertake a three-day course on Scrum methodology, which may be a bit alien to anyone from a non-dev background, but it gives you a great insight into some key aspects of programming and developing products in a team. Also, every block of 'theory' has a corresponding week of 'project', which will ensure that you cement in the skills you have learned by utilising them in a real world project - you'll end up making a game, an e-commerce store and a personal portfolio page to show off all of your projects.
The course does go at a brisk pace, and it may well need some hard work reading your notes or working on solo projects to really bed-in the ideas and concepts that get taught. However, the pace that both Mike and Charlie take throughout the whole course is realistic and it is truly possible to start this course without any programming knowledge at all. I would stress that in order to get the most out of the course to follow the pre-joining instructions and complete the online courses that they recommend - knowing the basics will ensure that you can reserve energy for the really hard-to-grasp concepts.
I joined the course after leaving a job in Retail, and accepted a job offer on the last day of the course. I had always written off my chances of being a developer because I lack both a degree and a technical background, but my experience is that taking a course like Mayden Academy can ensure that neither of these is an issue.
Other than preparing you for a role as a developer, Mayden Academy also help you with actually getting a job - this is done with a CV and interview prep session, professional advice on how to improve the design of your portfolio site, as well as a meet & greet evening with their ever-growing list of hiring-partners (18 at time of writing).
Going from beginner to professional-level as a programmer on your own is entirely possible, but without the expertise, knowledge and tutoring of Mike and Charlie this would have taken me many years, as opposed to the four months of the course. Taking the time to do an intensive course like this is, for me, the most time-efficient way of getting yourself those skills and that job
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Robbie Verified via GitHubMy gateway to a job as a software developer
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This is an intensive course that will definitely require work in your own time. It's tiring but worth it. Make the most of each weekend to get plenty of rest...
It focuses on what businesses look for - practical hands on experience that's relevant to employment. The skills learned build on each other so projects get gradually more advanced during the course. It's great to be able to look back over what we built and see the dramatic advancement.
I couldn't have asked for more supportive and patient trainers. Very encouraging of questions and taking the time to make sure everyone has a good understanding of each topic.
I particularly liked the alternating approach of a week of theory followed by a week of putting it into practice working on a project. The projects really helped me identify things I didn't yet understand fully from the previous week, and embedded the theory more firmly.
I am very impressed with such a well chosen group of students - varied skills and interests but all very capable and all worked really well together. I thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with them, and we're likely to meet up and collaborate on one off Saturday projects in future. The excellent judgement in choosing students stands out as one of the most important aspects to me.
The knowledge and experience gained (particularly working as part of a team) gave me much increased confidence which really helped in applying for a job.
If you're wondering whether this is for you, this is what I would say based on my personal experience: Given enough time, it's perfectly possible to learn software development by teaching yourself at home, but learning with feedback from someone who knows what is important is so much faster and will avoid years studying things you just don't need. Also, half the knowledge is how to develop software effectively with a team in person, which you don't get from learning at home. I also learned just how much more can be done with a deadline to work to...
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Vasile Cojusco Verified via LinkedIn
Best experience I've ever had
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About teachers:
Mike and Charlie are really great and supportive, every time anyone stuck or can't understand something Mike or Charlie explain in a very simple way so you can understand not just repeat.
The material is great and the course is quite balanced, so you never feel missed somewhere behind. This course can help you to become a full stack, but for me, I think we spent more time on Backend part, anyway, a month before I found a job as a Frontend developer.Originally I am from Ukraine and moved to Bath for this course. And it was very important not just get new skills, but be supported by people when I am settling, and I got the best support that I haven't expected. All people from Mayden are team players and very supportive, and I really appreciate it.
Recommendations:
If you want to take advantage of this course(actually it is true for any course) you should be prepared. Learn HTML, CSS, JS, and some PHP depends on who you want to be. Take Freecodecamp, Codecadamy etc. try to build some simple projects(freecodecamp can help you with it) so when you will be in academy all your knowledge become structured and expands drastically. As I mentioned above, I found the job a month before the course was ended, but it just because I have started my job hunting in the middle of the course(in the end of the second month). Don't be scared of it as it cost you nothing, but it helps you to be hired immediately.
I definitely recommend this school to everyone.
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Fred Verified via LinkedIn
A Zend Affair
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To be short and snappy: I gained my ZCE qualification!
In just 5 days, Mike was able to deliver a huge amount of content covering most parts of the PHP knowledge required for the ZCE exam which I had taken in the following week, which was considered rather daunting as the PHP codebase is rather large. I was also able to tackle a practice exam as part of this module in preparation for the main exam to get a feel for what sort of questions could come up and how to answer them. Having completed this, I now feel much more confident in my ability to work with PHP as part of my placement year here at Mayden as a software developer. The ZCE qualification is an invaluable addition to my CV and should help me on as I begin a career after completing my degree at University following this year.
