Overall, I've attended 3 courses with HackerYou, in about a year and a half. I started with the Intro to Web Development course, then took the bootcamp in Winter 2016, then most recently, I took the Intro to Full Stack course. HackerYou has exceeded my expectations with each course. Before HackerYou, I was a web content coordinator with a non-profit. I enjoyed working with the web and dabbling in code, but in my organization I had reached the height of my career path. I found HackerYou through Ladies Learning Code and was impressed with their inclusive attitude as well as their friendly staff. I very much wanted to be a part of the next bootcamp and kickstart my career shift, so I applied. When interviewing with Heather I realized I didn't know as much about coding as I thought I did - and she suggested I take the part time Intro to web dev class and then I would be prepared for bootcamp. Honestly, I was disappointed because my initial thought was that they wanted more money. But, I was very much wanting to switch careers, and I had heard very good things, so I went into the Intro class cautiously. The intro class ended up being the right decision. Within a few weeks, I was quickly learning about new concepts that made way more sense then the outdated web practices that my job used, and learned much more than I had learned on my own. It gave me a great base, and I went into the bootcamp more prepared than I would have been. I look back now and know that I would have struggled every step of the way in the bootcamp if HY didn't make that recommendation for my learning plan. The bootcamp was very challenging, but the environment was so supportive, the instructors were available for questions, and once they went home, the alumni helped us bootcampers constantly. The job hunt support after bootcamp was great, as job hunting can be demoralizing. Heather and the team were extremely helpful in job seeker meetings, pep talks and once the time came to accept an offer, in contract negotiation. In addition to the technical skills, I learned how to conduct an efficient job hunt, something I had never considered as a life skill before. I got a job as a front-end developer 8 weeks from my last day of the bootcamp, and I was one of the last of my classmates. I loved learning at HackerYou so much, that I continued my learning in their full stack course. The skills that I learned in that class have helped me take on a more full stack role in my current position, and I know that should I look for a new role, the experience I've gained at HackerYou will help me. The speed of my learning was incredible, but I haven't even mentioned the best part. HackerYou is also a community that teaches and mentors each other well past the end of bootcamp, they are amazing people and part of that is due to the screening that the HY team does before accepting students. I've made great friends in my year and a half in the community. read more

My coding journey with HackerYou began when I enrolled in their Spring 2014 Part-Time Web Development courses. Before attending HackerYou, I had spent many hours assessing other courses and bootcamps in the city. Although they all seemed qualified in their own right, I decided HackerYou was the best fit for what I wanted out of my education and career. After I took HackerYou's part-time web development course, I had such an amazing experience with the staff and instruction that I ended up taking their Fall 2014 Part-Time JavaScript & jQuery, Spring 2015 Part-time Design and Fall 2015 Full-time Web Development Immersive courses. I'm so grateful I made the decision to study with HackerYou and my return on investment was immediate. Here's what helped me decide HackerYou was for me: The Community: I can't say enough good things about this phenomenal community! I know it sounds a little cheesy, but the genuine sincerity and friendliness of students here has had a direct impact on the betterment of my life. Graduates of the bootcamp immersive can still keep in touch with each other by messaging or slinging memes on Slack with previous alumni. Every Friday during a bootcamp cohort, there's "Show And Tell" which allows students the opportunity to practise their presentation and public speaking skills. They also invite alumni to attend which gives them the chance to learn something new and to stay connected to the community. The Learning Space: HackerYou's learning environment is bright, modern and spacious. The classrooms are set up with a projector at the front where the instructor lectures, and are always kept tidy and clean. There's a good amount of work space; meeting rooms, tables, couches for students to socialize or cozy up in a corner nook for some head-down coding time. They are also pet-friendly and in my opinion, their relaxed, casual, social learning environment is hard to beat. When a course's end is near, they hold a "Demo Night" event and invite the public, who get to see what projects students built during their time there. The Instructors: This is what sold it for me. I noticed a huge difference in teaching quality while sitting in at other bootcamps. HackerYou definitely has exceptional teaching staff. They have a knack for explaining things in simple terms, but keep the lessons engaging and fun. Their enthusiasm is contagious and a beginner's question is never stupid or ignored. You'll never get an instructor patronizing you or putting you down. All the instructors I've taken classes with, had a great sense of humour, and care deeply about their student's learning and well-being. I've even seen them explain a concept multiple times in different ways until a student gets an "ah-ha!" moment. HackerYou was by far the best place to take my education to the next level, and I even made some awesome friends along the way! read more

