tradecraft

The curriculum is okay but mostly self-guided. The instructors are super knowledgable, but you rarely see them. I suspect the founders have them working on their personal projects, and they both seem to constantly have their own side hustles. No hate on that, but it feels like the students come last on their priority list.

Most of this is doing unpaid labor for local startups, which is probably worth it if you're looking to build out a portfolio of real companies. You'll learn a lot about how startups work the first couple weeks, too.

It's made apparent that instructors get to do whatever they want (show up late or not at all, never reply to emails without a reminder, cancel meetings, etc). The experience feels like a demoralizing kneeling to the egos on top who are constantly "disappointed" in their students for not taking out the garbage or doing other menial tasks they elect not to pay someone to do.

The founder, Russ, is also temperamental and there were several incidents during my time there where he sent snide emails or publicly yelled at students. Don't fill out the weekly feedback form. If you give them anything but a glowing review, you will be contacted to be told you are wrong and will receive the scorn of staff for the rest of your time there. This happened to many of my peers.

Ultimately, only do this if you have low expectations of the staff and are only looking to build out a portfolio.

Pivoting from graphic design to product design was easily one of the best career moves of my life. I had done tremendous amounts of research deciding which 3-month program to pursue (RED Academy, Designation, General Assembly) and decided to go with Tradecraft. The instructors are top notch and the sense of community is strong. 

In addition to living in one of the most prolific cities for design + tech while learning the best practices in the industry, I found a job within two months after graduating from the program. I couldn't be happier with my new career working for a rapidly growing health tech startup. 

If you're deciding between programs, I encourage you to reach out to the alumni of the program and ask them for yourself. The choice was clear to me.

I applied to TC based on recommendations from a few industry professionals and from all the great reviews I read online. But after going through their ridiculous application process and getting accepted, I ultimately decided the program was not for me and declined to come on board.

First of all, there is no way to email anyone with questions, no phone number, no FAQs, no way of getting an on-site tour, and no way of sitting down with an instructor to see if it will be a right fit. The ONLY way to get ahold of anyone is to "apply", which means just filling out a contact form. After "applying", Nick from admissions will call you for an informational interview and tell you they are so great and selective, but it's not true. I've met people who came from varying backgrounds who were all accepted. After the initial call with Nick, for the Product Design track, you'll be asked to do a project which takes quite some time, especially if you're completely new to the Design world. On the final call, they will tell you your project was crap and will not give any feedback, but they will say you're accepted anyway because they can help. They will convince you that you need them and they will bully you to start immediately, otherwise, they won't think you're serious. Their desire to just fill spots and take people's money is so obvious. Honestly, I should've known better. The signs were all there, but I was blinded by the reviews. For $14,000+, you would think they'd care a little more about how they're coming off and not be so rude or pushy.

Since declining TC, I've met several other people who had similar experiences. I also found additional programs with better setups and offerings and I couldn't be happier that I walked away from TC. I've met people who went to TC and they got great results from attending, but they were all part of the earlier cohorts. Things change. I'm honestly surprised there aren't more bad reviews here.

I won't tell you where to go if not TC, but I will tell you to find a program that welcomes you, lets you meet instructors, is kind, and totally transparent with what they can do for you. They do exist! Don't give your money to just any program that claims they can get you to your dream job. I emailed with and visited offices so many different programs, and I didn't commit to any of them until I found the one that didn't make me feel uneasy. Declining TC was the best decision I could've made for my career.

I joined Tradecraft because I wanted a career change. Not only did Tradecraft help me with my career development, it also provided me the opportunity to expand my network, meet industry leaders, and work on clients' projects with the team.  

Tradecraft fosters an environment where you feel safe to make mistakes, learn fast, and apply what you learn into the startup world.  

If you are the type of person who needs to be hand-held, Tradecraft is not for you. However, if you are ready to hustle and are eager to pursue what you desire to acheive in your career, then come join the Tradecraft family. We are here for you.  

I was in a sales position and looking to switch to a more creative careerpath. I had a tast of product design and knew that this was a field that I wanted to enter. I was part of TC 25 and quit my job to do the full-time program. It was  a terrifying leap of faith but I am so glad that I did. After TC I landed a full-time position as a product designer, in an industry that I love. I worked my buns off for three months but couldn't be happier with the resuts. 