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Jen Verified via GitHubA practical education in web development
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Long story short:
Despite being a recent graduate with a degree in Computing and IT, I didn’t feel at all prepared for my new career as a web developer. After just a few short weeks in Mayden Academy, my PHP knowledge went from negligible to good enough to pass the Zend Certified PHP Engineer (ZCE) exam; by all accounts not an easy exam to pass.
After graduating from the Academy I was able to join my new team with a lot more confidence and the knowledge to contribute right from the start.
The less short story:
I joined Mayden Academy for the PHP, MVC & Frameworks and ZCE prep modules. I had a fantastic time and wish I had been able to do the whole course!
Each module was structured in two parts. First you’d learn theory and syntax, interspersed with practical exercises and talks from real developers. What struck me most was how relevant the course is; the materials evolve as technologies and the industry do. After a degree full of outdated materials, this was really refreshing! The insight from real developers was great too, you’d hear lots of anecdotal stories about how you can do X, Y, Z but in reality, most people just do A!
In the second week you’d work on a small team project, applying what you’d learnt over the previous week and prior modules. The great thing about this is that you would get to use tools such as Git, and would use an Agile methodology, so you weren’t just learning to code but all these other practical skills that go hand in hand with the reality of being a developer.
The whole culture of the Academy really suited me. Mike, the instructor, is really approachable and there was time each morning to reflect on what we’d learnt the previous day and to ask questions once we’d had the time to digest everything we’d heard. The other students were really enthusiastic and supportive. Despite quite a diverse group of ages and backgrounds, you could just tell everyone wanted to be there and was passionate about their learning.
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Lucia V Verified via LinkedIn
Crash Course To A Career
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Why I chose this course: I dropped out of school without A-levels because I didn't think it could provide any more value to my future. I wanted to learn relevant job skills, fast, so that I could crack on with life and get a job I love. I wanted to be challenged, taught a lot to a high standard, with support for the "I don't get this at all" moments.
The company that set up the Academy have very high internal standards and started Mayden Academy because they and the UK more developers, with the hope that the graduates would be as good as, or better than, the computer science university graduates that they employ as entry-level developers.
Having met the instructors (real, current developers, not someone with theoretical or outdated knowledge) and discussed the pace of learning and the reasoning behind the course content I knew I would be set in good stead for a career from this course. After all, it was as important to Mayden Academy that I be a good developer as it is to me.What the experience was like:
- Conten and Delivery: As well as how to build and structure things, the content included knowledge on current best practices, why things work the way they do, a history of the internet and each of the languages as we covered them, brief introductions to old practices we might come across in the future and why we no longer use them, specialist guest lectures and discussions on modern tools we weren't using in the course (for lack of time or need). Mike gave balanced overviews of each topic and taught us how to figure things out on our own, too.
- Tools: A special mention goes to the fact that all the tools provided were very good, we learnt to use them very effectively for a fast, personalised workflow.
- Pace and Support: At one point Mike rewrote an entire lesson for us overnight when we didn't get it the first time. He always offered extra support on an individual or team level and continually responded to any feedback we gave him. He also helped me revise for our ZCE exam, gave us all advice when we acted as scrum masters, gave us career advice and at one point helped me solve with some interpersonal issues. Additionally the other developers in the building were always willing to help, they even helped us discover what we loved by teaching us more about their jobs. The nature of the scrum team also meant that we supported each other, we all wanted to help each other move towards our goal of becoming an excellent developer.
- Atmosphere: We had been working in our team in the same way the developer teams around us worked, producing real work that was being submitted to the real world. I grew really close to my team and made great friends with the developers in the building. We came out feeling like software developers.What I got out of it: In writing? I'm a certified scrum master and a zend certified engineer, which helps demonstrate the standard of my education. The experience I've gained in not just writing code but being a software developer shows through in the technical decisions I make and how I approach new problems, this has been invaluable in interviews.
I'm now a scrum-master-slash-developer, I currently work in Typescript using the OOP structures I learnt on PHP. I keep learning every day and I'm a valuable resource to my company, providing robust applications and informed opinions.TL;DR: I'm now a successful developer and scrum master, working effectively in a different language to the one I trained in, using the knowledge from the course daily. I loved the course, every minute of it, it was incredibly valuable to me. But I did get turned down from my first interview for being overqualified...
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Aimée Verified via GitHubGreat Foundation to a Career in Software Development
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I had an excellent experience at Mayden Academy and would heartily recommend it to anyone wanting to jump start a career in software development.
The course is equally divided between theoretical learning and practical projects, so that you get a good mix of real development experience, working as a scrum team to write entire applications to requirements and deadlines, along with a strong theoretical background to programming which can be transferred to other languages.
