Makers Academy

I have just finished Makers' 12 weeks full-time immersive coding bootcamp and I really enjoyed it.

My aim was to change career and become a software developer. I already had some coding experience before the course, but a few people on the course also didn't have any experience. 

The best thing about the Makers course was the community of students with whom you go through the course together. You work in pairs or teams most days to solve coding problems and work through a very well designed curriculum. The focus of the learning is on understanding bigger coding concepts like Object Oriented Programming, Test-Driving and writing high quality code. And a huge focus is on becoming an independent learner and getting good at solving problems independently by looking things up or finding different ways of approaching a problem. All students start learning the language Ruby to understand basic concepts and become fluent in a language. Later, you switch to JavaScript and from then on I started really getting how to learn new languages quickly. 

Towards the end of the course you create two big engineering projects in teams of 3-6 students, which is very intensive but very fun and helps you put everything learned into practice or use your learning skills to pick up a new coding language and develop an app with that. You learn how to learn effectively as a team - just like in a coding job, to plan together, support each other, divide up work and merge it later. There is a number of great workshops during the course where coaches give you live examples of how a concept works, you can ask questions and see how an experienced coder approaches a problem. The coaches are all very friendly. If you are stuck - especially in the first weeks - there is always plenty of time to ask a coach for help. The coaches then often guide you towards how you could test your code to find the problem and look up a solution independently - this is really great, because you learn how to become independent.

I completed the course as part of a remote cohort - that means I interacted with all the other students and the coaches mostly via zoom and the fantastic chat platform Slack. This worked really well and I don't think I would have learned more if I had been doing the course in person in the office in London. However, there was the opportunity on most days for people from the remote cohort also to go into the office an work from there, which I didn't use, as I don't live in London. Being in connection with the students and the coaches online everyday helped hold me accountable for my learning, so I coded about 7-10 hours every day and made really quick progress.
Now, at the end of the course I feel I really understand how to write high-quality code and can call myself a software developer, although I haven't got a job yet.

After the bootcamp is finished there is a dedicated careers team that will support you with the job hunt, help you learn how to write applications, CVs covering letters and prepare you for interviews with regular workshops. It seems they support you until you find a job - but I have only just graduated, so I can't say this from my own experience. Most other alumni I spoke to seem to have found a job as a junior developer within the first 3-4 months after graduating.

Within 6 months, I have gone from very novice coder to getting my first job as a developer and that is thanks to Makers. And although an intense learning experience, it has also been a refreshing and revitalising break from the world of work where my learning has been the priority. 

The course is 16 weeks long and starts with 4 weeks of pre-course material to do as self-study. This helps provide a good intro and basics needed for the main course. I like that the course starts with Ruby and then you learn JavaScript and get to build web apps in both. I think this leads you to feel more language agnostic and not daunted when looking at jobs that might use different tech as you know you can apply the principles and knowledge you already have to learn new languages. There is a big focus on pairing and also working on group projects, which is great for helping to prepare for life in a tech team as well as aiding your learning. There is no spoon-feeding, you get out what you put in, but you also gain the tools to continue to learn and grow your knowledge as you head on into your career. And to get there, there is good support once you finish the bootcamp and start out jobhunting, with a team of coaches rooting for you to get a job and then celebrating with you when you do. :)

I did the Makers Apprenticeship in 2019 and after more than 3 years I can honestly say that it changed my life.

The bootcamp is demanding, and you will find that there is no easy answer to any problem. What you learn at Makers on top of basic coding skills is how to approach these problems, break them down and deal with them as best as you can.
Don't expect to be taught how to do everything but rather you'll learn how to pick up new skills quickly and put them to use. 
The coaches were super helpful, they are knowledgeable and they support you to find answers yourself.

After working in the industry for over 3 years, I find that I still use the tools I was given at Makers to learn about new tech in my day to day job. 

After the 3 months bootcamp I started working as a software engineer as part of the apprenticeship program and completed my level 4 software developer certification within a year with the support of my placement coach.

This bootcamp and preparing the assignments for the level 4 certification while working was probably one of the most challenging things in my life but it was 100% worth it. 

It's a good idea if you want to change careers and don't know where to start. At makers, you learn fundamental programming concepts with Ruby, and in the second half of the course, you learn Javascript. You learn how to become a good developer and good practices within programming. Works in groups and pairs. And most importantly, always maintain your mental health with daily meditation. There you learn not only to program but also to develop your soft skills. All coaches are attentive and willing to help you until you understand a concept.

Attending Makers has literally changed my life. 

It is quite an intense Bootcamp, as long as you put in the work and effort, amazing things will come.
The structure of the course is great, you start with Ruby and then learn JavaScript. Makers use a lot of pair programming, which I found to be a really great way to learn. 

I managed to complete the Bootcamp and get two job offers in 4 weeks, one of them was an offer at my dream company which I accepted.
Overall, I couldn't be happier 

I wanted a career change and I wanted to do it now! 

