Makers Academy

I would start by saying that attending Makers (September 2014 - December 2015) is by far one of the best experiences of my life from so many different perspectives. The learning curve is insane, the people on my cohort and the staff are inspirational and I had the time of my life. 

I chose Makers for a couple of reasons, one of the biggest reasons was simply the feeling I got after having interviewed at a number colleges. The Makers process for entry is a lot more selective, giving me confidence in the marketing message and the course content they would eventually deliver. The atmosphere was collaborative, positive and I felt at 'home'. 

Having now completed the course and started on my journey as an active member of the London developer community, I can also say that Makers take teaching best practices seriously and are actually pretty unique for this approach in the education sphere. At the core of the syllabus is a test driven (TDD) approach, something which not only makes your resulting code more maintainable and adaptable but also makes you a hot commodity in the job space. 

The best  part of the course is the intense learning experience, you do get pushed to the limit! I was at college from 8.30am to 9pm every day for three months and also coding on weekends, so expect to get addicted! 

At this point I need to give a big shout out to their Chief Joy Officer, Dana, who is absolutely crucial (at least from my personal perspective) to your experience on the course. She offers regular meditation and yoga and is there to talk you through any difficulties you are having, both course related and personal. She was a huge support to me throughout the course and is now one of my close friends. 

The only downside I can honestly say is that Makers live and breathe agile (a well used industry practice), what this means is that they are constantly iterating and so every cohorts experience on the course is quite different and course materials that are perhaps not always polished. It does however mean that they are keeping up with what your eventual employers would like to see on your CV and gives you the opportunity to truly learn like a developer.  

The support on the course and post-course, while looking for a job, is one of the big reasons I am still a familiar face at Makers Academy. It has become a hub for my development, and the placements team at Makers are my first port of call for any career related questions I have.  

I was on the course from September to December 2014. I had three of the most fun, intellectually stimulating months in recent memory when I was on the course. I loved my cohort, the teaching style under Enrique's leadership was well-suited to my learning style, and Makers provided a focused, work-like environment without which I never would have learned to code. The CEO, Evgeny, is very receptive to criticism and promotes a culture of openness within the company, among both the staff and the students.

I also cannot say enough good things about the placements team. Samantha, Ruben, and Will really, really go to bat for you. Makers has only been around for two years, but when a group of us went to Silicon Milkroundabout earlier in the year, we attracted a lot of interest because employers could pick out that we're Makers students. I think it says a lot that so far (and it's a tremendous reflection on the placements team) Makers has done a reasonably good job of churning out grads of consistently high caliber.

I've been reading about a bubbling backlash against bootcamps like Makers Academy in recent months, and I think a lot of it is caused by misplaced expectations on the part of students. It's not a magic pill that will turn you into a great coder in 12 (or 16, now, with the precourse work) weeks. That's impossible. The Makers system works really well for people who are reasonably smart, but much more importantly, hard-working, self-aware, and willing to help those around them. You don't need to be a genius to succeed in a coding boot camp. It's precisely because these are the qualities that are found again and again in good developers. If you walk in the door on Day One with the mindset, "I've paid £8000 to be here, I expect these people to make me a developer in three months," you are probably not going to do too well.

You're probably wondering, what is Makers' distinguishing point from General Assembly, or any of the numerous boot camps in North America? I don't know enough about Dev Bootcamp or Hack Reactor, but Makers is much more discerning than GA, particulary when it comes to Test-Driven Development (TDD). Do some research on what TDD and Behavior-Driven Development means before you make your decision. Learning to write automated tests alongside your code is a painful process the first few times, but it is incredibly valuable -- it is often the difference between building something maintainable and extensible versus just hacking together 200 lines of spaghetti code that somebody else has to spend a week untangling later down the line. When you have junior devs who have been coding for 8 weeks already thinking about technical debt before they've written a single line of production code... I think that's pretty awesome.

But, since this is a review, I'm gonna be honest about where Makers still needs improvement. I feel extremely fortunate to have been on the course when I was, in large part because of Enrique's teaching. However, as of November 2014, Enrique is no longer with the company. Neither is Alex Peattie, who left in September 2014. There is currently a lack of experienced senior developers with industry experience on the permanent teaching staff. 

