iO Academy

So when I read all of these reviews, I honestly thought that this place sounded like some weird cult, that people were being overly effusive, and I was interested but pretty sceptical. I was definitely wrong. 

This course was one of the best experiences of my life. The teaching quality is high, the course is incredibly well thought out, and the pacing is perfect. 

Before I go into more detail, I'll give you a brief outline of who I am and where I am now: 

• Previously worked 'management' roles in the charity sector (read: glorified admin)
• Terrible at maths, dyslexic, with no background in STEM subjects. My A levels were in Russian, English Lit, and Politics
• Did modern languages at uni and was planning to be a lawyer

I decided to go into coding as I was looking for a profession which would offer the flexibility that I wanted, the modern working practices that I'd hear so much about, and (most importantly) intellectually stimulating work with continuous learning.

Now I'm a full-stack developer working at a robotics start-up, doing mostly web dev stuff but with a sprinkling of robotics programming. I earn 27k and the whole thing of doing the course was generally a great success.

Don't be put off by lacking a background in STEM, code, or anything. If you're switched on, enjoy solving problems, and like to learn, then apply. You will not regret it.

The Course: 

• Fast-paced: The pace is tough. You can get away without doing homework, but my recommendation is to get your head down and work a bit in your evenings - you will get out what you put in.
• You start with the basics, HTML and CSS. The people who turned up not knowing the basics of these struggled more than those who did. Go on freecodecamp and get to grips with the fundamentals to get a nice head start. You'll thank yourself. 
• You'll move onto some more complex principles, as you start with your first programming language: PHP. This part of the course will make you think that you're an idiot and have no place trying to be a user of computers, and that you should crawl into a little hovel and weep. That's normal, you'll get over it, and you'll be laughing about how hard you found it within a week or two. 
• You'll then move onto Javascript. You'll find this a lot easier than PHP, as you will understand the fundamentals of programming. It all gets better from here on out... as you won't do any new languages, and rather develop what knowledge you've gained. 

The course is structured with 1 week's learning, and 1 week's project, on an on/off basis. It works really well and helps you to consolidate your knowledge.
By the end of the course, you won't recognise yourself. You'll be a pro coder, ready to enter the world of work! 

The teachers:

• Mike: Great teacher, great guy, questionable sense of humour. If you're lucky enough to be taught by Mike then you'll be a happy bunny. Basically half man, half computer, half smiles. 1.5 of a person.
• Charlie: Fantastic teacher, his class is good fun. You'll get on with him if you like: jokes, nintendo, jokes. 
• Ash: Probably my fave, he was in training on my course and I had the pleasure of being taught by him. Great teacher, man is an encyclopaedia of code. 

My experience: 

Overall, my experience was amazing. I had a great time, made some good friends, and for the first time in a long time, wanted to work hard. I actually felt a bit sad on Fridays, which is a first. I would also feel knackered. No word of a lie - you will be tired. You will work so hard, melt your brain a few times, and probably have the odd cry. That's fine and normal. 

The teachers are so supportive, and they only let people in who are nice. You'll be in good hands, and I feel like it was worth more than my entire degree. 
Bells and whistles:

• Professional photos for your linkedin/portfolio, etc. etc. Generally pretty useful and a great touch.
• Scrum Master training: You'll learn to work in an agile fashion, and this experience is priceless.
• Free toast! But don't take the piss. 

My verdict: worth the money

DO IT

Where do I start? One of the best experiences I've ever had and in the space of 6 months I left behind an unfulfilling career in admin that I fell into accidentally and started a new career I'm genuinely excited about! On the course I looked forward to Mondays and was a bit sad on Fridays for the first time in my life.

I first heard about Mayden Academy on a Quora post Mike answered and ended up coming here to look at reviews. With so many glowing reviews I knew I was either applying to an amazing, genuinely life-changing course or a cult. I won't be able to convince you it isn't a cult so won't try but happy to add my voice to the chants of 'do this, it's the best' and 'Mike, Charlie, Ash (trainers), Margaret and Emily (operations team) are my leaders and I will do anything they say and would die for them, er...where was I?'. Anyway...