I spend some time learning bits and bobs about coding and the web. ( if you find this stuff interesting and enjoyable, stop reading this review and apply to Makers Academy ) 

I was very worried I didn't know enough about coding before applying, once you've touched base with Makers they'll put that anxiety to bed! They advise you on the kind of learnings you should focus on in the build up to starting the course. 

For me, the biggest challenge was building up the courage to apply. So my advice would be to APPLY NOW haha. 

The course is amazing, theres so much for you to learn it can be overwhelming but like I said if you enjoy it, you're going to love the endless amounts of resources. The was absolutely no pressure to finish anything, the main goal is to understand, what doing and what you've done. 

This was a huge concern for some people, understandably thinking, they want to complete everything so they can be the best dev possible. Just by doing your best and taking your time to absorb as much as possible you're going to become a dev employers want.  

Pros:
- Emphasis on pair-programming which gets you ready for the real world.
- The support for job hunting after graduating was really good. Job search workshops to find relevant jobs. TDD process reviews to make sure your ready for tech tests. Interview prep with a coach to make sure you're ready what what might be asked in the interview. All of these make it easier to feel confident in the interview processes.

Cons:
- The course is self-taught for the most part.  This actually is also a pro as it helps you in the long run. After graduating, you'll be pleased you learnt how to teach yourself as this is a key skill as a developer.
- There perhaps could have been more support offered on certain topics such as APIs and deployment of apps.

Overall - I would recommend Makers Academy if you enjoy working with others and are serious about changing careers. It is an intense learning experience that is challenging and takes you out of your comfort zone. Coding with like-minded individuals gets you ready for the world of work.

I had a great time at Makers. I was a bit scared of pair programming with someone different every day, and didn't think this was a good idea, but it ended up being one of my favourite things about the course. Makers gave me a very solid foundation to develop my engineering skills on, including concepts like TDD, OOP, and solid principles. The community is great, a very positive environment, and people really get out of their way to help. The career support team after the course is also amazing, and I still can't believe I got a job in less than three months after the course.

It is challenging and intense, but so rewarding to reflect on how much you have learned within 12 weeks. I was really impressed at the efforst Makers puts into mental wellbeing and peer support - with EQ workshops, peer group sessions, meditation etc. Most importantly, what has really struck me after reaching the end of my Makers bootcamp is the opportunity to meet a whole new community of incredibly talented and interesting people - a rare opportunity as an adult. You share an intense 12 week learning experience together, you learn together, work together, share intense challenges together. Not only have you come out of Makers with an entirely new technical skillset, but you have come out with a new professional network of incredibly talented people who are going to be working in the same industry as you. The alumni community is also brilliant. Would recommend it!

My experience at Makers Academy has been nothing short of awesome. Sure, I could have taught myself how to loosely code, but I wouldn't have made the connections, friendships, or solid coding practices without them. They provide you with fantastic resources, coaching help, practices that you can take into your career. The after Makers support has been better than any of the other courses I've taken. The mentorship program has been an added touch that has helped me keep from getting overwhelmed. If you're unsure, just do it or talk to a past Maker! There isn't a person I've met, who has said they should have waited or not taken the course! 

Pros

Makers has a very supportive, progressive atmosphere and culture. I started last year and had to defer because I got ill, and the coaches were really helpful. I started again later in the year and completed the course last week. 

The coaches are fab. You do have to reach out to them if you need something but once you do, they are very supportive. If you have any health issue or you’re finding the course stressful – speak to a coach!

 I have some health issues and they were really helpful, kind and proactive in their support. 

I got a job immediately the end of the course through a personal contact, so I cannot speak for the careers side from personal experience, but from what I can tell from the cohort I started with last year, everyone seems to have good jobs that they enjoy. The careers service seems very comprehensive too, and I had CV support as soon as I asked for it. 

The pairing and team work that you do at Makers is a real strength of the bootcamp and this cannot be replicated by trying to teach yourself coding. I feel much more relaxed and confident working with other people because of all the pairing and groupwork. I’ve met some amazing people through Makers and I hope I end up working with some of them sometime during my career. We had a lot of laughs as well as bonded over seemingly impossible problems (which all got solved in the end).

Cons
Some of the materials need proof-reading and can be a bit difficult to understand when they don’t need to be. I can imagine this might be an additional challenge if English is not your native language.

Sometimes it can feel a bit like you’re on your own, working through self-led learning materials. There isn’t a great deal of teaching (a couple of coach-led workshops most weeks) which can sometimes be frustrating. The idea is that you learn to figure things out for yourself, but I think Makers should hire some more coaches to be able to answer learners’ queries more quickly as there was sometimes a bit of a wait to get coach input. I cannot fault any of the individual coaches, but as a course provider, it feels like there needs to be a few more coaches. 

Conclusion

Makers was a great experience and I’m delighted to have finished it. I definitely feel ready to take on a junior developer role, and I’ve been offered a decent paying job the week I finished. As a way into a career in software development, I would recommend Makers. It can feel a little frustrating sometimes during the process, but the course gets you job ready and in a good position to apply for junior dev roles.