I previously worked in the book publishing industry which I loved, but I knew for a long time that when I was ready for a change that I wanted to work in web development. I knew I wanted to go to HackerYou because I had heard so many good things about the community there, and I really respected the way it had evolved from Ladies Learning Code. I had taken some two-day workshops there and loved the experience. When my family and I decided we were ready for me to take the plunge, I did some more research comparing HY to other bootcamps in Toronto, which only cemented my decision. The most difficult part about the career change for me was that I have a young family at home. The workload in the bootcamp is very heavy, and I needed a ton of support from my husband and my family in order to be able to tackle it. Outside of class, I needed all my evenings and weekends for homework. The fact that the course is nine weeks long made this achievable for all of us because there was a light at the end of the tunnel, and not a moment of those nine weeks were wasted which made it all feel worthwhile. It's amazing how much you can learn in two-months with the right support system. Throughout the course I was really impressed by how much care and attention went into every detail. As we were learning the instructors would make notes as they went. After ever cohort they take weeks to re-evaluate and iterate on the course, and they're constantly updating the curriculum to ensure HY grads are on the cutting edge, so that the class I took was different than the class my friend took a few months before me, and different than the one another friend is taking now. You really have the feeling of being part of a well-oiled machine, but also on the edge of something new. There are layers and layers of mentorship built in. The staff and instructors and fellow students are all wonderful, but there's also a huge component of alumni mentorship and involvement which I think really speaks to what HackerYou gets right. The students in my cohort came from all different industries and backgrounds, with different strength and challenges, and HY really created an environment in which we all could thrive. We became very close as well. In addition to the really supportive class environment, there's a support system upon graduation as well. I've never seen anything like the program they have in place to help students get work out of the bootcamp. I was lucky enough to get my dream-job right out of school, thanks to a connection I made in the HackerYou-organized networking event. And now that HY's been in action for some time, it's getting a reputation built on the quality and success of it's grads. I really felt it opened a lot of doors for me. 10/10. I'd do it again. read more

I attended the PT Web Development Fundamentals followed by the PT Advanced Web Development courses in the Fall of 2016 and then attended and succesfully completed the FT Web Development Immersive Bootcamp in Spring 2017. Although there are people who are able to apply to the Bootcamp and be accepted without going through the PT program, I highly recommend it. Going through PT first allowed me to complete 3 projects and get an good understanding of the expectations for attending HY full time. It was working through the PT projects that sucessfully prepared me for the tech challange and gave me the confidence I needed to apply for bootcamp. I was also able to see what I could expect from the class environment at HY. Anne Thomas was the course instructor (who was great) and there was always a minimum of 2 mentors available as well to answer questions. The majority of our time in class was hands on. We were constantly coding along during lectures, and then had time after lectures to continue to work on the skills we had just learned. There was never time to sit and wonder about what was next as we were constantly involved in the learning process, not just being told about the things we would eventually know how to do. The environment was fun, allowed for questions on the spot to clarify any doubts, and although days could be long, they always felt as though the time went fast. Bootcamp was intense. I was a married mother of a 5 year old when I left for the 9 week bootcamp. I saw my family on Sundays for a couple of hours when they would come into Toronto to see me for the day. This is no light commitment. If you are thinking that this will be a college type of experience, you are very mistaken. When I wasn't at HY learning, then I was at HY working on a project, or up early/late working on projects. Bootcamp is expensive, and not something that you will hopefully ever need to do again. But you need to commit, and follow Heather's instructions. She will lay it on the line for you. HY wouldn't still be around if she didn't know what she was talking about. I've been working as a Front End Dev for 5 months now and I can honestly say that attending HY is what made that possible. I left bootcamp with the coding skills I needed, but also with a great understanding of the interview process and what kind of jobs to apply for. Having the ability to review jobs offers with Heather was amazing. I felt confident in asking for what I felt my skills were worth, and it was great knowing that Heather would be able to steer me clear of offers that were not what they should be. read more

