Le Wagon

Before joining Le Wagon I was a VFX Artist with no coding skills.

As programming had been a skill I was interested in learning, I did some research and  I came across the Le Wagon bootcamp course in London and after meeting with Ed, London City Manager, I got convinced it was the right choice for me.  
Le Wagon is an all around awesome course that helped me fast tracked my programming knowledge in just 9 weeks. It doesn't just teach you how to code, it teaches you how to think , to actually be able to solve a problem. 
The guidance I have received from the teachers has been amazing and I would suggest it to anyone who is willing to commit to such a profound change in their life: I was taught industry best practices, alongside the skills of learning how to learn effectively in an industry that is constantly changing. 
The first few weeks are hard, the course is intensive but if you’re motivated to learn and willing to ask questions, you will get so much value out of it.

We carried out pair programming every day and during the last two weeks I created, designed and coded a fully functional web app:  Fast Gardener,  an online marketplace that allows home owners and gardeners to connect.

I honestly never imagined i could do that in just 2 weeks: it's great! It 100% worth it so don’t wait any longer and just apply!

My experience at Le Wagon was unbelievable, probably the best decision of my career! As an entrepreneur, I’m confident I reached the level of autonomy that I was so desperately missing in my previous ventures to launch my next digital businesses faster or tackle new professional challenges as a product manager with the right skillset.

I used to think programming was boring and something for nerds only, but the methodology of Le Wagon made me completely change my mind. I learned fast, very concrete stuff and it was even fun. I’m now one of the biggest fan of Le Wagon’s teaching platform.

I graduated from Mechanical Engineering and over the last few years have worked for big corporations where things moved slow and innovation was hard to implement. I was sick of jobs I didn't like and working for companies I didn't believe in. Once that realization came about, I started to look at the young and vibrant tech industry as the next logical step. But how do you make that move? How about learning a new technical skill that would help kickstart my career in the tech startup world? That's when I decided to do Le Wagon.     What a great decision. I joined batch #98 in Montreal. Le Wagon's program offers you the resource, the structure, the support and the motivation to truly learn a new technical skill in 9 weeks. The last 10 days of the bootcamp is when the magic happens and you get to put it all together to build a prototype of a web-app in small groups. My group and I were proud of what we built and had a blast while building it. But it's not just about the learning experience, you also get to meet amazing new people, from your classmates and teachers to the people you meet along the way at the different events recommended or organized by Le Wagon. This means that you leave the bootcamp with a highly in-demand skill, a great network to lean on and a web-app to showcase to the rest of the world as a proof of your awesome new skill.    Le Wagon allowed me to reorient my career in a little over two months, something I wouldn't have been able to do on my own or at least not in such a quick turnaround. If you are reading this review, you are already on the right path... All you have to do is apply and get ready for a 9-week roller coaster like no other.

When I found out about Le Wagon through a good friend of mine who had previously attended the course I was sold immediately and decided to join the program. So I enrolled myself into batch #95 in one of my favorite cities, Barcelona!

I was so impressed with the entire set-up of Le Wagon. The expertise and teaching style of the teachers are fantastic, the course material such as the slides and exercises are top-notch and constantly updated to reflect the latest industry trends and the location (warehouse style) in the trendy neighborhood of Gracia is super cool and relaxed.  The platform we used on a daily basis to work on exercises, communicate with teachers, play flashcards or watch a lecture replay to deepen our knowledge after class is truly powerful. 

Expect a real challenge! Le Wagon is tough and fast-paced. How else do you get from zero to Junior Developer level in only 9 weeks!? I knew that before I started but I am still stunned by how much I was able to learn in such a short amount of time. Surrounded by like-minded people you soon get into the zone and the motivation you get when your code is doing what you want it to is awesome. During the project weeks when we were working on our prototypes some of us got so excited that teachers literally had to tell us to go home and rest rather than keep on coding through the night. I met great people I am still connected with and we are all part of the large alumni that we are given free access to for tips and help on whichever product we might be working on after the bootcamp which will be the priceless and lifetime benefit to joining Le Wagon.