The curriculum is really relevant and engaging, and the academy instructor and guest lecturers tailor their teaching to your learning style, so it's also a very dynamic program. After trying to self-teach various programming languages over the last few years and struggling to get further than the very basics, I found that being taught in person by instructors with a wealth of experience is the best way to learn, and it definitely helps that everyone is really friendly!
You'll learn more in 16 weeks than you'll imagine is possible, and meet some amazing people along the way!
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Steph Johns
Would highly recommend
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I was part of the January 2023 online cohort for Full Stack Track. I had worked with Mike and iO in my previous job and was aware of their excellent programmes and positive outcomes for their students. I applied for the course with very little programming experience, other than the free materials/courses online (which I would recommend looking into before applying) and doing the free taster course that iO deliver (oh and reading the excellent student reviews!).I had Charlie as my trainer but also had sessions with Mike and Ash. They are all amazing and so knowledgeable. Charlie was able to break things down to relatable subjects which made some challenging content easier to digest.Not only does the course give you a range of industry relevant coding knowledge, but they also teach you about working in Agile and softer skills required (teamwork, team leading, communication skills, presentation skills). The employment/job hunting advice was invaluable. We had support drafting CVs and I had a full portfolio of projects to talk about in applications and at interviews.The course was full on, and you need to be prepared for that but it’s well worth it. You get out of it what you put in. I had interviews during the last few weeks of the course and was offered a job as a Junior Software Developer on my last day.If you are wanting to change career and get in to software development, I would highly recommend iO Academy to help get you there. -
Chloe Smart
The best decision
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I’m so happy I did the Full-Stack Track course at iO Academy. I’m now working as a backend developer and loving it! The course was amazing, I learnt so much and the teaching made it fun and easy to digest. I’ve had some positive feedback about having a good knowledge base since graduating and it’s all from the course! It also sets you up so well for a job, working in Agile and in a small cohort made the transition into working as a developer really smooth. Also the building and surrounding area is beautiful. I grew so much in confidence during the course, all my worries that I couldn’t do it had gone by the end of the course because you get so much support from the tutors. I don’t have anything bad to say, it’s an intense experience but so worth it. I would recommend iO Academy to everyone! -
Alex Mansfield
Great bootcamp - I learnt so much!
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I started the bootcamp with very very little coding experience and initially I was unsure whether I was the right person for the bootcamp. Fortunately, with the guidance of the trainers and knowing that others in my cohort were in the same boat I can wholeheartedly say that this bootcamp is fantastic for getting a solid foundation of what it is like to work as a software developer. Through a well crafted and curated curriculum blending theory with practical exercises, followed up with a mixture of team-based and individual projects to help consolidate the taught content it has prepared me well for interviews and helped me bag my first job as a Junior Software Developer. I thoroughly recommended the course to anyone thinking of a career change or those who just simply want to start a career in tech. -
James McGraw-Allen
Great curriculum and trainers
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I had a fantastic time studying at iO Academy in Bath. Moving from a career in education, I was interested to see how it would be on the other side of the desk and iO surpassed my expectations. The curriculum was set out in a great logical order where you would have to go back on learning you had previously done. The ramp up in challenge was just right. I alternating between theory weeks and project based weeks, where we very early on were taught and adopted the SCRUM way of working. Both of the trainers I had were fantastic, shoutout to Neal and Ash. They really help inspire me and keep me going through. I would recommend this course to anyone considering a career in software. -
Emily Clarkson
Lovely people and great course!
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I graduated from IO academy a year ago. It is truly a brilliant course! It is diverse enough for you to collect a range of knowledge and skills to equip you with a great start in software and find your interest. The teachers are really lovely, very professional and clearly take great pride in making the curriculum the best it can be. I found a job within 2 weeks of finishing and have just had my 1st year anniversary - this course was one of the best decisions I’ve made! -
Michael Sullivan
Fantastic experience
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I couldn't be happier with my experience at IO Academy. The instructors are not only knowledgeable but also incredibly supportive. The curriculum is well-structured and up-to-date, ensuring that I gained valuable skills and knowledge. The sense of community among fellow students is fantastic, and the career support they offer is top-notch. The projects are well considered, challenging and enjoyable. IO Academy has truly exceeded my expectations, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to kickstart a successful career in tech. -
Luke Male
AMAZING
This was a great course and the tutor has been amazing throughout with excellent resources and teaching and brilliant communication. The learning in the Data Science course allowed me to transition to a new career and increase my pay by a third. -
Harry
Brilliant start to a coding career
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Overall, the course was fantastic. It took me from next to no coding experience to being confidently job-ready. I was initially tempted to attempt joining the industry through solo learning but having completed iO's course I think it would be incredibly difficult to be as confident in the range of languages/frameworks and agile processes I was introduced to.