I found HackerYou in the summer of 2014 having just moved to Toronto. I had been messing around with teaching myself how to code very simple apps in my spare time and found that I was enjoying that a lot more than my actual job, so I figured if I didn't make a career change now I never would. I had a lot of questions before starting the full-time bootcamp, but my biggest concern was about what would happen after the course ended - would I be equipped for work, or what if I didn't understand how to get a bit of code working on a client project? I remember on my first trip in to HackerYou I saw a former student getting help and advice from one of the instructors on a personal project they were working on. Seeing that the support and learning didn't stop when the course ended was a huge confidence boost for me, and I knew I had found the right place. Even in the early days HackerYou was more than just a place to learn to code; it is a community focused on providing support and encouraging ideas. HackerYou really taught me the value of continuous development in areas that interest you. After completing the bootcamp I took part-time courses in Design, Javascript and Full-Stack development. The instructors and mentors are excellent - I never felt like I was just being lectured to or that I wasn't able to ask a question. Even if they are introducing relatively simple concepts there is 100% engagement with the class. Questions are fully encouraged, in and out of class hours, and the office hours on weekends are another great way to get extra help or talk through any questions. I LOVED everything about the design course. In addition to the excellent instruction in the theory and technical aspects of design it was great to be challenged on why I had chosen a particular layout, colour or element in my work. This gave me so much more confidence when presenting client's with my own designs for their sites and has opened up another avenue of work for me. I used to design in my spare time but after taking this course it now has purpose. If I hadn't found HackerYou I would most likely still be dreading Mondays, putting off doing anything creative, and missing being a part of a great group of people. Instead, since taking the bootcamp I have taken on a variety of freelance and contract work for both design and front-end coding, and have made a great group of friends in a new city. If you have any inclination to learn about code, design or just explore your creative side, please check them out. read more

I'm a front-end web developer (thanks to HackerYou bootcamp) and I work for a software company. I've got a background in design, and I knew I wanted to follow up my bootcamp experience with the HackerYou intro and advanced UX class with a plan to leverage more design opportunities in my current role. Because I took both the part-time web development class and the bootcamp at HackerYou, they were already my top pick. I knew how the school structured their classes and that I would have access to great resources during the 12 weeks of the course. I checked out other UX programs in the city and online, but none of them offered the kind of learning and support that I knew I would get at HackerYou. The class schedule was perfect. I work uptown and have a really hard time getting to weeknight classes, so committing to UX every Saturday was ideal. Even though class was only once a week, I had access to Ricardo, the lead instructor, and the two class mentors, Jas and Jen, throughout the week. They were available for extra help and to run through project ideas exactly when I needed them. Ricardo has an abundance of enthusiasm (an essential quality for teaching a Saturday class) and experience. I found it very easy to learn because he integrated real-world examples with textbook theory and in-class exercises that helped me wrap my head around some tricky material. He taught masters-level UX concepts in a way that felt more like fun than learning, and when I was at home working on assignments I was surprised at how much material stuck in my head. I was hoping for a class that gave me foundational UX design principles as well as the knowledge and skill to put together comprehensive case studies, and I finished the 12 weeks feeling confident and excited about what I had learned and how I could apply it. In the time since UX class finished, I've been able to expand my job description to include extensive collaboration with the design and UX team. I've got more opportunities in my current role and more appreciation for the work that my colleagues put into designing applications. If you're looking for someone who will only teach you how to make pretty things, this might not be the best course for you. But if you want to learn how to use qualitative and quantitative research to solve problems with beautiful design, then you've hit the jackpot with this class. read more