I wish I learnt how to code earlier. Not for a different career but to be better in what I did. Over the past 12 years of working in online companies I had developers in my teams most of time. I now see how frustrating it must have been for them when I said things like "JUST move this from here to there". If you want to be part of the tech industry, learning how to code will help you no matter which role you will be working in. For me personally Le Wagon changed my life in a way I want to help more people learn how to code and I am proud that I became part of Le Wagon family expanding our campus around the world.   

After finishing my communication degree I had absolutely no idea what to do so I took some time for myself trying to figure it out. Having done some coding before I felt attract to that path and I told myself that a 2-months bootcamp will be great to have some basic knowledge and to add to my resume. 

I had a bit of experience with some basic programming such as html / css but I was a bit scared not to be able to follow, or, to end up with more advanced student. The first week took away every doubt I had. Because at the end, no matters what was your experience before, at le wagon we all learn everything steps by step. The pairing system that we used was one of the things I like the most since it allows us to help each other.

Even if it is an intense 2-month bootcamp I never felt more motivate to learn something and the spirit at le wagon help me feel confident and comfortable.

Le wagon teaches you not only how to write code but how to make a complete project from scratch, skills we can actually use in real life. During the last two weeks, I had so much fun working with my teammate on developing a word game and I was so amazed at what we could accomplish after a few weeks!

Thanks to this bootcamp I finally realize that I want to start my career as a web developer, and I am not longer scared about my future.

I started coding as a hobby, to do something while work was slow or I was stocked on level 235 on candy crush. Never really thought it could take me anywhere but I´ve always enjoyed learning something new, and programming seemed interesting. Slowly, I began to realize coding was actually not only cool, but very useful. “All those genius making apps” were not smarter or different than me, they just knew more. I wanted to dive completely into that world.

For me, learning on my own was not enough, the technical skills –although vital- were just a part of it, the environment, the people, the mindset, were just as important. Plus, I didn’t want to spend two years learning the basics.

Among many alternatives, Le Wagon just clicked with me, “bring tools to creative people” was a promise I could relate to, and according to many reviews, it delivered. On top of that, it was in Barcelona, a city I’ve been in love with my whole life. It’s funny how sometimes the best decisions are done in the shortest time. It was simple, a month later I was flying from Mexico to Barcelona.

Suddenly, I was a part of this multicultural community, with apparently nothing in common. All of our backgrounds were different, our goals, our way of targeting problems, I couldn’t see any cohesive force that could pull this eclectic group together for two intense months. There was one quality we all shared, hunger. We were all there with the same mindset, learn more, be better, experience this magniffic opportunity to the fullest.

 

It wasn’t always that easy. More than once I got out of the classroom in utter frustration, I actually got sick one week from not sleeping enough for having to pull all-nighters to keep up (I didn’t even do it on college). The phrase “it will all sink in, eventually” bothered me too much, until it was true. A teacher is always one click away to point you in the right direction, they won’t tell you the answer but the path to it. After a while the logic becomes apparent, maybe you don’t understand but at least you understand what you don’t understand and where to look for answers. They give you all the pieces, its up to you to solve the puzzle.

 

It’s not easy to find people with whom you can be sited quietly 8 hours focused on a problem, just to close your laptop and get to a club when you found the solution, wake up next morning to a volleyball match or go to admire Sagrada Familia. There is a certain magic when you find people so different from you and yet so similar. LeWagon introduced me to a world I no longer want to be apart from.

After a month and a half from that, I’m no longer playing with apps but building them, I have my own plan derived from my personal project, my hobby is now my job and I have friends I can relate with all over the world. I learned a lot in the shortest time, it was challenging, hard and required my attention to the fullest, and yet, somehow, I still think of it as the most awesome two months vacation I’ve ever taken.