A typical day at Tradecraft is divided into Curiculum, Career Development, and Client Projects. Zac and Jake were my two instructors for the product design track. I felt that our curriculum was very relevent, applicable, and I use a lot of the foundation I learned in my job today. You actually manage to learn a very wide range of industry knowledge in a short period of time. However, you jump from topic week to week (for example, one week might be typography, the next, forms). You get a very surface-level understanding of these topics, but the resources to dig deeper. Doing the reading and your own research is a must in order to really absorb the coursework. Take advantage of the time you have to ask the instructors questions. Later in your career, few people will take the time to go that in-depth with you. 

Client work is what makes Tradecraft so unique from other bootcamps. Rather than having course projects, you work with real companies designing to solve their real problems. In your career, you are never designing in a vacuum. There will always be deadlines, restrictions, and steakholder opinions to balance. You get first-hand experience with this by working with a real client. You are essentially doing contract work, vetted for you by Tradecraft and other students, for the experience. I firmly believe you get as much as you give in terms of time here. I joined 5 different client projects, and co-led one. During this time I went a little insane. I suggest 3-4 at most. 

Career Development is lead by Ariane. She helps you spiff up your LinkedIn, identify jobs that you are interested in, reach out to connections to grow your network, and make sure your resume is up to par. Some need more handholding in this catagory than others. However, I felt that this was a good resource to have and appreciated the emphasis on networking. Looking good on paper alone will not land you a job, and learning that was important. I will never blindly fire off resumes and CVs on a job search site again!

Guest speakers were also a significant part of the experience. We were expected to bring in 3 people who had relavent industry knowledge and who our class could network with. It was a great excuse to reach out to people who's jobs we admire, and could learn from. I thought this was hugely helpful in creating a learning environment where we all contributed to each others growth. 

Tradecraft fosters a great environment for career excelleration. It gives you the resources to do a lot with your time there, and how you take advantage of that is up to you. Beyond that, your cohort becomes your best resource of all. You are surrounded by people with various backgrounds and industry knowledge who are willing to help you in any way that they can. I occasionally get emails from current students with small asks, and am more than happy to return the favor that previous students had done for me. 

The misconception about bootcamps is that they're the fast and easy way into whatever you are pivoting towards. The reality is that they (at least TC) are hardwork and you only get as much value out of it as you are willing to put in and also demand.

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My Personal Experience:

I truthfully would not have been able to transition from a non-tech background into design without TC. The two instructors of the PD track were incredibly talented and experienced. Throughout the program and during the job search, they were the mentors who kept me afloat as I struggled in the new world of design. I can't rave about them more. The program director served as my last line of defense when I am in breakdown mode; he has a way of deciphering what is right for you.

My lowest score goes to job assistance because after being in the routine of job searching for a few months, it started seeming bleek and I found trouble getting advice that wasn't cookie-cutter from what was being told to everyone else. This frustrated me greatly. The weekly sessions are necessary to keep the momentum and the advisor and other attendees help keep you sane, but I think the formatting of the sessions themselves need some more tweaking to have higher efficiency.

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The TC Structure:

The program is fast, and you will get the people who complain about it, no doubt. But everything here is self motivated. No one will babysit you. TC provides the environment and the tools, it's up to you to push yourself beyond your comfort zone. Utilize the resources, leverage the network, and don't afraid to try. TC is not easy and it won't make your transition into design easy, but it will help you gain the confidence to try.

The job search post-graduation is where the most valuable part of TC comes in: the network. During my months of job searching I must have asked dozens if not more of TC staff, alums, current students for introductions to various companies. All of them were happy to do it. The people in my cohort became some of my closest friends in the field and I still routinely go back to TC hoping to catch a glimpse of a familiar face.

If you are looking for a technical-skills-heavy curriculum, this won't be for you. Rather, TC helps you gain experience and confidence working with startups and teaching you through working. If you are looking for an easy passive way of pivoting, this won't be for you either. If you like structure and direction, you will suffer here. TC is the place for self-motivated people who are comfortable with ambiguity and un-structure and you NEED to be emotionally ready for the next 6 months.

Making a move into the tech world provides significant challenges, including a lack of network and relationships. Tradecraft provides the coaching, skill building and foundational network to build a career in tech. While learning sales, you’re exposed to the other tracks (growth, product design) and collaboration opportunities are prevalent. 

Tradecraft focuses on personal developed as well as career development. Providing guidance and peer support that will build knowledge and exposure to become an effective startup founder or team member. Additionally, the number of alumni keeps growing and a strong network effect has taken place. This is essential to achieving success in this industry. 

If you’re changing careers, moving into the tech space, or want to build a strong network within the Bay area, Tradecraft is the program.