HackerYou is the reason why I have a fulfilling career today. From the day I quit my job in administration to my first day as a junior developer - happened all in 6 months! I started out with the Part-Time Web Dev course in winter 2016 and my instructor was Anne. An instructor can make or break your experience, and I found she projected her voice well and she had great flow and timing with the in-class exercises. Lessons are well-structured with the most current technologies, and sprinkled with appropriate GIFs and analogies to help you conceptualize your learning. Every class gets students engaged with code-alongs and mentors are always willing to help you get through anything that's blocking you. Examples of projects included: Single-page responsive website, "code a PSD" (review a design for a website, and bring it to life with code!), and build a portfolio website. I then completed the Full-Time Bootcamp in Spring 2016 and had a blast. I learned to make websites responsive, picked up JavaScript on the way, and learned to create custom Wordpress themes from scratch and deploy like a boss! Every skill I learned, I apply every day to my current job as a Front-End Developer. Example of projects included: Responsive multi-page website, custom Wordpress theme, single-page web app using RESTful APIs, creating a quiz using JavaScript, jQuery and HTML5. What I like most about HackerYou is that there are no tests or grades, just projects-based learning. You are given a challenge, just like you would in a real developer job, and you deliver. Instructors provide thorough feedback and suggestions to help you improve, and empower you to become resourceful later on when you don't have access to the formal mentoring/help. While the cost is steep, it's the cream of the crop when it comes to Front End Development education. The community and connections available at HackerYou are top-notch. I did not just gain skills for a new career; I got an attitude change by meeting so many awesome humans who also got a new lease on life. It sounds cheesy, but it's true. I built so much confidence from my time there. Truly, it is a place where you are encouraged to put in the work to be the best version of yourself. read more

I took HackerYou's full-time immersive front end development bootcamp in Fall 2017, and I can say without hesitation that it changed my life and completely refreshed my outlook on not only my career, but also my attitude towards challenges, and going after what you want. Prior to attending HackerYou, I was attending university and felt very disillusioned with the program I was in. I was five years into a bachelor's degree that I wasn't passionate about, and the prospect of committing my time and energy towards a career in the field filled me with dread. I felt as though I had hit a dead-end; almost all my student loans were used up, I hated what I was going to school for, and couldn't think of anything else I wanted to invest myself in. By chance, I went on a date with someone who mentioned HackerYou's amazing full-time immersive bootcamp. After taking their part-time HTML/CSS course to feel out the school, I dropped out of the university program I was in and went on to take the full-time immersive bootcamp. I can honestly say it was the best decision I have ever made, not only for my career and education, but also for my growth as a person. Everything about HackerYou has been finessed and refined to be the incredible place that it is. All of the instructors are very kind, patient, knowledgeable, and (most importantly) supportive of student learning. You will learn not only the most up-to-date technical skills required to be a modern javascript developers, but also life skills that are of utmost importance: how to be patient, how to persevere, and how to nurture your passion are all huge components of HackerYou's immersive bootcamp. Additionally, once the bootcamp ends, Heather Payne (HY's CEO) works personally with each student to help them secure a job post-graduation. The amount of support for each student's personal growth is incredible. The bootcamp is definitely challenging (I did cry on more than one occasion), but is so worth the time an effort. Half a year ago I felt both directionless and passionless in regards to my career, and I now have a career in a field that I love, and have the desire to learn more and become the best developer I can be. Thank you HackerYou! read more

I took the part-time web dev course in spring 2017, and currently attending the fall 2017 bootcamp. Coming from a retail background, the only experience I had with coding prior to HackerYou was a little bit of online learning (Codecademy, anyone?). Interested in a career change, I decided to try out the part-time course to see if I was interested. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made! I love the challenge of coding, and it is taught at HackerYou in a very hands-on way that allows you to immediately apply what you are learning to help enforce the concepts. I am nearing the end of my bootcamp experience, and am already pretty sad that it will be over! Let me try and list out some things that I was looking for when I was deciding whether or not to apply to HackerYou: * If you take the part-time web dev course, you get an alumni scholarship towards your bootcamp tuition * HackerYou is a SUPER supportive environment, and will work with you tirelessly to make sure you are understanding the content * They also stress COLLABORATION over and above any type of competition between your fellow students, which is very unusual to find in an educational environment * After bootcamp, as long as you put in the work, Heather will work with you until you find a job, no matter how long it takes * Most people there are in the same boat; changing careers is scary, but your fellow students all know exactly how that feels! * Yes it is fast-paced learning, yes it is stressful, yes some topics WILL come harder to you than others, yes there are weekly projects and presentations, and yes you should expect to put most/all of your time and focus into bootcamp for 9 weeks... * BUT...getting thought this, looking back on how much I have learned, knowing how hard I worked, and seeing the projects I and my 32 new friends have made in the past 2 months is such a satisfying and rewarding feeling that I KNOW this is where I am supposed to be now If I had to go back in time and decide if I should apply to bootcamp, 14/10 would apply again. read more