The curriculum starts slowly but the pace picks up very quickly and the course is very full on for the full four months. The trainers, in particular, are fantastic. All are ex-developers which gives them great insight into what companies require and expect from new starters and the small class sizes make the learning incredibly hands-on.
One of the most valuable skills you will learn is working within an Agile team. The class sizes are selected for their similarity to real dev teams and you are introduced early to proper scrum ways of working which you will use on nearly every project. This has helped me bed into the team in my new job as it works in an almost identical way.
The only slightly negative comment I have is the small number of employers that came to our career meet&greet. Only three employers came to meet our class which isn't a huge number, however, I got an interview with two and a job offer from one of those so the employers who come are serious about hiring iO graduates. -
Patrick Holden
Full Stack Track
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I came to iO looking for a new challenge in my career and, having started the course, was naturally worried about the gamble. But the Academy trains you at pace, in the fundamentals you'll need to secure that first job as a junior developer. The workload is intense but exhilarating, and the course is structured so that each week builds on the accumulated knowledge of earlier ones. The four months flash past stunningly quickly, but despite the intensity, I looked forward to joining my 5 classmates every morning and approaching that day’s build together.
When we graduated, the majority of my cohort secured exciting development roles within days or weeks of the course ending. And in my experience, there’s an incredibly supportive culture towards junior devs once you're in post. After your new job has started, you'll also realise that your time at the Academy was actually about developing a methodology, an approach to problem-solving, that you'll use day in day out, no matter what languages or tools the job involves.
I'd recommend to anyone that they put some time into checking that this is the right path for them before committing. There are plenty of free resources (Codecademy etc) online, and you need to be confident you enjoy the process and challenge of learning to code - it will be a big part of your career long after the course has ended. But if development still feels like the right path for you, then go for it! And in my experience, iO Academy can help you get where you’re looking to go. -
Grace Sessions
The best decision I have ever made!
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I joined iO Academy after changing career paths with no coding experience and little confidence. After 16 weeks, I could build applications in multiple languages, solve problems with confidence, and present in sprint reviews. Within a month of graduating, I had a job as a developer in a great company and I had more experience in real industry practices than many colleagues with computer science degrees. The transformation was huge and I am so grateful to Mike and Neal for building and delivering a process that prepared me for the way things are actually done! The bootcamp also ensures that there is good support for women and there are regular check ins along the way. I’m reminded everyday that this bootcamp was the best decision I made and I would recommend it to everyone! -
Laura E
Bespoke Training
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Returning to software development after a 10 year career break seemed like an impossible feat until I discovered the iO Academy and their bespoke training course.
I was able to easily pick and choose which modules I needed to update my skills. Nothing was set in stone so we could adapt the program as we went. I had a mixture of virtual and in person sessions and both worked equally well. Putting theory immediately into practice was not only a refreshing way to learn, but really effective.
I had been dreading restarting my career and was actually pretty scared about finding out out how little I still knew and how much things had moved on but… the sessions were fun and Mike was super encouraging and supportive. What had felt impossible rapidly felt completely doable. I’m now working again and really enjoying it. iO has a really friendly team that I know I will be back in touch to top up my skills if needed. Thank you iO! -
Luke Landau
Full Stack Strack
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As someone with a computer science degree I worried the course wouldn't provide me with the challenge I needed. How wrong I was! The course was intense, packed full of information and side projects, so much so that I coded late into the night most of the week (for fun and to get the most of the course, not a requirement!) Most importantly it gave me the tools to navigate an extremely complex industry with confidence, teaching good working practices and enforcing a doctrine of work-life balance. All in all I would say the course was a winner for me, my career and my general well being. I would highly recommend it! -
rosa drooogers
Great course, amazing teachers
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I absolutely loved the course at iO academy. I had looked at quite a few different bootcamps before I decided for this one, and have never regretted the choice for a moment. What made me decide for iO academy was mainly the small classes (only 8 people), and I do think it made all the difference. With classes that small everyone always had the support they needed, and we all really got to know each other. Since the course is definitely not always easy, it was amazing to have such a nice group of people that could help each other through the tough bits.
The support from iO academy was great. We had several teachers and they were all extremely knowledgeable. Towards the end of the course you get a lot of support with the job search as well; they help you out with your cv, portfolio website etc. I was lucky enough to get a job immediately after the course ended. I'm really loving the work and everything I was taught at iO academy has proven itself more than useful already. I really think they did very well with the curriculum and taught us everything you need to know to start your first developer job. -
Tom H
Best cult I ever joined
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TL, DR - Course good, got job. Believe the hype.