I joined Le Wagon London in July 2017 and this course really changed my life. 
I wanted to learn how to code as I think this is a great skill to have, but I wasn't expecting to learn so much in such a small amount of time.  The program is well designed,  you have an hour lecture every morning and then spend the whole day to code, which helps a lot to make progress quickly and in a efficient way. Teachers are great and really patient. They also are very meticulous and give you a lot of good habits that a lot of professional developers don't have ...
Everyone has been so supporting, the atmosphere is great, that was honestly one of the best experience of my life and I would recommend it to anyone. 

Working in a free role for a fast growing start-up from the beginning asks a lot of your problem solving capacities. First starting with Google Docs, Excel, Dropbox and other know office applications you soon find the boundaries of those programs and you have to start coding your own. Because at that point I wasn’t able to code myself we hired a lead developer and slowly with every developer we hired I grew in the role of product owner. After a year it started to become clear for me that I missed the build your own solution part more and more, I was ready for a new challenge.

Because we hired 3 Le Wagon alumni from Amsterdam in the early stages of our development team I was well know with Le Wagon. In consultation with the company we decided that it would be the best next step for me to follow the bootcamp and come back after with a bag full of new skills combined already present business skills.

After exchanging Amsterdam for Barcelona I completely submerged for the last 9 weeks in the Le Wagon coding world. Starting well structured, well guided and with clear goals the first 6 weeks flew by. In these first six weeks you learn all basics, get some confidence about your skills with passing tests and of course get to know your new friends. After these six weeks the focus shift completely to the projects and you start working together in the formed teams.  This is a hell of a  ride and worth every minute in it.

For the project we worked on an trip enhancing flight / hotel search. The idea arose from being in Barcelona during the Gracia Festival, the largest neighborhood festival in Barcelona. Of course we’re studying during the festival, but each evening we went on the street, celebrate with the locals. It truly enhanced our experience. This time it was pure luck, but definitely not impossible to engineer. So we came up with a database full of cool events and festival with their closest airport and based on your availability and your origin airport we find the best flights and stays for you. You can check it out on www.daylily.world  

Being back in Amsterdam I directly started as (junior) webdeveloper at the same company. Shifting from product owner to developer is a big change, but so far as the first month is almost passed I really like it.  Creating real working products from the thoughts and ideas we have in the company. The combination of skills is very valuable and the idea that I finally can build by myself again gives me a lot of energy.

I created in 2016 a car rental agency in Paris where I had to develop a showcase site. Having no skills in this field and lack of time, I had to meet many developers (web agency or freelance) to meet my needs.
In order to develop and modernise my tool, I needed to create an online platform like AirBnb. For this, no longer wishing to be dependent on intermediaries, I inquired to acquire the skills necessary to the design of this product.
Le Wagon appeared obvious, my first research allowed me to confirm my choice whether for the courses provided or the duration and the quality of the training.
I therefore integrated the Batch 85 in Bordeaux in the summer of 2017. This city corresponded perfectly to my expectations and allows to have an ideal framework to be able to follow a training throughout its duration.The environment plays an important role and Bordeaux is perfectly suited to work and relaxation on weekends (beach, surf etc.) 
The premises have many advantages including a space of Coworking, a parking for all the people transported. The classroom is ideal and allows to learn in the best conditions.
I met an excellent team, human above all and always listening and helping all along my project creation. The stakeholders and the quality of the tools available enabled me to acquire real skills necessary for the development of my project.
In addition, this training allowed me to develop a new project: FileOn (which you will find in the link below). I am currently still developing this tool which is one on my main activity today.
Le Wagon allows you to acquire the necessary skills necessary for the development of a tech project, to increase your field of action and to create new ideas, to meet wonderful people and all this in only 2 months!
Thanks Le Wagon!

“Finally back to work after your break?”