If you're asking 'is it for me'? My experience:

I applied to the academy late one night when I was off sick from my previous job with flu. My job at the time was so stressful that even with the flu I was working from home to keep on top of it. After years of being unfulfilled, simultaneously stressed, bored and underpaid for the level of work and effort I was putting in, I'd had enough. The highlight of my job at that time was when I got to use Excel. I loved continuously learning (mainly self-taught through Google) and problem-solving using it as a tool and even felt guilty for enjoying it too much, like it wasn't really work because I was having too much fun.

If any of that sounds familiar (maybe note the Excel bit, I know it's not everyone's cup of tea) - being totally fed up and bored in your work because there isn't enough problem-solving and loving to continuously learn/teach yourself new ways to use tools then becoming a developer could be a really great fit for you.

General info

The academy course is very holistic, it's not just teaching you to code but how to become a developer who is able to work well in a team in the real world. It takes you from not knowing what http stands for or what Scrum project methodology means to being ready to start an actual, real life, paid developer role in an Agile team in 16 weeks. You'll learn the technical and the non-technical skills (project management, guest lectures) both in theory (during theory weeks) and in practice (in the project weeks).

One of my favourite things about the course was the spiral learning approach where we would learn about a topic at an introductory or less complex level and then revisit it throughout the course diving deeper each time and furthering our understanding. We also learned how to do things the hard way first rather than using tools which would do everything for us which sounds like a pain but I'm really grateful for this because I think it armed me with way more understanding of what I'm doing. For example, starting writing code in textmate manually to later using a PHPStorm which can complete typing syntax for you and tell you when you're getting it wrong!

People

The trainers were excellent (I had Mike with Ash supporting) and incredibly dedicated to the students' experience and job prospects. I loved being in a small team, 8 students to 1 teacher was a perfect size for the class. Margaret (Business Development and Marketing Manager) and Emily (Office Coordinator) made everything run so smoothly - from onboarding to keeping us stocked up with toast and hot chocolate, to running events like the hiring partner evening and everything in-between. The whole team work very hard to make this this the once-in-a-lifetime experience it is.

Preparing

Before the course you'll be sent information on prep work you can do ahead of the course. I'd done a small amount (3-4 evening classes) of html and css a few years ago and did a big chunk of the suggested JavaScript prep ahead of the course which really helped. I strongly recommend doing as much of the prep as you can - it's not a pre-requisite but it really helped me not feel overwhelmed by all the information and pace of learning.

Money... :(

I didn't have savings before the course so wouldn't have been able to do it without the option of EdAid so it was fantastic to have this option. It's a no-interest loan where you pay a small % admin fee and pay back at the cost of inflation but only begin paying it back when you're working again. I was also lucky enough to be part-funded through WIDJET. The Academy has itself started a scholarship fund which aims to help people who might not otherwise be able to afford doing the course so please don't be discouraged from applying due to the cost if that's what's standing in your way, get in touch with the team to see what your options are.

During

The course is intense. I didn't have much energy outside it to do anything much more than sleep and more learning! I exaggerate a bit but it really did take 100% of me for the duration. I also found it incredibly rewarding; many days I wanted to stay later and would happily get my laptop out on the bus on my commute to cram in more practice.

16 weeks is a good length, more than that would have been too long, less than that and I wouldn't have been ready to get out there and feel confident in my skills. You don't have to learn outside of the course hours but I wanted to and it really helped me to consolidate my learning. I should add that I was commuting from across Bristol so my commute was longer than if you were to live in Bath or near to a station heading into Bath and that took its toll.