I think Makers also need to better define its target audience. There are generally two categories of people who sign up for Makers: those who want to become developers and those who want to become entrepreneurs of tech startups. Makers is successful at meeting the needs of the first category, but is currently not well-suited to the second category, particularly with the introduction of an entire week dedicated to finding a job placement at the end of the course. If you are just looking to prototype a web app, I would say that Makers is probably overkill.

Overall, I had a great experience at Makers and would recommend it to anyone who wants to make a career change and is willing to put in the effort and time.

Maker's Academy is a well-regarded coding bootcamp designed for individuals seeking a fast-track entry into the software development industry. As a recent graduate, I would like to share my experience with the program, focusing on the curriculum, teaching approach, support, and career prospects post-graduation.


Curriculum:

The curriculum at Maker's Academy is comprehensive and intense. It covers a range of key technologies and programming languages, with a particular focus on Python, Ruby, Java, and web development frameworks like Rails. The program adopts a test-driven development (TDD) approach, emphasizing clean code, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. Throughout the course, there is a good mix of theoretical concepts and hands-on projects, providing a balanced learning experience.


Teaching Approach:

Maker's Academy utilizes a self-directed learning model, encouraging students to take ownership of their education. This approach is complemented by daily stand-ups, code reviews, and paired programming sessions. Instructors are available to guide and support students, but much of the learning is driven by the cohort's collective knowledge and collaboration. This fosters a strong sense of community and mirrors real-world software development practices.


Support and Resources:

The support system at Maker's Academy is robust. Instructors and mentors are accessible, and there is a dedicated team to assist with career advice and job placement. The bootcamp also has a Slack channel, where students can ask questions, share resources, and engage in discussions. Additionally, the program offers a variety of workshops and guest lectures to enhance learning and provide insights into the industry.


Career Prospects:

Maker's Academy has a strong track record of placing graduates in software development roles. The bootcamp has partnerships with various tech companies, which can lead to internship and job opportunities. The career support team offers assistance with resume building, interview preparation, and job placement strategies. My cohort saw a high percentage of graduates securing employment within a few months of completing the program. However, it's worth noting that job success is also influenced by the effort you put into your job search and the current market conditions. Networking, continuous learning, and adaptability play crucial roles in securing a position, and these factors can vary depending on the job market's dynamics.


One potential drawback related to career prospects is that some job descriptions and interview processes can be disheartening due to perceived lack of transparency or unclear expectations. This might not be directly related to Maker's Academy but rather to the hiring practices of individual companies. As a result, graduates may find some interviews challenging or face unexpected requirements, which could impact their overall job search experience.


Conclusion:

Overall, Maker's Academy is a rigorous and rewarding bootcamp that provides a solid foundation for a career in software development. The self-directed learning model may not suit everyone, but for those who thrive in a collaborative environment and are motivated to learn, it's an excellent choice. The comprehensive curriculum, supportive community, and strong career support make it a worthwhile investment for aspiring developers. However, while the bootcamp can open doors, individual effort and market trends ultimately shape career outcomes. Graduates should also be prepared for potential inconsistencies in the hiring process that could reflect broader industry trends rather than the bootcamp itself.

Makers Academy has created a great community and helps more and more people become members of this fantastic, supporting community. The best aspect of this journey for me was the people I met and how I developed my soft skills and my wellness being. 
The courses, coaches and curriculum changes a lot and frequently so I cannot really comment on that, as I know that every cohort gets a different experience. That being said, frequent changes are not a bad thing, they try to adapt and they take feedback very well and create a culture of always seeking and giving feedback. 
The weeks of learning are intense and you will mostly learn a little bit about a lot of new concepts and, most importantly, how to learn and how to find the tools you need to develop your skills to do the thing YOU want to do. 
There is a lot of work to be done after graduation and the job-hunting success relies on the work the alumni will do. Makers career coaches are there to help and support, but they will not find the job for you.

