Code Institute

Pros:
After submitting my final project, 1 month later I found my first tech job.

Cons:
Outdated material on some topics.
A lot of bugs on the code shown in the videos.
A lot of additional self learning.

Overall experience:

I enjoyed doing the course even... Read More though sometimes there were bugs in the code shown on the videos, there was not enough time to fix them or troubleshoot what exactly the problem was so in that case because there was not enough time to study the material properly and complete each project, it felt like I was sprinting through everything to try to hit the deadlines on time.

But in saying that I don’t regret doing the course because it gave me a really good knowledge of coding and exactly what I needed to start my career change, as when I started the course at the beginning I had no clue what HTML and CSS was at the very start. For those that are looking to change their career, doing this course can give you a really good start into getting to the tech industry.

Having the classes with the facilitator and the 3 sessions per project with the mentor were very helpful in general in terms of guidance and additional questions on each project. The slack community is also very helpful.

I am glad I completed the course because the end goal was to get a job in tech and one month after submitting my last project I ended up with my first tech job.

Although parts of the course were fine (HTML, CSS), many other parts were very poorly taught. There's a massive lack of understanding about teaching methodology within CI. I struggled with JS and believed that was solely because it's a tricky language... Read More (which, to be fair, it is), but then we reached Python - which I had a grounding in - and also struggled a huge amount due to the simply bad way that it was taught and presented. Django was taught incredibly badly too. The content has since been re-jigged (too late for me, alas), but it was a hugely disheartening experience to slog through. We were thrown into a Django project for PP4 with almost no idea of how to complete it. I genuinely almost quit at that point, and had to hire outside tutors to teach me the basics which I was missing. I've looked at the new Django content and although it's an improvement it's still not great by any means. The best thing to do would be to drop the Flask section (which I found absolutely awful, possibly the worst taught unit of all, and there are too many frameworks and languages covered already) and spend real time actually teaching Django properly. Django is a massive and important topic, far more time is needed on it. It could easily be a 1 year course in itself.
The most obvious example of bad methodology was my PP5 specialisation content, where we were first given around 50 consecutive videos (not sure of exactly how many but by god it felt like 50) with zero user input - a really bad way to teach - followed by 100+ worksheets to struggle through - again, a really bad way to impart knowledge (plus the worksheets were riddled with spelling errors) - followed by 2 'walkthrough' projects where the student did not have to write a single line of code, only watch along with the videos and click through the pre-built projects. I'm sorry, but this is an absolutely disgraceful way of teaching, on a course that cost a big chunk of money. I cannot say this strongly enough: THIS IS EXTREMELY POOR TEACHING METHODOLOGY. I had to spend many multiple hours on YouTube and Udemy courses, plus hire private tutors, trying to actually learn what CI were supposed to be teaching me, which makes me seriously ask myself why I handed over so much money to learn with them in the first place. I realise that there's a lot of content to get through but SURELY it's better to narrow the scope slightly and teach what's left in a deeper and better way.

Student support was generally good, although the time difference (I'm in Asia) was a mess. Apparently it used to be 24 hour but it's not any more, meaning that at times I took a day off to work on the course, got stuck at 10am and couldn't get any support until 4-5pm, meaning the day had been wasted. Support staff were generally good, though I had a few who were useless.

Half the year was spent fighting with the awful IDE we were pushed to use, lots of the videos are out of date due to subsequent language updates, lots of videos have notes attached with addendums to get around issues that have arisen due to the videos being outdated, lots of videos do not have notes but really need them.

My mentor for the first 4 projects was superb, I can't speak highly enough of her and without her assistance I wouldn't have achieved a Merit grade and honestly probably would have quit during PP4, she was an absolute star. My PP5 mentor was a complete waste of space unfortunately, but I got through it using him very sparingly.

The good thing about the cost of the course was that the money spent forced me to invest time and energy into studying. I've started several free courses and dropped out, but the thought of throwing away so much money did actually get me working hard. So I guess that's something in favour of the course.

All in all though, I simply could not recommend this course to prospective students. CI desperately need to hire people who aren't just good coders but **actually know how to TEACH**; people who've had years in the education industry, not just in the coding industry. The lack of knowledge about how to not just dump knowledge on students, but actually get them to use and understand it is blatantly evident. And I say this as someone who came into this course from a background in education.

My experience with Code Institute has been consistently positive. The weekly stand-up meetings, the tutor support, my mentor, and the program itself are well-structured, and it is a lot of fun to go through the program. I did not have much experience... Read More in this field, but the program guided me well through the learning process, and in the end, I was able to receive my diploma. I can only recommend this program to anyone who wants to dive into the world of programming :)

Participating in Code Institute boot camp has proven to be the perfect starting point for launching a career. The classes and projects are designed to meet industry standards, providing a realistic and practical learning experience. Throughout the program,... Read More I've gained new ideas, learned to use various tools, and developed essential skills in team collaboration. The boot camp's comprehensive approach ensures that every participant is well-prepared for the demands of the tech industry.

The course is structured so that even if you've never coded before, you'll feel comfortable and confident by the end! With a step-by-step approach, it gradually builds your knowledge and skills, ensuring that you grasp fundamental concepts before moving on to more advanced topics. The hands-on exercises and real-world projects provide practical experience, making the learning process engaging and effective.

I highly recommend this course if you're looking to start a new career in tech! The comprehensive curriculum, experienced instructors, and supportive community create an ideal environment for anyone eager to enter the tech industry. Whether you're looking to become a software developer, data analyst, or another tech professional, this course will equip you with the necessary tools and knowledge to succeed.