Prior to joining iO Academy (then Mayden Academy), I had no previous development experience other than a few HTML/CSS courses on freeCodeCamp. I'd been working in tech support/retail for longer than I would have liked and needed a change. I'd spent weeks trawling through forums, watching countless YouTube videos espousing (and demonising) bootcamps vs self taught vs university and reading reviews on websites like this one, and after weighing up my options, a bootcamp seemed like the best choice for me.
So, why iO?
- Small cohort sizes. The benefits of this in hindsight have been: more personal teaching, comradery/community and preparation for post-iO life.
- Non-code stuff. Being familiar with Scrum and following the rituals of daily standups, sprint reviews, merge requests (etc) made the transition into my first developer role that much less daunting, and is a huge benefit over going the self-taught/university course route. You don't know to learn what you don't know!
- Easy payment options. Not really having a nest egg to fall back on, the option to pay once employed was a huge plus. Being shorter than a transitional degre
- Support finding a job. The academy Slack job's channel was incredibly hlpful during the search for my first role, and trainers really went above and beyond, helping with my CV, portfolio, tech interviews and just generaly being there for a chat if things were stressful.
Despite the difficulties incurred by Covid, the iO Academy team were nothing but outstanding and professional. The trainers are knowledgable, personable and managed to simultaneously make the single most intense course of my life into the most enjoyable one.
The term "life changing" is thrown around a lot, but this course truly is. Thanks again iO team!
Misc tips:
- Do as much of the pre-course work as possible. Familiarising yourself with some of the vocabulary used will make things easier later.
- Ask for help when you need it (you will need it).
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Helen
Small class size and excellent coach
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I have been ummming and arring for many years whether I should step into software development. I was apprehensive about bootcamps in general but I do not regret joining and completing the iO Academy full stack development course. Our coach Charlie is a great and has the patience for stupid questions! We completed a number of team projects in an agile environment to get you prepared for the real world. We also had many talks from ex-students and also from engineers from Mayden which they are attached to.
My other advice is to make sure you cover all the pre-course requirements so that concepts are not so foreign when you join the cohort and keep adding projects to your portfolio along the way. -
Marcus
Is everything you think it is and more.
I honestly cannot recommend this course enough for people who want a career change like I did. It will give you the necessary skills and more to attain that first role and you will have a blast doing it! -
Estera
The Full Stack Track
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Enrolling iO Academy was the best decision I have ever made. The curriculum and the teaching is very solid and the support received from Mike, head of the school, is surreal. Nothing was too much trouble for him and would help you with the questions at any time even after hours. The most important thing is that we all got job offers from various companies towards the end of the bootcamp. Many thanks iO Academy for helping me to achieve my dream! -
Sam Steele
Life changing
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The course at iO Academy has enabled me to transition from a completely unrelated career into tech. Before the course I was an estate agent and had very little coding experience - 5 months later and I have received multiple job offers from really exciting companies. Something I never thought possible beforehand. If you are worried that you may not have any relevant experience, or your technical skills aren't up to scratch, then don't be. This is what you are paying for - and iO will bring you up to speed. Companies you interview for after the course care about your passion, enthusiasm and current skills far more than previous employment.
The curriculum is curated to give you a solid foundation from which to specialise further. It also caters to different skill levels and the trainers manage to keep those more advanced busy by supplying them with 'stretch goals'. You are exposed to a multitude of different technologies encompassing the full web-development life cycle. This means that you discover more about what you enjoy and the type of position you might choose after the course. In one interview I had, the interviewer mentioned that he was impressed by how much the course covered. The certified Scrum Master certification is a huge competitive advantage as many companies adopt agile methodologies.
The best part about the course though is the people, both trainers and fellow students. Firstly, your fellow students will go through the same meticulous process as you and this ensures that everybody has similar aspirations, despite coming from wildly different backgrounds. This creates a really fun, tight-knit group of people who are wishing for each other to succeed and will continue to be friends long after the course.
Secondly, the trainers are all fantastic and are desperate for you to succeed. I was lucky enough to have Charlie for my course who completely made the experience for all of us. He was so welcoming, knowledgeable and encouraging and immediately put us all at ease. The type of bloke who is hard not to like and you want to go for a few pints with. Since the course has finished, he's helped me with job applications etc and really gone above and beyond. We were also lucky enough to be taught by Ash and Rayna and different stages of the course who were amazing and managed to fill Charlie's big shoes. Shout out also to Margaret and Sophie who helped with everything from the onboarding process to editing my CV.
Overall, an incredible opportunity which will genuinely change your career trajectory in a matter of months. The 4 months is intense, but you will make friendships and massively improve your technical skills. Afterwards, the world's your oyster.
