Juno College of Technology

At 34 years old I was stuck in a minimum wage job while trying to run my own small business and I wanted to change the direction of where I was going. Next week, I turn 35 and start my first job in the web dev world as a Junior UX Designer/Developer.... Read More I have HackerYou to thank for that! Read on if you'd like to learn more about my journey from Barista to Developer:

At the start of 2018, after a lot of self-reflection and thinking about what I would enjoy doing, I decided to look into UX/UI and web development. At first I was interested in taking HackerYou's part-time UX course, so I set up an in-person consultation with Sam, one of the Admissions Coordinators. We had a great chat, but the UX course was geared towards those who had some experience in the industry/with coding, so he recommended me start with the part-time Web Development course to see if it was something I'd like and be interested in pursuing. Well, I loved it. After that course, I took the part-time JavaScript. I think my instructors Kristen (web dev) and Tiff (JavaScript) had a huge impact on how much I enjoyed learning at HackerYou. I decided to take the next step, applied for bootcamp and got my acceptance letter in June 2018.

You can find the current bootcamp curriculum on HackerYou's site as it changes to keep up-to-date with the ever-changing industry, but in my cohort (Summer 2018), we spent the first couple of weeks revising HTML5 and CSS3, then the bulk of the course focussed on JavaScript, jQuery, React, Firebase, Git and Github. Weekly projects made sure we were practising and using everything we were covering and it also helped with learning how to prioritise our time and work in pairs and groups. The instructor to student ratio was great, so you could quickly ask for help and feedback. By the end of the bootcamp, you will be ready to job hunt with a portfolio site!

What can't be beat is the HackerYou community. I've met the most amazing people in my cohort and made lifelong friends. Everyone had their own origin story and that made it even more interesting and encouraging. There is also so much support in all aspects of the bootcamp. The instructors and staff are all friendly and helpful and they really want their students to succeed. Heather, the CEO worked with us one-on-one after the bootcamp and gave us feedback and advice for our job-hunt. I got my first offer within a month of graduating, and I'm stoked to have had this opportunity.

If you are thinking of a career-change and like learning in a classroom surrounded by amazing students and staff then don't hesitate to choose HackerYou. Set up a consultation, get a feel for the environment and programs, and change your life :)

[I previously submitted a review for the Part-Time Web Development course but after completing the Part-Time JS course and loving it, I felt compelled to write another.]

I just finished taking the Part-Time JavaScript course this fall and have found it... Read More to be an incredible experience that has really expanded my toolkit as a developer and solidified my love of coding/web development. I had previously taken the Web Development Fundamentals course at HY and decided that I wanted to learn some interactive skills and explore web development a bit more before committing to a career change, and I'm definitely glad that I did.

This course is very in-depth and does a great job of giving you a foundation in JavaScript, as well as various libraries, frameworks and developer tools. Although there was a lot to learn and every single class felt packed with content, the course was really well-paced, especially with the timing of the projects. You’re pretty much constantly doing exercises in class to solidify what you just learned, which is very helpful when dealing with something like JavaScript, where a lot of the concepts tend to be a bit more abstract and harder to wrap your head around immediately than HTML/CSS. This is definitely not a course where you can slack off and skip classes and expect to keep up, but if you really commit to learning and practicing the concepts introduced in each class, and use your projects as an opportunity to challenge yourself, you will come out with a really solid understanding of JavaScript and be primed to continue your learning as a developer - and hopefully have a few cool interactive sites/apps you’ve built to show off as well!

As pretty much everyone has mentioned, the environment at HackerYou is really conducive to learning to code. Our instructors were always incredibly knowledgeable, supportive and willing to help, while still encouraging us to think through issues we encountered and empowering us to think like developers and learn to debug our own work. I was fortunate to have some overlap in instructors for my Web Development and JavaScript courses and while I'm sad to no longer be learning under their guidance, I know that they will do an incredible job with all of their future students.

As someone going into the full-time bootcamp program this fall, I definitely feel a lot more confident knowing I have a solid foundation in JavaScript to build on. As other reviews have mentioned, I highly recommend taking this course prior to bootcamp, if that is the path you are interested in. However, regardless of your eventual path, there’s no doubt that this course will immerse you in the core concepts of JavaScript in a positive and productive learning environment, and set you up for success on your journey as a developer.

Before HackerYou I was at a bank, doing a job that simply wasn’t the right fit for me. But through it, I used Excel primarily and realized I could use a programming language called Visual Basic to make some macro. It was then I realized how coding isn’t... Read More as hard as I thought it was, and in fact I quite enjoyed it. On January 2018 I left my job, took the part-time beginner/advanced web development courses, then moving on to the full-time bootcamp.

I don’t think you can find a more supportive environment than HackerYou. I think Heather and her team has done an incredible job fostering the right culture and mindset. I believe almost anyone can succeed here as long as you follow the formula, and you’re not afraid to take that first step.

As an HTML/CSS developer, I have often mulled over learning JavaScript. This past summer, I finally took the leap and enrolled in the part-time JavaScript Fundamentals and Advanced courses at HackerYou.