Participating in this hackathon was a fantastic experience for collaboration, team planning, and problem-solving. It provided us with a unique opportunity to express our creativity while learning new tools, methods, and functions with JavaScript. This... Read More event not only enhanced our technical skills but also fostered a strong sense of teamwork and innovation.

The Diploma in Full Stack Software Development by CI gives you all the tools you need to get started as a Web Developer. From the get-go, they introduce you into the world of web and software development and they bring you from the more visual aspects... Read More (HTML & CSS) into the more intricate details of programming with JavaScript and Python. Support is top-notch throughout and the commulity is buzzing; you are sure to find someone to help you whatever the issue is, and the Student Care team are there to ensure your journey as a Student is as smooth as possible.

I recently completed the Full Stack Software Developer course at the coding institute, and I must say it was an exceptional experience. The program provided a unique and exciting coding experience that truly expanded my skill set. The Tutors, Mentors,... Read More Slack Community, and Student Care were knowledgeable and supportive, and the curriculum was well-structured. I gained valuable hands-on experience and practical knowledge that greatly enhanced my software developer capabilities. I highly recommend this course to anyone looking to delve into full-stack development.

I am based in Ireland, and started the 12-month full-stack diploma in Feb 2023, at that time I knew I wanted to start my own business and had done some entrepreneurial training. I didn't really know what to expect, but as I'd originally trained as a programmer... Read More some 35 years previously, believed I'd have a lot of transferrable skills as had a good understanding of logic, databases, projects etc from my IT project management career. I thought I'd dedicate 3 hours per day on average and complete the course in half the expected time. Oh and I expected I'd learn full stack development and be able to code to order. I also hoped to make contact with other aspiring developers who may be interested in the startup world.
Hmmm well to say I learned a LOT - about development, about myself, about this ever changing coding world - would be an understatement. My experience of the course was that it was fully immersive, I completed 5 projects over the 12.5 month duration (yes, I actually had to take an extension on my last project as found the deadlines too tight), to meet project deadlines I typically put in 50-60 hour weeks for 3+ weeks before each deadline.
In Ireland, each intake group was assigned a cohort facilitator, we had Alan who was brilliant, engaged with our group of say 14 students, and chaired weekly standups where we each outlined our progress, demo'd our projects to date, and got feedback and tips from the rest of the group. This was possibly the most useful support as it pulled me forward when I started to flag, and reminded me of the standards and academic expectations. Speaking of which, my mentor Mo took the time to get to know me, gave a considerable amount of guidance at the start of the course, and referred me to resources demonstrating best practice documentation, coding, testing, visual appearance, and presentation styles.
So - not quite in sequence I learned github, HTML CSS, accessibility, performance and code-standards validation, wireframing, 5 UX planes (strategy, scope, structure, skeleton, surface), responsiveness, structuring a good READme, Javascript, Python, Flask, Agile project setup & tracking in github, Django, deployment and hosting of front- and back-end sites. My final project: a reasonably sophisticated e-commerce solution with Stripe integration and supply-chain features. (I probably learned a bunch of other stuff too)
Code Institute offers monthly faciliated hackathons, I took part in 3 of these; collaborative programming escalated and embedded my learning, and watching how others approached technical and solution challenges taught me a lot. How to work together, shortcuts that weren't even in my awareness, different ways of thinking, and very importantly, creating a pitch that resonates with the from-indsutry judges.
One of the biggest takeaways for me is REALLY improved skills around design (wireframing, UX ), project structuring & tracking (Agile github), validation, and communication. I found CI to be very egalitarian; information shared REALLY helpfully amongst peers; great female support; democratic communication process via Slack channels; students very willing to help one another. Hackathons meant peer support - although in competition, each team will still try to help the others.
Since completing the course 2 months ago I have taken one of my academic projects and brought it to the business world, won a prize in a business hackathon, and received part-funding approval from my Local Enterprise Office and am engaging in a feasibility study. I've getting help from some of my CI colleagues (thank you Georgina!) in building this out to an MVP and engaging in the startup/tech/finance worlds to establish a market for this new site/app.
Would I have been able to do this before CI? NOPE. Knowing I have the hands-on skills to turn to any problem is a big game-changer. I'm not dependent on anyone else to code for me ..... it doesn't mean I'm a brilliant coder, I still have a lot to learn, but I'm equipped to research any gaps. I attend tech meetups and participate equally. My work is efficient. I can verbalise the process to non-tech as well as tech audience.
So in summary I began this course not knowing what to expect and somewhat arrogant about what I'd achieve. I've finished it hugely excited about what's already done, and what I can do in the future. It's not an easy road but its well worth travelling. Thank you Code Institute!

The pros of this diploma course are the invaluable community and access to other students and mentors through the Slack community. The course is really what you make it, like all courses. There are so many opportunities to network and learn. I found the... Read More grading criteria very fair and clear unlike other courses I have completed in the past. The course content is robust for a foundational knowledge in Full-Stack software engineering. I found the lecturers engaging and I liked how they simplified new and abstract concepts to career-changers like myself with no background in computers, science or math.
I invested in this course a year ago to give me a kick-start into my new career and I am very happy with my decision to go with Code Institute and would recommend it to anyone in a similar position.

Code Institute does a wonderful job in introducing you into the wide web of software development in incremental steps. The course is designed in a way that even if you have never written a line of code in your life, you’ll feel very comfortable and confident... Read More with it by the end!

10/10 would recommend this course if you’re planning to kickstart a new career in tech!