Northcoders

I've just got my first job in tech after doing the Data Engineering bootcamp and I am so glad I did the course!
It is hard work with a steep learning curve but the outcomes are worth putting the time and effort in.
All of the tutors go above and beyond... Read More to make sure you're supported both from a technical and a wellbeing perspective.
Couldn't recommend it more!

TL;DR: Worth it if it's free and you're struggling with self-directed learning, but I wouldn't recommend paying for it.

To give credit where it's due, the bootcamp provided a fast-paced overview of modern web development, with decent accountability measures,... Read More challenges, and katas to keep you engaged. It also heavily features pair-programming and group-work, which is a double-edged sword; great buzzwords for the CV and an intro to collaborating on projects, but lacked organisation and really stung if you got unlucky with assigned partners. It was more of a pantomime of Scrum/Agile, as opposed to realistic experience.
If you're having trouble learning on your own, a bootcamp like this can help keep you on track. That said, only while the DfE continues to fund places, I don’t think this program offers enough value to justify paying for it out of pocket—there’s just not much return on investment.

I suspect Northcoders was a more robust and comprehensive experience before the bootcamp boom and the introduction of the DfE scheme, judging by its prior reputation and positive feedback from employers about its graduates. However, it seems like the quality of tuition has dropped off, especially during my time there. Many of the mentors were recent grads themselves, with little to no professional experience, which meant there was minimal support for advanced questions or moving beyond the core curriculum. Speaking of which, the core material was extremely basic—understandably so for beginners—but if you progressed beyond that, you were pretty much left on your own. That’s a big issue, because just "getting through" doesn't adequately prepare you for a developer role, and you likely won’t meet the requirements for even the jobs listed on their own job board.

The whole bootcamp felt like it was designed to push students through in bulk, likely to meet DfE quotas, with less emphasis on actual job outcomes. This was made clear by the weak "careers support," which mostly consisted of recruiter-style staff, generic presentations, and pushing other bootcamps or schemes under the guise of job opportunities. It all felt more performative than a genuine effort to help grads market themselves or their skills to potential employers.

Looking back, I feel like I could have progressed faster and been better prepared if I'd just stuck to a self-guided developer roadmap or free alternatives like freeCodeCamp, Odin Project, FullStackOpen, or CS50. The only real value I got was the accountability, owing to my own laziness. I landed a role in a completely different tech stack, largely due to my own efforts in finding opportunities and marketing myself.

Pros:
- Most lecturers and tutors are friendly and approachable.
- I felt like my cohort mentor genuinely cared about my personal experience during some difficult pairing sprints.
- Course content is what it says on the tin: you'll get a speedy and comprehensive... Read More intro to programming with JavaScript.

Cons:
- The course could be updated more regularly, especially solo projects. Because this has not been changed in I don't know how many cohorts, there are hundreds of bootcamp graduates out there with the exact same CV and the exact same projects.
- Career support is positively disappointing and pretty much inexistent. It was so obvious that my careers mentor did not care that I simply decided to not engage with them. Shallow and impersonal advice, could not get rid of me quick enough during 1-2-1 meetings. After the bootcamp, you are basically left to fend for yourself.
- The options on the job board are very limited, and lately they are even advertising "roles" that basically entail going through other bootcamps or roles that are not software development related. Also, some of the roles advertised are looking for people with a very different tech stack than the one we learn during the bootcamp. It feels like they are struggling to get interest from potential hirers.
- If you do not live in London, Manchester, or Leeds, don't bother applying for this course as most of the jobs offered are based there. Even if you are open to relocating, the pool of candidates (in and out of Northcoders) is so big that they won't consider relocators.
- You're kicked out of the careers group after 6 months.

Right now the job market is super toxic and tough, and even tougher for juniors out of a 3-month bootcamp with no related degree, so if you think you are going to land a job straight after finishing (or ever), think again. If you do decide to go for it, make sure you are not throwing away your job and are financially stable throughout the course and also after as there is no guarantee you are going to get a job anyway.

Bootcamps worked a few years ago when everyone was hiring, but it's not the case anymore; bootcamp providers are still wanting to continue riding a wave that is eventually going to crash. They cannot provide the service or the support needed and are living on false promises and public funding. I'm sorry to write what feels like a very negative review, but it's my personal experience and I feel like bootcamps like Northcoders have turned out to be a complete let down.

I expected Northcoders to be something I had to get through to get into tech but I was wrong. Northcoders has picked me up & run me gleefully into a job in tech. They foster a true sense of community & give smart & caring support. I’ve made friends, built... Read More things I’m proud of and am starting a job as a web developer all thanks to & still supported by Northcoders

Pros:
Learn JavaScript to a high standard and get a taster of lots of other areas.
Very good introduction to development or for those wanting to move to a more full-stack job.
Good for experience of pairing / teamwork / version control.
Stafff are friendly... Read More and helpful.

Cons:
I think it would be hard to get a software developer job based solely on having done this course.
Many of the staff have very little experience themselves.
The job board is quite poor. Not many jobs and many unrelated to the course content.

I definitely learned the subject and became more professional. Got experience of working in team and making full project from beginning till the end. Mentors were nice, overall studying went good for me.
But… there is one main problem: haven’t found a... Read More job after. Have been applying a lot, however, haven’t even reached to interview. Didn’t saw a lot of support from career team, felt lost after the bootcamp, had no idea what to do… and seems that it was not just me, but all my cloud cohort problem as well

I thoroughly enjoyed the bootcamp, it taught me a lot of useful information, and has well-prepared me for a Software Engineering job.

The only negative I have is that I have not yet got a dev role just yet. The job market at the moment is in a bit of a... Read More downturn, and applying to things alongside working a full-time job (not in tech) has definitely made things quite difficult.

An excellent course that covers not only the basics but also complex and challenging topics. I love that you get career support and that the goal is to get a position, not just theoretical knowledge and relevant project experience! By the way, the project... Read More was also great + lovely agile ceremonies like the Retro meeting on our last day. And the tutors/mentors supported and helped a lot. Like I said, the pace was intense, but it was worth it!

Northcoders was a great, in-depth bootcamp. I took the Software Engineering track and the programming provides a very thorough background in front and back end development using JavaScript. The course goes at a quick pace, but there is enough support... Read More to help you if you feel like you are falling behind.

Pros:
What a great experience packed with knowledge. Up-to-date curriculum following closely with industry standards. Knowledgeable mentors, friendly and and welcoming environment from first day.
I would highly recommend Northcoders bootcamp.

Cons: Very... Read More small number of jobs on
Internal job board for London and south of the country area.