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Maria
Full-stack course
I found IO Academy's curriculum and teaching to be very solid, helping me gain a good conceptual and working understanding of the development process from start to finish. Our trainer, Ash, was extremely patient and clear at every step - no question felt to silly to ask - and he created a very comfortable atmosphere in which to learn and flourish. -
Katy
11/10 Best decision I've made
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This was the biggest thing I have committed to in my life so far, and I would do it all again. Coming from a career unrelated to the software developer industry I thought I would be unteachable, but I was wrong. Applying to iO Academy was the best decision I've made, not only did I learn amazing languages & skills, I met fantastic people. The trainers all have insane knowledge and they give so much of their time & commitment to us. The reviews I read before & after applying confirmed for me this was 100% the right decision, so I hope my review also helps others in my position. This was so much fun, if you are considering iO Academy you will not regret your choice. Thank you to all the trainers & staff at iO Academy. -
Harry
Excellent Support
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Overall iO boto camp course was excellent, they offered an incredibly well-structured curriculum that always kept an eye on employability and real-world skills. Weekly guest lectures gave a sense of the breadth of employment possibilities and project weeks gave a real sense of working on existing codebases and delivering the product within the scrum framework.
A slight overfocus on front end web development stuff and we didn't get onto the exciting React stuff until right at the end but other wise perfect.
during the course I had an accident that required emergency spinal surgery that meant I took a couple of weeks off to recover. After this, Mike the head of the school, gave me one on one tuition to get me back up to speed. I felt this went above and beyond in terms of student support and made finishing the course despite my accident possible. Incredible levels of care and attention paid to students. -
Waseem
Best decision I’ve ever made!
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Curriculum
The curriculum at iO academy is extremely well curated and constantly tweaked to provide students with the most demanded practical skills in industry. It is structured in such a way that enables even a complete novice like myself, to build fundamental skills quickly. Despite covering A LOT of ground in 16 weeks, it also dives deep enough into concepts to allow a necessary understanding - a balance well struck.
The course is a blend of theory and project weeks where you will predominantly complete group projects in a Scrum team. These sprints conclude with sprint reviews, allowing the whole team to present their work to sometimes over 30 people. This aspect of the course helps to supplement the scrum master certification - CSM training (included in the course) with the practical experience of implementing Agile methodologies.
Instructors
One of the defining features of the iO experience is that one instructor will lead your tuition throughout the course. I found that this really helped me to build good rapport with not only the tutor, but with classmates too, as it creates familiarity, trust and continuity within the group interactions throughout. The strong relationships built allowed me to feel comfortable asking what I thought could seem like ‘stupid questions’ (never the case - always important to ask). In fact we were constantly encouraged and challenged with daily recaps to ensure that all students really did understand concepts before we moved on. The patient and thorough answers to my ‘stupid questions’ were definitely moments of key learning when the ‘penny dropped’ and concepts clicked into place.
There are also guest lectures throughout to mix up the learning experience, definitely another well thought out feature of the course.
Job assistance
There is a dedicated day towards the latter part of the course to help ready students to apply for jobs. It covers everything from cv/covering letter workshop, getting your portfolio up to scratch and hosted on their servers, to what to expect during the different stages of application processes. There is ongoing assistance to help you make the strongest applications and to put you in the best position to find a job.
iO host hiring evenings where they invite hiring partners to meet you, creating a semi-formal opportunity for you to get in front of employers and ask them questions about the company and positions.
There is also a constant feed of filtered jobs aggregated from various job boards as well as pre-advertised job opportunities passed on through the vast network of alumni and tutors. The positions are always screened for relevance to iO grad experience levels and offer a reliable source of opportunity without the overload of hundreds of non-relevant postings, often found on job boards.
I managed to secure a job with a competitive salary within the 1st week of graduating from iO! Testament to the world class bootcamp experience you can expect from iO.
Overall experience
I cannot fault iO. The value for money/return on investment outstrips any other educational experience by a long shot. The genuine culture of support and encouragement, as well as inclusivity is the perfect environment for anyone who wants to kick start a successful career in tech.
I would and HAVE recommended the course to my nearest and dearest! -
Ming
Made the right decision
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I had a great experience at the academy and am so glad that I made the decision to do the course. The way the curriculum was structured meant that you worked on a team project to consolidate the week of learning. You were able to practise the theory during each of the 6 or so projects which was invaluable. The tutors were caring and responsive to different learning styles. I come from a non-coding background but started teaching myself the basics of web development about a year before I started the course which really helped my understanding especially during project week. The learning never stops, but thanks to the IO academy bootcamp and the team (special shout out to our trainer Ash), it gave me a solid foundation on which to build on and I was offered my first developer job a week after finishing which was amazing! -
Ben
Great course
The trainers are knowledgeable and encouraging and generally excellent; the course material is up-to-date and thorough; and the job support so far has been great. Highly recommend. -
Arth P
Wish I could do it again
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I am so glad that I took this course! I had no previous coding experience or technical background, so this was a huge switch of mental focus for me. But the support we received during and even after the training is incredible. The atmosphere is very community - like and welcoming. The trainers are amazing - very knowledgeable, approachable and supportive. They are also the most patient people you may ever, ever meet. If I had teachers like that as a teenager, I would be a different person today! I couldn't have chosen better place to start a new career. I am endlessly grateful for the encouragement I received - that definitely helped me to believe in myself and my abilities.