I chose HackerYou because my daughter is an alumna... Read More and I was a first-hand witness to her excellent learning experience when she did the Web Dev course. HackerYou prepared her well for a web development career and gave her confidence to step into the tech world. She enjoyed the HY community so much that after finishing the program, she went back to mentor in a few courses. 

Now, I can personally say that it was, indeed, an amazing learning experience! To start, HY is a very welcoming environment. Every HY staff I met was nice. My instructors and mentor (Jordan, Trudy, and Garrett) were knowledgeable and very accommodating; they always made sure no one got left behind in class. I liked the relaxed, but well-structured classes. I never felt uncomfortable asking questions.

The code-alongs were very engaging and I liked that they explained what each snippet of code does. I also learned a lot about the coding process—the analysis, the psuedocode, how to approach the solution, the valuable side comments, the real-world tips—things you don’t get when you do an online course. 

The projects allowed us to not only apply what we’ve learned but also to challenge ourselves by doing more than what was required. I was amazed at what I accomplished after only several classes into the course. It was definitely very fulfilling to have completed the final project (API)!

At the beginning of the course, I was worried that I might not be able to grasp JS at my age, especially because the lessons were fast-paced. I’m glad that I took the leap and challenged myself. It feels good to learn a new skill!

Now that the course is over, I plan to continue doing JS exercises and small personal projects. If I don’t get a chance to try my hand at JS at work, at least I can read and understand some of the code other developers wrote and learn from them. The many $, {}, (), [] aren’t foreign to me anymore!

HackerYou’s part-time JavaScript course was an excellent opportunity to be introduced to the language. For people new to coding, such as myself, who might have only dabbled with HTML and CSS, learning JavaScript can be quite daunting as the logic and... Read More syntax of the language is quite different from HTML and CSS. The course does a great job of introducing core concepts and then advancing what can be achieved with those concepts.

What really stands out about the course to me is the freedom of the projects. Students have free rein to create almost anything with their projects. After seeing what my classmates created in their projects, it dawned on me how powerful JavaScript can be.

In university some of my professors felt out of touch with the subjects they were teaching but that is not the case at HackerYou. With instructors and mentors actively working in the field they leverage their own experiences to compliment the course material.

Not speaking specifically to this course but to HackerYou as a whole, the atmosphere is very open, welcoming and conducive to learning. Instructors and mentors are very easy-going and will answer any question that you might have. Even if they don’t have the answer immediately, they do remember and will get back to you once they have the answer.

I enrolled in HackerYou’s part-time JavaScript course with the intention of being introduced to JavaScript prior to HackerYou’s full-time Web Development Immersive bootcamp.

If you are considering a career change or are simply interested in or curious about web development in general, I highly recommend HackerYou!

I was contemplating changing careers, but I wasn't sure which direction to go. I've had several options in mind, and out of all the options, switching to coding seemed like the best one. However, I wasn't sure how to start learning to program properly... Read More (which technologies to learn, etc.), I kept asking myself if coding was something I would enjoy doing on a daily basis, or if I was idealizing it. I've started searching for coding bootcamps in the city, but I didn't want to commit to a bootcamp before I was sure coding was for me. Then I found out about the Part Time Web Dev Courses at Hacker You and realized that was the best next step for me to take.

The Web Dev course will help you both if you are thinking of changing your career path to coding, and if you are looking to get some Web Dev skills that will help you advance in your current career. If you are unsure whether to start the journey of changing careers to coding - this is the best way to test it out and see whether you like it or not.

I've really enjoyed my experience at the Web Dev courses - I went to the Sunday classes because my work schedule was unpredictable - I had to work late, and if I had to go on the weekdays after work - I would never be sure whether I would make it on time to the class, and even if I did, I would be too emotionally and mentally drained by that time. That's why I chose the option of attending on Sundays and that worked really well for me! I really loved my instructor Jazz and mentors Meagan & Allison – they've always been very helpful and supportive!

This course has given me the knowledge required for the HackerYou Bootcamp and I am excited to start the program in October!

Hope this helps you make an informed decision!

When I decided it was time to make a career change I started searching for a coding school, and there are plenty. When it came to HackerYou alumni the reviews had something in common: how their experience were amazing in class and beyond that.

Having finished... Read More their Web Development Fundamentals course I can now say that myself.

Not only the course is structured in a way that you learn A LOT without even realizing, but every single HackerYour team member is an amazing professional that loves what they do, and it reflects on their work. Classes were never boring, it never felt like a chore, it didn't even looked like I was about to spend the majority of my Sunday studying! I was excited about what new amazing things we'd learn that day. Everybody was. HackerYou creates a sense of community, where people from the most diverse backgrounds can feel valued for what they can bring to the table, and what they can learn from one another. Our instructor (Jazz) and our mentors (Allison and Meagan) were always friendly and approachable, no questions left unanswered.