Were the typical reactions from my work colleagues and friends when I returned to Manchester after a hectic, inspiring, gruelling, and enlightening summer spent learning to code at LeWagon, London (Batch 93). I suppose not many understood why I would be interested in learning to code, I’m a commercial lawyer by trade, and the prospect sits a million miles from the thinking of many in the legal profession. I suppose the answer and motivation is shared by many LeWagon applicants and alumni, and without wanting to put a blanket over each of our respective ambitions, every member of my London batch (including teachers, office and marketing managers, DJs, CTO and CEO) are passionate and curious about the way the world is changing, and the role they can play in it. My participation did not come as an accident, I was looking for exactly this kind of challenge. Boris, Romain and Seb have developed a really clever and engaging 9 week intensive program, and the minimal marketing (largely centred on endorsements from its alumni community and Meetups with inspiring tech leaders and activists) drew me in. You quickly come to understand that at LeWagon you are being taught not just a skill but an approach to developing that skill. The learning platform and materials are fantastic, but there is always an exercise or two that requires you to go further, to utilise online resources available to anyone, and to try and accommodate what you find in the program you are developing. This is learning by ‘doing’ and not by ‘theory’, and it is probably the best example of the distinction between the dynamic learning environment and traditional academic institutions (the number of mid-week coffees and Asahi’s you consume would be another!).

“How tough is it?”

A question from friends, family and colleagues a little more curious as to what I was doing this summer. The answer to this question now is different to that at various checkpoints during the course. I spent the first four weeks really labouring to grasp all of the key methods and concepts of Ruby, puzzled at how I might come to rely on them further down the road (the feedback at this stage comes via a dark terminal interface, and not in the browser), and worried that perhaps my brain was wired a little differently to the rest of the group. You soon realise that you are not alone, and the environment supports rather than oppresses you. As long as you commit to the syllabus, are willing to make mistakes, and ultimately shout for help or guidance then you make progress! The inevitable challenge of the steep learning curve is well met by the teachers and assistants who are extremely supportive and passionate about the program and the environment. Many have been on the receiving end (having attended previous batches), and they all share a real drive and commitment to ensure the platform and materials evolve and stay current for their audience (which includes alumni as well as students!).

What now?

I’ve got to continue with the coding (it’s an itch) and I’m now well equipped to build and contribute to new projects. I am also actively considering ways in which I can leverage my new skills (in particular new approaches to problem solving) to my current legal career. Empowered by the course, I’m challenging myself to become much more creative, to seek out more like minded people across the ever growing legal tech and engineering scene, and to utilise the LeWagon alumni network!

Before LeWagon:

I was a consultant working at a global management consulting company in Japan. Specialising in business strategy, I have worked with various public companies on their strategy development and implementation.

Why I joined:

I was in the process of starting my own company. Whichever directions I looked, there were fancy websites, apps or marketplaces that are becoming part of “the norm” amongst successful startups. Even though my startup idea is not in the tech arena, the risk of treating it as a blackbox was too great to ignore, and I needed a rapid, intensive course to boost my understanding of coding and the current landscape at higher level.

The Le Wagon experience:

The Le Wagon course definitely exceeded my expectations in several ways because:
1. Your code competency level guaranteed to be at another level at the end, thanks to:
    1. Well-structured curriculum and daily exercises with instant feedback
    2. Experienced and talented teachers to provide in-depth, step-by-step coaching
    3. Focus on learning by doing, rather than theory
2. Attract topnotch students (e.g. Oxbridge etc) and talented people in their fields in every batch
    1. Best learning points often come from students’ questions
    2. Stimulate and accelerates the learning curve
    3. Give scope to dive into interesting optional topics
3. Opportunity to develop teamwork, project management and public speaking in the final project
    1. The people skills are not ignored by Le Wagon - after all coding is just a tool
    2. Give you training for potential future investor pitches
    3. Show off your achievement to your friends and family 

After Le Wagon:

I am definitely at a better position with more insights about the way web app are designed and built. Le Wagon not only provided knowledge and skills, it taught me enough so that I can be self-sufficient to continue learning beyond. Not to mention it’s vast network of alumni and the possibility to connect with similar minded entrepreneurs that will be valuable after the course too.