My group started in person and moved remote after a few weeks but it wasn't a problem at all. iO Academy team adapted really well to these circumstances and I found learning on - line even easier. The course is very intense at times but it is manageable and we were actively encouraged to look after ourselves, take our breaks and use our weekends for rest. Trainers are also very adaptable and responsive to any issues or struggles you may experience. I become quite easily overwhelmed and I did it, which means you can do it too!
I would advice starting preparing for the course as soon as you can - the more you already know, the easier it will be. And taking good notes is also important, as they become handy after the training, when you realize you need to go over it all again! -
Richard
Amazing course - can I do it again?!
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Having an established career already, it was a bit daunting to say the least to leave employment and retrain. However, the course at iO Academy has given me the best start to launch my new career that I could have hoped for. It was an amazing experience from the start and I honestly wouldn't change a thing.
The course is structured really well, with a general format of one theory week followed by a project week to put your newfound knowledge into practice. You come out with a solid portfolio of work, which is probably the most valuable thing when starting as a new developer. As you might imagine, it is intensive and definitely hard-work at times. However the pace is achievable and the support is always there to help if you need it.
The agile aspects are invaluable for those who haven't worked in a similar environment before, with the Scrum Master certification being a real bonus. There are also regular guest speakers which are really interesting and a great introduction to life in the industry and the dev community in general.
I couldn't have asked for better trainers - they are really friendly and approachable, incredibly knowledgeable, excellent teachers, and always available and eager to help whenever needed. They are very conscious of continuous improvement, asking for feedback after each module. They also offer one-on-one chats (both planned and ad-hoc) where you can go through anything you need. The whole course is underpinned by an excellent office team, who do a great job at supporting students and trainers alike throughout.
Learning remotely for the majority of the course wasn't a problem at all, in fact I think it actually worked better than it would have done in the classroom with social distancing.
Towards the end of the course there are excellent job planning sessions, including support with CVs, interviews, tech tests, hiring partner events, recruiter contacts etc., which are essential to get the best start to the job hunt.
Overall I am really pleased that I decided to go down the bootcamp route and wouldn't hesitate to do so again if I were to start over. It was an amazing experience throughout and I honestly wouldn't change a thing. I now am part of an ever-expanding alumni of like-minded individuals, who continue to provide opportunities as I start my career.
I'm very happy I made the leap and couldn't/wouldn't have done it without the course - thanks to all at iO Academy! -
Alice McNeil
Do it!
I completed Mayden Academy with an apprenticeship scheme; it gave me all the core information I needed to graduate on the Friday and to start working on industry projects on the Monday. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience I had and would recommend it to anyone interested in fast-tracking their career in software development. -
Bradley
Best 16 Weeks Of My Life
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I joined Mayden Academy with some programming experience, but what I learnt over the past sixteen weeks really enhanced the basics.
The team over at Mayden Academy teach you much more than how to program: how to work as a team, how to think like a developer, how to plan your work and much more. You are taught programming principles generically and not to the languages being taught, being made aware of any quirks that do not apply to other languages, allowing you to easily pick up a new programming language(s) after the course.
Our cohort had to move online, due to COVID-19, this allowed us to learn skills around remote working and being online did not affect our ability to learn at all. The team are willing to chat and adapt at any point to discuss any needs or questions you have and are always there to support you along the way. There is not a single negative thing I can say about the team or the course.
Mayden Academy has given me the confidence to work on applications without questioning my ability. -
Daniella
Truly amazing course and people! 10/10
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Like others have mentioned, I was sceptical reading these reviews as it seemed too good to be true, but it really is fab! I thoroughly enjoyed my whole Mayden Academy experience: the wonderful trainers and everyone helping to run the academy; the other students; the course content; the structure of the course (love the alternating project and theory weeks as it helps you solidify the concepts and build up a great portfolio); the small class sizes; and the great place you get to study. Overall I really enjoyed everything I leant and made some great friends; and even though I attended having barely written any code before and from a totally different career path it prepared my for my first developer job - thanks to the number of hiring partners the academy put you in touch with! Thank you Mayden Academy :) -
Charlotte
Do this course!