I just recently finished taking the Part Time Web Development program at HackerYou and I must say, I am extremely pleased with the experience I had. I am 35, married with two little ones and I had been looking to change career paths for a little bit, having been in my past position for 9 years and not seeing myself going any further in it. I have a bit of self-taught web design / development experience and some programming experience from college but never took a serious pursuit to web development. When I decided on a career change, I came back to the desire to pursue web development and began with some online courses and reading some books, but felt that I wasn't making the progression I had hoped. After doing some research about programs to take, I came across HackerYou and was intrigued by the programs they offered and what they stood for. After reading all the reviews I could find, highly touting the programs and the instructors, I decided to start out by taking their Part Time program first. I am extremely pleased with that decision. The instructors and staff at HackerYou are all extremely knowledgable, friendly and helpful, many (if not all) were also former students here themselves. The program was very well laid out, spending ample time on each topic to ensure that the class was able to grasp the concepts. I especially love the ratio of instructors to students, ensuring that the students were able to get their questions answered and the help they need, while still continuing on with the lesson. The team at HackerYou also does a very good job of ensuring that their course material is continually updated, so that the programs don't feel old and stale and that you are always learning relevant material. I am extremely looking forward to applying to the Full Time Bootcamp coming up this summer (and maybe also the Javascript program down the line as well). I am eager to expand on what I have learned so far and excited to continue fuel the fire that has been lit under me at HackerYou. read more

I recently completed the Front-End dev intensive boot camp at HackerYou. At the time I was a teacher and was wanting to upgrade my skills and change carreers. It was an extremely exciting time for me as I moved from Kingston Ontario back to Toronto for the summer while my family stayed home. The school itself had a great location, a great facility and a great communitiy. From day one Heather Payne was extremely invested in my interest in the course and making sure it was the right decision for me as I was coming from Kingston Ontario and the front end scene isnt quite as big in Kingston as it is in Toronto. I equate my expereince at HackerYou to summer camp. The staff were both extremely knowledgable and made the expereince fantastic. The focus on bonding with fellow classmates was high up on the list with learning a mass aount of new skills (this was important as often times we would be at the facilty until 2 or 3 in the morning working on projects). The content was delieved in a easily digestable format and the main instructor (Simon Bloom) had the perfect mix of teachablity and humour. You could really the staff loved working there, but that they all also walked the walk and were working professionals in the field! The course offered some very interesting opportunities which included building a polished portfolio, extra curricular workshops from local specialists and several opportunities to share the love for code by volunteering with Lades Learning Code (which I have taken back to Kingston and instructed several workshops at the local chapter). I am now currently working for Queens university. My background in teaching and my new skill in coding has landed me a fantastic position working for the Medical Education unit where we are leading the world in building software for the new medical education curriculum. read more

I spent 12 years in logistics & distribution. But in the last few years, after attending a few workshops and conferences, an itch to pursue coding led me to study it in my spare time.  Self-discipline allowed me to develop the skills needed to get accepted into the full-time HackerYou bootcamp. In late 2017, I decided to leave my stable career to pursue this new and unknown path that I was so passionate about.  I was really nervous before starting this program, constantly wondering if I made the right choice. The timing in my personal life wasn't ideal and I knew that commuting from Hamilton every day for 9 weeks was going to be challenging. I was also worried that I was too old or that I wouldn't relate to others in the program. I was also concerned that I would never be able to find a job. It was 9 weeks of 13-14 hour days, but in the end, the right choice. The days didn't feel long at all because I enjoyed what I was learning and doing. I can also say that I made a lot of solid friendships, and that all the folks in my cohort were wonderful to learn with and spend time with every day. The learning environment at HackerYou is mega supportive. There is always someone willing to help you whether it's an instructor, administrator, peer or even alumni. And while I love all the instructors, Ryan Christiani is one of the best teachers I've ever had. His ability to look at what you're doing (even if it isn't the way he would do it) and guide you through next steps makes him truly awesome at his job. I don't regret leaving my job to attend HackerYou. The personal challenges and the doubts I had going into the program seem silly to me now. I've been done the program for about a month, and start my first job as a Web Developer next week. Thanks HackerYou! :) read more