During class time ask questions. Lots and lots of questions. The trainers are really friendly and approachable and love getting questions. If you think you're the only one in the class who isn't getting something because no one is asking the question you want to ask, I guarantee you there are others thinking the exact same thing and will be grateful when you ask it so they don't have to! An interesting thing about the academy (and I would think this is universal, not just at Mayden Academy) is that many of us felt underconfident and worried we weren't good enough because we were finding the material hard. I would like to reassure people in advance: the application process is geared to ensure that if you're on the course, the trainers are confident you can do it. It's quite an unusual situation to be an adult learner on an intensive full-time course in an area where everything is so new day-in day-out. As adults we're not used to not knowing/understanding things straight away and this course puts you in that position for 16 weeks - it's ok to not be good at something straight away but it can feel very uncomfortable and make you question your abilities and bring up fears of failure but ride it out because it's a normal reaction and likely not at all reflective of your actual abilities.

After the academy

The academy don't guarantee you a job at the end of the course, however, their training is so comprehensive and of such a high standard, the network of hiring partners so big and the support given to help you with job-hunting so good, that graduates receive job offers in developer roles within three months of graduating. I won't lie - the job-hunting bit is a stressful process, I experienced a lot of imposter syndrome and worried about when I would have money coming in again - but they do try hard to support you during that. I was fortunate enough to be offered a position in my last week in the course and began my new job a couple of weeks later. I'm two weeks in now and loving it, despite the imposter syndrome rearing its head!

I couldn’t have asked for anything more from the Mayden Academy bootcamp, I feel like the skills I’ve learnt over the past 4 months have set me up for a career as a developer    There are so many positives things to say about the course but here are just some of my highlights:    - Commitment of the trainers  I was in Mike’s class throughout, I found Mike to be extremely knowledgeable with a real ability to explain concepts in a way which was easy to understand. He is also very patient and happy to explain things several times if needed, and was also happy to stay late to cover content 1 to 1.    Ash was also in our class providing support and delivering content, it was great having a second teacher to ask questions and he is very helpful, friendly and approachable.    I wasn’t in any of Charlie’s classes so can’t talk to his teaching skills (which I’ve heard from others is very good) but he is a very funny, energetic and positive person.      - Access to trainers and small class size Each class consists of 8 students which I think is the perfect ratio of students to trainers. This small size allows you to ask as many questions as you like and form a close bond with others in the class.    Class size is something which I think is really important and Mayden Academy were offering the best student to trainer ratio.    - Ways of working  One of the most important skills I learnt on the bootcamp was how to work as a team in order to build an application. Mayden Academy arranged for us to have two days of Scrum training from an external Scrum trainer, supported us to gain scrum master certification and applied scrum principles throughout project weeks. I think this gives you a big head-start going into your first position as a developer and is something which you can’t teach yourself.    - Getting you hired  The point of a bootcamp is to learn relevant skills so that ultimately you can secure your first position, Mayden did everything they could to support people getting a job at the end of the course including:  o Giving us the skills to build a portfolio website o Spending a day discussing CVs, covering letters and what to expect from interviews o Reviewing CVs before sending to employers o Arranging for a photographer to take professional headshots o Introducing us to companies actively looking to recruit at a hiring partners evening    I had been thinking about changing career to become a developer for a number of years, having completed the course I just wish I had done it sooner!  

I joined Mayden Academy after extensively researching bootcamps and assessed that they provided the best emphasis on professional skills and being able to do the job from day one. Needless to say they provided that and more. Working in both the LAMP and MEAN stacks, we gained an exceptional level of knowledge in just 4 months and left with a technical capability far beyond our expectations.

Charlie and Mike foster a wonderful atmosphere at the Academy full of support and banter in equal measure while keeping everyone focused on the goal in mind. The pace is blistering but you never feel it's beyond you. The support staff were also on hand whenever you needed help, and the meet & greet with the hiring partners they organised yielded a ton of interview offers. I found my job a mere two weeks after graduating.

If you're serious about this change of career and want the best possible springboard into it, you really need to apply here.