The Course skills you up quickly with enough knowledge to build and deploy professional apps and the job search aftercare is good, they have partner companies that need entry level staff come in a give talks, I got offered a job from one of those companies.
I graduated in December - and the job search was tough several months! Not sure if this was due to economic downturn at the time and the fact it was round xmas where employers are not hiring as much, it did pick up though and I started to get interviews in spring. This Bootcamp did what it said it would do and I have changed careers.

I attended the Makers Academy bootcamp and graduated in early 2023.

TLDR: Was skeptical of bootcamps before I started but am very happy I did now I've completed it.

I had a relatively long and successful career in a different field so I was very worried about making a new start as a SWE. I didn't think it was possible to become a SWE without being a computer science grad. Bootcamps had a strange reputation too - some people loved them, some hated them. After doing a lot of my own research (which I highly recommend to anyone considering bootcamps), I pulled the trigger on Makers and quit my job shortly before starting. The bootcamp teaches you Ruby first, then switches to JavaScript at the end. You get exposure to SQL and MongoDB and there is a heavy emphasis on clean, object-oriented, and test-driven code.  This was the main reason I chose Makers; I wanted to learn and gain experience in as close to a professional environment as possible.  Employers don't want people who write hacky code and have no idea how to test it - which is what a lot of other bootcamps teach. Makers is very focused on making you professionally ready.

Not everyone enjoys Makers. It's self-led so students can sometimes struggle if they were looking for the structures of daily lectures/hand-holding. However, most cohorts support each other either through the designated daily pairing sessions or just because Makers students tend to be super nice people who are willing to help each other. I do wish we had spent less time in Ruby because it's quickly becoming outdated but I don't regret learning the core principles of object-oriented programming in it - it's much easier than many other languages out there. But you get out what you put in. If you work hard, you'll be fine. If you want an easy gig to just coast through, then you're going to have a tough time so I encourage everyone to make sure that you can dedicate the energy and headspace to working super hard for those 3-4 months. You'll be glad you did in the end. In aggregate, I loved Makers. I made very good friends and learned a lot. And although the job market is very difficult for junior SWEs, I came out of the bootcamp feeling very prepared to be a "real" SWE. (Also, the alumni community in London is so friendly!)

Highly recommend Makers - there's no better developer bootcamp in London.

The quality of teaching at the bootcamp was exceptional. The instructors were highly knowledgeable and delivered the material in a way that was both engaging and easy to understand. 
The overall organization of the bootcamp was professional, and I felt supported throughout the entire program. Despite the high number of cohorts and students at a time, the support level was excellent, and everything was well-coordinated and curated.
The curriculum was modern and up-to-date, with a focus on fundamental and high-level concepts that are in demand in the industry. The atmosphere on the course was amazing, and everyone was very supportive, contributing to the overall wellbeing of the students. The bootcamp prioritized personal wellbeing and learning, ensuring that everyone had the resources and support they needed to succeed.
Although the course is very intensive, it is a unique and valuable learning experience that can help you change your career. You may not finish everything in one sitting during the course, but the important thing is to focus on learning and developing your skills. I met amazing people from my cohort and other cohorts, and the course has amazing perks that you have access to even after graduation. 
We worked on very interesting team projects and it was pure fun.
Overall, I am extremely satisfied and can wholeheartedly recommend the course. I am grateful to the entire Makers Team for their support throughout my journey, both in good times and in tough times.

Throughout the pre-course, I was experiencing imposter syndrome (probably not an uncommon feeling for a career changer). However, from day one of the full-time course, the empathetic and patient environment that the Makers team provided, helped me to overcome those initial fears and realise my potential in programming.

With numerous engineering group projects and 'give it a go' encouragement from the coaches, Makers works very well in preparing you for a real-world tech job - so much so, that I was able to draw from many of my Makers experiences when interviewing. The EQ workshops are an invaluable addition, particularly if you're hoping to make the most of those group projects.

After 4 months of intense learning and self-development, I wasn't sure if I had much energy left to look for a job but the careers team had that covered. I have never experienced motivation that abundant and readily available. With job-searching being a daunting experience for me, I made sure to lean on the team and their resources as much as possible and I don't think would have found a job as quickly as I did without them.