I took the bootcamp after deciding to make a career shift from eBook development to web development. I had taken the part-time web dev courses about a year before bootcamp started, after hearing about them in a Canada Learning Code workshop I took to get my feet wet. I loved the part-time course (I took it with Anne Thomas, who was amazing) and had taken a couple peeks at the bootcamp that was running at that time so I was 100% invested in doing the bootcamp at HackerYou. It was everything I expected and hoped and more. The curriculum was exactly what I needed to "level" up my skills and I LOVED learning JavaScript and building robust web apps. While the content is perfect for getting your first job in front-end web dev, I think HackerYou's particular strength lies in its community and preparing its students for the cultural challenges they will face in the workplace. On top of that Heather's job search bootcamp was exactly what I didn't know I needed - she lays out exactly what you need to do in a step-by-step plan and it WORKS. (Btw, I kinda want to be Heather when I grow up. She's pretty badass, takes no shit, and lays it all out for you frankly so you can do the things you need to do to have the career you want.) I am so happy with where I ended up and also feel that I will always have support from Heather and HackerYou the next time I'm looking for a new gig. Ultimately though the best part of HackerYou is its team of people, from staff to alumni to everyone in between. Their energy and enthusiasm is infectious and makes learning 24/7 super fun :) HackerYou completely changed my career and for that I can't thank them enough - I truly feel that I have so many more doors open to me now. Can't say enough good things about this place! read more

I took the Intro + Advanced JavaScript course at HackerYou back in the fall of 2014. I was moving from jobs (thanks to the HackerYou boot camp!) and knew that solidifying my understanding of JavaScript would be helpful in succeeding in my new role as a front-end developer. The HackerYou community was a huge asset in my learning - and note that I took the course in 2014 when HackerYou was still relatively young (ie., not the community of 1,000+ grads it is today). At the drop-in sessions held twice during the boot camp, I was able to ask the instructor and mentors questions about the course material or the projects. As well, students from other part- and full-time programs were in the space (the main HackerYou building) and each person I interacted with was friendly, helpful, and (if they had relevant knowledge) willing to answer questions. This was as true in 2014 as it is today - a testament to HackerYou's commitment to developing and maintaining a welcoming space for new coders. During the course itself, the mentors definitely went above and beyond their roles! Beyond answering questions or helping to work through a class exercise, the mentors (Anne and Ryan) were happy to help with a JavaScript problem I was having with outside work! Anne, specifically, helped me finalize animation JavaScript for a work project. The project was made all the better because of Anne's willingness to help (and patience with my then molasses-like programming speed). Because of the skills I gained at HackerYou, I am able to work full-time as a front-end developer focusing mostly on JavaScript development. That's all because of HackerYou! If you want to level up your JavaScript skills, HackerYou is the place to do it. read more

I went to HackerYou as part of the Front-End Bootcamp Immersive in January of 2016 - and it was the best choice I could have ever made for myself. To give some quick facts about success, I received a job within 3 weeks of graduating. Many of my peers received job offers within the first week of graduating, and my entire cohort of 31 people where all employed within 3 months of graduation. As of writing this I have worked at a startup called CrowdRiff for almost a full year as a Junior Front-End Software Developer, and it's the best job I've ever had. Previous to HackerYou I was a theatre maker/server, and I have always loved working collaboratively. When I started teaching myself web development, I was drawn to the iterative and collaborative nature of the industry. I decided to give myself a stronger foundation, so I looked into the coding bootcamps Toronto had to offer - HackerYou was the clear winner. HackerYou offers an education in front-end web development. It creates a group of very strong front-end developers, who have a strong understanding of the technologies they work with. Depending on what you're looking for different bootcamps might fit different personal requirements, but what stands out about HackerYou is the community and the support you receive after graduation that is really outstanding. HackerYou creates a group of positive, community driven individuals that want to see their peers succeed - it doesn't create competition, it creates collaboration. I feel forever supported by the alumni community, and am eager to support my peers whenever I can. It's because of this that I KNOW HackerYou is truly the best bootcamp in Toronto, and I am forever thankful that I had enrolled there. read more