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Last year I wanted to change career to become a software developer. I needed to make that change quickly to minimise my time not earning. My friend recommended this course, so I read the reviews (all absolutely justified) and booked my place on a taster session. I loved the atmosphere that evening: positive, enabling and inclusive. I started going to tech meet ups in Bath and Bristol, applied for the course and had a wonderful 4 months in Autumn 2019 learning (and playing) at Mayden Academy. There is tons of support for finding a job and I've been working as a software dev for 4 whole days now: ridiculously exciting! The way the course project weeks are organised is incredibly helpful for the real world and the content is up to date and relevant. Most importantly, the trainers and support staff at Mayden Academy are open-hearted compassionate people who understand what it's like to start from scratch: the support is amazing from them and from the other students. It's life-changing, do it!
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Georgia Connell-Bass
Great Experience! Loved it! :)
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My Coding Experience Prior to the course:
Knew I liked coding for several years but didn't have much experience prior to the course apart from a few bits and pieces with Fortran at uni, Swift and very basic HTML and CSS.
Content:
There is a great balance between keeping up with the latest technologies and developments in the industry and teaching content that incorporates the fundamental aspects of programming that can be universally applied across different languages and frameworks. We were taught coding best practices: code reviews, unit testing, properly documenting our code and backing it up regularly on github. We got to work as a team and individually, on brand new and legacy projects.
Class Size:
There were 2 different classes in my cohort that ran in parallel. Max size 8 people per class up until the point where you can choose your track in week 14 after which my class was 9 so it still stayed pretty balanced numbers wise. The small class size definitely contributed hugely to my learning, you get a lot of 1-1 time with the trainers which was brilliant for clarifying things we'd just learnt or getting some help with a difficult exercise. I think I would have begun to struggle in a larger group of 12 or more.
The Teachers:
I was lucky to get the chance to learn from all the trainers at Mayden who did their best to make us feel welcome and included, accommodating their classroom and teaching style for students different learning needs.
Mike was my trainer for the majority of the course. He taught me not just how to code but how to write code that is good quality, concise and secure. He consistently went above and beyond for his students, sometimes staying late so we could work on our portfolios, giving people help with CV writing, always being approachable for advice or if we had any problems.
It was great to have Ashley around while he completed his teacher training, he brought a different perspective to problems and was a patient teacher, I think he will fly with his first cohort! :)
I took Charlie’s track for the final two weeks: Charlie is very fun and full of energy, he has a very practical approach to teaching which suited my learning style, the track was very exercise based and felt a lot closer to project weeks but with a bit more structure and guidance.
Classmates:
These people really made the experience amazing! Mayden Academy are very good at putting together a team of people that work well together and get on. I made some great friends from the course and I think we all learnt a lot from each other, everyone has a unique approach to solving a problem or a quicker, neater, more interesting way to write code. We did a lot of pair-programming on the course and I found it invaluable it helped to improve my standards and got me to think problems through and be able to explain my process to another person.
Skills aside from coding:
I felt like the course at Mayden Academy simulated what working in the industry is actually like. We pair-programmed, code reviewed each other’s work, learnt the ins and outs of Git and Github for backing up work, we planned projects from start to finish holding each other accountable for our mistakes and for our achievements, we rallied together and supported each other, it was awesome being a part of such a great team! We learnt Scrum, an organisational framework which is used throughout the industry (not everywhere but a lot of places use it or a variation of it) to estimate the speed at which a team can work through projects and breaking down projects into smaller more manageable chunks of tasks. The had daily quizzes and bi-weekly tests (just for your own reference) that helped us gauge how much of the content we had grasped and what we needed to go over. We had a daily meeting as part of Scrum which meant we were always checking in with each other about how everyone’s learning was going and how each project was progressing. These skills have put me in great stead for a job in the industry.
Career Support:
A full day dedicated to interview skills, CV and cover letter writing as well as ongoing support with job applications for the duration and even following the course. I even got some advice with writing introduction emails as it’s a huge blocker for me and I generally put it off so much the vacancy has been filled by the time I actually apply!
The hiring event they put on was initially nerve wracking but ultimately exactly what I needed, it was great to just be able to chat face to face with representatives from really great local companies without the communication barrier of phone calls and email conversations and without the intense pressure of an interview situation. I think we all benefited from this stepping stone into the world of technical interviews and I think personally I owe this networking evening to the job I have now.
Attending with a Partner:
My partner and I took the course together, although we were in separate classes on the prior request of the teachers (this is for several reasons but the one that resonated with me most was that you then get to bond with your teammates better and have your own individual experience of the course). So in my cohort there were 2 classes of 8 and we attended in parallel. It was a great getting to share the experience with one another, we learn it quite different ways so we could help when the other one was struggling and we could talk though a problem together. Both of us have come to coding from different industries so it is nice to be able to share that understanding with each other now as we start our new careers. It was difficult financially choosing to attend together and we had to rely on savings as well as loans from family and friends to see us though so I would definitely consider that aspect as well before jumping in. But it was very worth it in the end :)
