Learn TensorFlow at These 9 TensorFlow Bootcamps

I am not an average student. At the ripe old age of 59, I decided to pick up some new skills before hitting 60, and against the advice of a number of colleagues and friends I deliberately opted for what I imagined would be the toughest course around: a Software Engineering Bootcamp.  I like a challenge.

I had limited computer science knowledge, but have been a technophile for decades, and unlike in my previous career as a TV producer, where creating anything requires vast resources, I was enticed by the idea of creating super cool software with nothing more than a laptop.

I chose BRAINSTATION largely because, among its activities, it offers on-campus, in person courses.  Every student is different, but for me the thought of on-line courses, where you could easily drift off unnoticed, was a real turn off. It proved to be a very good choice, suited me perfectly, and lived up to all my expectations. BrainStation is not cheap, but you're investing in the most important thing: your own future. In my opinion it was entirely worth it.

OVERALL EXPERIENCE
The campus is small, but modern and in the heart of Shoreditch. It has a great vibe that constantly exudes ambition, belief, and a love of tech. There is a strong community spirit that is enriching and loaded with positivity. It's an environment that is proud of its achievements, and that in itself is infectious.

INSTRUCTORS
We had exceptional instructors and teaching assistants. They know their stuff inside out, but more importantly, they know how to communicate it with clarity an enthusiasm, and are always available for those invaluable one-to-one sessions for nailing tricky concepts, or just for general support. Their personal touch and personalised tuition was, for me, the most impressive aspect of the course. I was in a class of people who were mainly not just younger than me, but also considerably smarter. It could have been a ghastly, humiliating experience, but the reality was the exact opposite. The instructors' support, the way they take enjoyment from sharing their knowledge, and the way they deal with each student's individual ability is inspiring and truly motivating. Thanks to that, I passed the course!  I was also fortunate to be in a class of kind hearted students who were all brimming with determination.

CURRICULUM
The course is thorough and largely up to date. We had intense daily lectures, code-alongs, hackathons, and personal projects, as you would expect. These were well structured to take students from the basics to more advanced Javascript, HTML, React, Node, Express, etc. In a fast moving world, it's obviously difficult to keep up with every new development, but BrainStation seems to make quite an effort to regularly revise the course content. It was an exhausting course, however, and I wouldn't recommend it for anyone unable to devote all their energies to it. My only criticisms are that I wished the course had been a little longer. By the time the final weeks were upon us and we were immersed in our final projects, I found it hard to grapple with some of the heavy weight back-end modules. I would have loved more tuition on server-side topics, and an introduction to Python would have been useful. But in 12 weeks, it's impossible to fit everything in. Since the course, I have learned some Python, C#, and .NET techniques, and the programming sensibilities I picked up at BrainStation certainly made that easier.  

JOB ASSISTANCE
Very good. The career advice staff are knowledgeable, well connected, tenacious, and generous with their help and support. The rate at which students find post course employment is obviously a crucial metric in the success or failure of a college - especially one that defines itself as preparing students for the workplace.  I found that at BrainStation, career Advice was central to the course. And it continued for a full six months after the course finished. It's taken seriously and is not a tick-box tag-on that it could be in less conscientious organisations.    

SUMMARY
As a stepping stone into a career in tech, or as a way to simply build a foundation in software development knowledge, BrainStation is, in my opinion, very good indeed. I have no experience of other tech colleges, so I don't have any benchmarks to make comparisons with, but I am now confident in my software writing abilities, have built apps from scratch that work, and I followed up the Software Engineering Bootcamp with a short course in UX Design - also at BrainStation, London. That was also a tremendously rewarding course, taught in person on campus by excellent instructors who shared their knowledge and valuable industry experience with skill and panache.  

Will a BrianStation course get you a job and/or a new career? No - no course can do that, but this college can certainly help you make the most of your attributes.  

Codesmith provided me with exactly what I needed. The curriculum was set up to cover some of the most prevalent concepts and technologies in the industry, and what I left with was a strong foundation to stand on, a solid understanding of how to grow moving forward, and the dedication and confidence to do so. Since graduating, I've stayed in contact with my cohort mates and other people I met through the program (all excellent good-hearted people) and continued to learn and expand my skill set and capabilities. Recently I realized my goal, and with the help of the Alumni and Job Support Team (shoutout to Eric Kirsten), I landed a job as a Software Developer! 

I am a french mathematician and the bootcamp was exactly what i was looking for : A good way to learn and apply datascience ! The staff is amazing, the location, their network, everything was amazing

I recently completed the Data Analytics program at Turing College, and I highly recommend it for anyone aiming to excel in data analytics, particularly in IT and e-commerce. Here’s what makes Turing College exceptional:

Real-World Preparation: The curriculum is designed to get you ready for a Data Analyst role. From day one, you work on projects that reflect real-world challenges, making the transition from learning to working smooth.

Hands-On Experience: The emphasis on practical work is fantastic. I completed 14 real-life projects, each reviewed by senior industry professionals. These projects covered the entire data analysis process, from business problem to providing actionable insights and recommendations.

Mastering Essential Tools & Techniques:

Databases: SQL, MySQL, BigQuery

Data Visualization: Google Sheets, Dashboards, PowerPoint, Tableau, PowerBI

Analytical Methods: Data cleaning, Cohort analysis, Churn analysis, Funnel Analysis, Customer segmentation, RFM & CLV

Statistics & Machine Learning: A/B testing, Linear regression, Logistic regression

Programming: Python, Pandas, Numpy, Matplotlib, Seaborn, Plotly, EDA

Strong Foundations: The program provides a solid base in statistics and machine learning, essential for any aspiring data analyst.

Supportive Environment: The 1-on-1 project reviews, weekly stand-ups with STLs, open sessions with JTLs, workshops and conferences. They offered constructive feedback and helped refine my skills.

Career Support: Turing College's endorsement process and hiring support are outstanding. This crucial link between education and employment significantly enhances your job prospects.

If you're serious about a career in data analytics, Turing College is an excellent choice. The rigorous training, practical experience, and robust support network ensure you're well-prepared to excel in your future role.

I used Dataquest since 2019 and I double my income in 4 years and became a Data Scientist. That’s pretty cool! I’m sure other platforms could have also done the same thing but this is my experience. I don’t have any negative things to said and I’m pretty hard to satisfy so they are definitely doing the right things. I still have access to their platform since I purchased a lifetime membership years ago. I’ve finished the Data Science career pathway and now I’m running out of courses to take within DQ. I do wish they invest more in AI courses, e.g., large language models, deep learning, AI agent development, etc. Hopefully, someone will see this post and start creating more advanced course in AI. Long story short, great platform you won’t regret it!

Overall, this course was a success for me.  When I initially joined this course, I wasn't specifically looking for a new job, I was already in the software industry earning a lot of money in Silicon Valley, and I simply wanted to maintain my skill so it is not obsolete.  However, as the course progressed and my goals changed, I came to take advantage of their career couching services, which actually made a huge difference in my trajectory.  

This course is a serious course and I would recommend you join only if you have experience in software engineering already.  While it s not necessary, a lot of the deeper topic will go over your head.  Also, the learning outcome is absolutely dependent on how much time you spent on it, you can't expect to pay $10k and buy your way into an expert, this is a legit course and everything will have to be learned legitimately over time.

Some advice to new students:

What you need to know before joining / things the course could improve on:

Course outcome:  I was doing about 10 interviews per week before the course ended, and I had 2 job offers both above $200k right after graduation.  I am currently the lead architect on a high caliber ML project with direct reporting ( I actually didn't even ask for this ).  The course paid for itself.  I would recommend.