For most students of HackerYou, their journey of learning web and software development didn't begin on the first day of class and as anyone in the industry will tell you, it doesn't end there either. What HackYou does is empower you with the technical and problem solving skills that allow you to grow beyond the program. I started to learn to code in isolation, but was always wondering: how quickly was I really progressing, was I learning the most modern and in-demand frameworks, and was I filling my head up with outdated knowledge? The Full Time Front-End Immersive program, which I took in Fall 216, allows you to gauge your progress against 30 other highly motivated students. They adapt and change their curriculum to reflect the skills the industry is looking for right now. They'll teach you what you may encounter as legacy code in the wild and how new approaches are simplifying and modernizing older methods of doing things. The hands-on, project based program has given me a solid foundation for my future. I am in contact with a wide network of friends, colleagues and industry professionals that I met during my time at HackerYou. Heather and the instructors have been available for help and support during and after the completion of the program. I am confident in saying their help has been invaluable to my success. At my current job as a Front End Web Developer in Toronto, we view graduates of HackerYou's various programs as quick learners who'll seamlessly integrate into our working environment. I would happily recommend HackerYou to both prospective students and employers. read more

A year ago I was looking for a career change and, having always had an interest in coding, I decided to take the Spring 2016 HackerYou Immersive Front-end bootcamp. The experience was very positive for me during and after the bootcamp. I am now employed as a full time Front-end developer and most importantly - I love my job. Here are some of the key reasons why I would recommend HackerYou: (1) The organization puts a great deal of effort in making sure you get out of their program with the required skills (HTML, CSS, Javascript, etc.) and profile in order to be successful in the web development sector. As long as you follow the process, you will find a (great) job once you get out. (2) The bootcamp is very well structured in terms of learning and instructors/mentors availability, which enables you to learn fast without feeling overwhelmed. (3) During bootcamp, you will create a portfolio of websites (responsive design, JQuery projects, API project, etc), which is a great asset once you begin job hunting. (4) The HackerYou community is a very strong one. Alumni will help you with technical questions, will help you keep a perspective on things and will share their experience post-bootcamp with you. (5) Most importantly: I had a blast doing the bootcamp, had a blast working on the assignments and discovering my new passion for web development, had a blast making new friends & would absolutely do it again. ...And a year later, I am now back for more, as I am currently taking the Full Stack web Development part-time class. Just do it, you won't regret it. read more

I graduated university and grazed over some web dev courses but never thought it could be something I could do as a career. I didn't know how to go about it further so I decided to go to college for it and absolutely hated my experience. It was old school and dry- I dropped out after one semester. Two really good friends of mine graduated from the HackerYou Immersive Bootcamp and to quote one of them, said it was "life changing" and so I had to see for myself! After doing the part-time Spring 2018 Web Dev course I can confidently say that I've developed the skills to create things I've always imagined in my head and to further my skills I've decided to enrol in the part-time Summer 2018 JavaScript course with my eyes set on the 2018 Fall Bootcamp! What I loved about my experience is having such enthusiastic instructors and mentors. The best part is meeting new friends that are just as excited as you are making it even more motivating to learn. When people ask me what I like about the course material I like to say how easy it is to digest. There is an example or a practice activity for EVERYTHING- which helps if you're a person like me who needs hands on experience to really absorb something. With the skills I've developed at HackerYou I plan on becoming the best web developer I can be to make all the shiny new things I have planned in my head. Being a web developer doesn't only have to be a career but something you can enjoy outside of work too! I would highly recommend the part-time web dev course at HackerYou. read more

I took the p/t Intro to Web Development course in Winter 2014/15. It was taught in a way that made it fun, accessible and engaging while also giving me the right amount of challenge and encouragement to work on learning more and pushing my boundaries. My instructor, Drew, was so awesome and knowing that I could continue to learn from him and from the other host of spectacular instructors at HY gave me the push I needed to apply for the Bootcamp, quit my job and spend 9 glorious weeks in Summer 2015 learning everything I could cram into my head. I made awesome things, I explored a creative side of myself I never knew I had, and I solved a million cool problems all with the help of my peers, mentors, and instructors. I paid for a top notch education, but all the other un-advertised perks were what really pushed my experience from great to truly life-pivoting. The team at HY takes their time to get to know each and every student and to give each the best chance and opportunity to learn and excel. The community of existing alumni, mentors, partners, and HY friends are the most supportive folks and they make coming to HY so worth it. I landed an awesome job 2 weeks after finishing the course and I still take time to go and mentor, talk to students, participate in alumni events, and just do as much as I can to continue paying it forward because I see the immense value of giving and contributing to the wonderful ecosystem of talented, generous, and enthusiastic individuals. read more