Juno College of Technology

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. ​

I wanted to be a web developer, and had signed up for a three-year stint of night classes at a local college to achieve my dream. By some divine providence, I was put in contact with someone who told me about HackerYou. Instead of toiling after work for three years, I was working as a developer within three months after completing the full-time Bootcamp.

Yes, it's expensive, but I now make $10,000 more per year than I did before, so it's a good investment.

Plus, it's such a friendly environment that you can't help but love it. Everyone is so welcoming and friendly and helpful that you almost suspect they're evil robots with a secret agenda. If they are, though, I'm cool with it.

Once I'd completed the bootcamp, my husband decided to take the plunge, too, and our lives are so much better now that it's astonishing to remember how fast this all happened.

Stop wallowing in mediocrity. If you're committed to being a developer, you can't make a better move. Just do it!

I started my journey with HackerYou back in the fall of 2012 and their first part-time web development class. I've since gone on to take a number of other classes with them, including the full-time bootcamp in winter 2014. Not only did I receive a supportive education that led me to landing my dream job as an interactive news developer, I've personally witnessed HackerYou's steadfast commitment to teaching industry best practices and providing a quality technical education. They have never hesitated to adapt their curriculum or course offering in order to position their students for success. If you're looking to make the switch to front-end development, HackerYou is the place in Toronto to learn that skill. 

I attended HackerYou's full time web development immersive program in September of 2016. It was one of the best learning experiences I've ever had—the program is top-notch, and the actual skills you learn in 9 weeks feels pretty insane once you're finished. I had a lot of "did I actually build that?!" moments when looking through my portfolio, and find it amazing that I can sit down and open up my text editor and start writing code that 4 months ago made zero sense to me. I've even taught a Ladies Learning Code workshop! And felt totally comfortable and knowledgeable while doing so, like I'd been doing this for years, not months. 

But the best part of the program, aside from the top-notch curriculum and great instructors, was the community. I made some great friends in the program, and experienced the least competitive, most heart-warmingly kind and helpful community I've ever encountered in a learning environment. There were exactly zero egos in my cohort, and a genuine passion for helping others was expressed by everyone. That kind of community doesn't come easily—it definitely helps that the CEO personally interviews every single applicant to the program. She knows how to pick a great group, and it accelerated everyone's learning to have a community that supported, challenged, and genuniely liked one another. 

On top of all that, I loved how female-friendly the program was. From having female instructors alongside male ones, to a 2-1 ratio of female to male students, it was an incredibly comfortable atmosphere for women to learn something that's still pretty male-dominated. I never once felt uncomfortable or like anyone there felt I was less able to learn or understand something because of my gender (a feeling I have felt many times in my life). Women in tech was something celebrated by everyone, and that was really cool.

I took the full-time Web Development Immersive bootcamp in the summer of 2016 and have been working as a front end developer for about 3 months now.

It was definitely the most challenging thing I've put myself through and isn't for the faint of heart. That being said, it was also the most enjoyable learning experience I've ever had. The instructors and mentors did a great job of guiding us as we learned the basics of web development and then helped us solve problems on our own as we approached the end of the program.

The community is also filled with alumni (myself included) who are itching to help students out with technical questions and general support. On top of that, I got a full-time job in a month and a half and made some great friends so it was well worth the time and money.

The best and most supportive community. HackerYou will challenge you to push yourself further than you ever could alone. I've taken the intro and advanced part-time HTML & CSS classes, and went on to do the full-time immersive front end web development bootcamp in January 2016. The genuine excitement and passion of my instructors and mentors has been a huge part of my growth as a developer. On top of being experts, they are fired up, and want to help you grow. They give you the skills to keep yourself going on a path of learning for the rest of your life. I’ve been working as a developer for nearly a year, and I love my career. <3

My enrollment in HackerYou's immersive Bootcamp has been paramount in helping establish myself as an experienced Web Developer in Toronto. The contemporary curriculum and strong emphasis on modern and best practices provided a strong foundation to for me to enter the industry as a junior web developer at a competitive salary. In combination with the accessible alumni community and their mentorship, you have the opportunity to take the skills you've begun to develop and really excel in a new career in an exciting and evolving industry. 

HackerYou has only continued to grow and demonstrate established success in the tech education community. The decision to enroll in a HackerYou program will only be met with success and excitement.

I attended the HackerYou fulltime immersive in january of 2016. Three weeks after graduating the bootcamp I hand recieved a full time job in the industry as a Jr. Front-End Software Developer.

Before HackerYou I was a theatre maker/server. I had started teaching myself web development prior to the bootcamp, and when looking into all the coding schools in Toronto, HackerYou really stood out. Their curriculum is finely tuned for front-end developer, and because of this students will become strong in their skillset and have a strong foundation and understanding of front-end development.

The instructors at HackerYou work hard to make sure that every student leaves HackerYou with similar skill levels. They will take the time required for each individual student and make sure that not a single person gets left behind. They are such lovely, positive, and passionate educators - who want to see people succeed in the industry.

Once you complete the bootcamp, HackerYou does an excellent job training you to find a job. They work with you until you are employed, and make sure not to leave you feeling lost or not sure of what you should be doing next. There is always a clear path.

What I didn't expect, and what has been invaluable since graduating, is the alumni community involved with HackerYou. Even during the bootcamp the alumni are eager to help you succeed. After the bootcamp, that doesn't change. Once you are part of HackerYou, you are part of an amazing supportive community that just wants to see everyone succeed. The community is lively, helpful, and passionate about mentorship.

I took the very first Hacker You bootcamp and I cannot recommend this school any higher! The people are all amazing and so supportive. From the Hacker You staff, instructors, mentors, and alumni, everyone is there to help and support you throughout your journey into your new career. Even your fellow students have been well vetted and are all amazing people. 

If you're looking to make a career change into the exciting world of Tech - this is the only school you should be considering. You will not regret going here and you will find employment upon your graduation. I have been continuously employed since the day I finished Hacker You and have recruiters consistently contacting me for the last 3 years as well. 

HackerYou changed my life in such an incredible way. I came from a non-tech background (English Lit) and I can say with absolutely certainty that I was encouraged, challenged and taught so well that I was able to sign my contract with a company working as a developer while I was still in the bootcamp. I took the bootcamp in 2015 and have been working as a developer for 2 years.

It's not just that they teach you the skills but they teach you how to think about coding so that you can find your way in the real working world afterwards. Plus, the slack community is always there to answer your additional questions should you have them. 

It's not just about the course, it's also about the community. The alumni who are always around to help with questions really makes the place stand apart from all the other bootcamps. Everyone from my cohort found a job and I still spend so much time with friends that I made while I was there. If you are considering taking a bootcamp, don't hesitate anymore. This is the place!

I don't think I could possibly say enough great things about HackerYou - the programs, instructors, community and support far surpassed every expectation I had. 

I initally took the part-time web development course, but after night one knew I would be applying to take the bootcamp and it was the best possible decision I think I've ever made. I was offered a job as a developer before even finishing the course based largely on the reputation HackerYou has made for itself within the development community. While it's hard work the instructors are always there for you, as are all of the past cohorts, and your own classmates. Everyone is rooting for you before, during and after the bootcamp, which I believe lends to both the school and the students success. 

I have a new group of friends and colleagues, a sense of community and pride for that community, and have tripled my salary since completion of the bootcamp. If you're considering HackerYou - just jump, you won't regret it!