Finishing Sixth Form and going onto the course was extremly daunting for me. Within a few days of starting I realised my worries where null and void. I was taught by Charlie, who I knew was a great guy from the second he laughed at the ASCII cows I had put into my code. All the trainers and staff are freindly and helpful, going out of their way to make sure you get the most out of the course. From hunting for jobs, reviewing and giving advice on your CV to shoving you in a pub with potential employers and booze, or letting you work on you strange coding side projects. You learn great tech and all the stuff you need to come out as a great developer, all while having a great time. If you want to learn to code like a pro and enjoy yourself all the way, you should be here.

[TL;DR]

Joining Mayden Academy was the best decision I made, if you're considering about becoming a developer, go for it. 

 

[Background]

I worked as a UI/UX designer for few years in the tech industry. I studied fashion in college, worked in graphic design a little bit before that. 

I enjoyed UI development part of my job (mainly HTML/CSS) so I watned to change my career to full time developer for almost 3 years. I never had enough courage to actually do it, but feeling very unhappy doing what didn't interest me anymore, I finally left my work and did a lot of research on bootcamps.

I live in Bristol, so Mayden wasn't the most convenient choice for me, but I really liked their curriculum and the reviews of previous graduates sounded promising, so I decdied to apply. 

I'm really happy to say now, that it's been really great 16 weeks, and that decision I made was the best. 

 

[Mayden Academy Experience]

The class consists of small number - 8 at the most. They set up the environment as real working environment. There is a product owner, scrum master in project weeks, we did spring planning, review and restro which helped me so much. When I had job interviews, companies value these experiences I had a lot.

Instructors really do care about students. They truely enjoy mentoring others, always helped us when there was any challenge. 

Their curriculm is really well designed. One theory week is followed by one project week where you can actually build stuff with the knowledge you got in the previous week. I also got a lot of practical knowledge as a non-computer-science-background person, as well as good core concept on programming. 

Their course is designed so that you won't get burn-out, there's no "too much work" you need to do after class time. What I was learning was a lot, but I never felt overwhelming. I had a good class/life balance even when I was going to classes everyday 9-5.

The atmosphere in the academy is very friendly and chill. We played Wii or any silly but funny games together during lunch time. We would go to pub on Fridays where we often could meet previous graduates. 

 

[Job Support]

They are genuinely supportive all the way from the very beginning to the very end (actually even after it ends). I was the last one in my class that accepted an offer, so while my classmates already accepted offers even before the course finished, I spent few weeks applying for places. They were continuously checking on me how I was doing,  shared job opportunities they found with/for me, shared industry contacts, etc. 

I started working for a tech company in Bristol, and I'm enjoying it so much. 

 

 

I joined Mayden Academy after 10 years spent in a non-tech industry and 1 year just only to convinced myself that was time for a career change. Now, after the course, if I could go back it won't need 1 year to decide but probably only 1 hour!

It was the best choice of my life, a necessary step to realize dreams and change my lifestyle. It wasn't easy, but thanks to the excellent competence and preparation of the instructors now I have a solid knowledge that allows me to be able to look for a highly qualified job.

And you.... what are you waiting for?!

I started Mayden Academy having never written a line of code and I now have a portfolio of projects to show off my skills. At Mayden Academy they start at the beginning and they build on what you learn week-by-week so don't let no experience of coding put you off. The learning is extremely intensive but the trainers; Mike, Charlie and Sam, alter the pace of the course to meet the needs of students - and to make sure that no-one gets left behind.

Setting the teams up as close to workplace development teams as they can gives you really good practical experience, not only in developer tools like git, but also in working together to complete the projects. You'll become a certified scrum master and get the chance to practice those skills in project week. Working in teams is great since we all brought something different to the team and could learn from each other.

Even if you have only just started considering a coding bootcamp and you aren't sure yet, sign up for one of their taster sessions to give you a sense of whether coding is for you. If you aren't sure because you don't know whether you can do it take their assessment - if you can pass that and you are deternined you will complete the course and be on your way to becoming a Full Stack Developer in 16 weeks, which is pretty incredible!