If you want to start coding but don't know how to start, or already have a basic knowledge but want to step up your skills, this is the course for you. If you work with devs and want to be able to communicate with them better, this is the course for you. If you are thinking about changing your career but don't want to make the big jump yet, you guessed it right, this is the course for you! Now I know for certain that I want to go down this yellow brick road. I'm still impressed by how much I've learned in class!

This course is good even if you have 0 knowledge about HTML and CSS, and I mean it. Don't feel discouraged if you barely know how to turn your computer on, in a matter of weeks you'll have a new set of impressive skills!

I recently graduated from HackerYou’s Immersive Bootcamp. It was the best decision of my life. All of the staff, students, and alumni are warm, welcoming and extremely supportive.

I originally took the Part-Time Web Development course thinking I wanted... Read More to learn a new skill, but I never thought that I would actually quit my job and take the Bootcamp. Long story short, this course was the most fun I’ve ever had learning (and on a Saturday!). I immediately knew that a career in web dev and taking the Bootcamp was something I wanted to do.

The best part about going to HackerYou is the amazing group of students and alumni community that you get to be a part of. Graduates help you during the Bootcamp in the form of Bootcamp Buddies and after class study sessions. After the Bootcamp you’re still connected to everyone through Slack. I’ve asked graduates for coding help, references, referrals or tips if I was interviewing at with a company they now work at. And at conferences and events, you will have an instant network of folks to connect with.

All the fun aside, this Bootcamp is more than a full-time commitment, they will push you as hard as humanly possible. You will eat, sleep and breath HackerYou during these 9-weeks. It is the only way to achieve the results they produce. If there’s one thing I wish I did differently, it would be to also take the Part-Time JavaScript course. The students who took this course, or had previous knowledge, were much more comfortable with programming basics from day one.

Getting a job isn’t easy or guaranteed, but I couldn’t imagine trying to do so without the help and tools from everyone at HackerYou!

I’ve been working in client services at various digital agencies over the past 17 years. It’s been a fun ride, but after turning 40 I had a hard time seeing what my future looked like going forward. I realized that I had gained a passion for the digital... Read More craft itself, after spending several years collaborating with internal teams and clients on digital experiences. I decided I wanted to spend the next chapter of my career in the craft working as a web developer.

I discovered that Toronto had several places offering coding bootcamps; this seemed like the right fit for someone like me – didn’t want to lose too much time going back to school for another 4 yr degree program.

I met with several schools and decided to pursue HackerYou – why HackerYou? Aside from the data/stats/reviews which all ranked it #1, it felt most like a community that was really conscious about ensuring the school and student was a true fit. Other schools looked impressive, but I felt more like a prospective customer and they really just wanted “my business”.

After consulting with admissions, it was decided that the best path would be to take the part-time web dev course to prep for applying to boot camp. I took the course, loved it, learned a LOT! Unfortunately, I came up short getting into bootcamp – a bit disappointing, but the reality is they get 200+ applications and only accept 30-35 students per season. I was on a short wait list, so I came close! I was encouraged to apply to the next season’s bootcamp, and in the meantime, enrol in the part-time JavaScript course. I enrolled in the JavaScript course and just finished it!

If you are considering a career path in web development, I highly recommend taking this JavaScript course – assuming you’ve previously taken some kind of HTML/CSS course. The learning environment at HackerYou is extremely welcoming and unpretentious. You get to do lots of practical hands-on work at a nice pace, making the content very digestible. Theory and lectures are great, but when it comes to web programming you have to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty. The instructors really guide you well through each step and give you great tools and tips along the way. It’s a very inclusive class environment and they make sure no one gets ‘stuck’ or left behind. Not only did we have two instructors, there was also a mentor (e.g. teaching assistant) helping to keep everyone up to speed.

Overall, the course has loads JavaScript/JQuery content, giving you the foundation building blocks to get started. Make no mistake, the subject matter is complicated and there are a lot of abstract concepts that will have you scratching your head. But you come away with great material that can be referenced again and again. This stuff takes lots of practice and the HackerYou course content provides a great structure to practice and learn the right way.

I got into the upcoming Fall 2018 bootcamp session and I’m very glad I was able to take the part-time JavaScript course before this – it’s given me the time to digest the core concepts before diving right into the bootcamp. If you’re considering bootcamp, I highly recommend taking this path as well. It takes a bit longer but I think it really helps you prep for success in the long run. Cost-wise, you’ll also get some discounts on the bootcamp if you take the part-time courses, so that’s a nice perk! I’m super excited and nervous about my next chapter, but I feel like having the HackerYou community in my corner gives me the skills and confidence to succeed.

The material was presented in a thoughtful and fun manner. The instructors and mentors made available during this course were AMAZING. Both knowledgable and kind they facilitated a wonderful environment for learning. Beyond teaching the material all instructors... Read More and mentors showcased the collaborative ethos of working through Front End Wed Dev issues.

The only piece of constructive feedback that I have would be to ensure that the class notes are consistent, between links on the class notes and files made available for download.

I would recommend this class to anyone looking to learn about Web Dev, but not ready to take the full time course.