Being unhappy with the traditional school system, I started looking for alternatives and found Lighthouse Labs. After a bit of research I decided to go with them for no particular reason, other than I liked their website. After all, most coding bootcamp websites all advertise for the same thing.

The sheer amount of knowledge and understanding about high-level programming they gave us in such a small amount of time, is invaluable. We, the passionate cohort I was lucky to be a part of, gave all of our time and dedication for those 10 weeks and they supported us throughout this learning experience.

Yes. ‘Supported’ us. As I wrote previously, I was dissatisfied with the school system I’ve been a part of all my life and so, this was refreshing. They taught us early on, how to learn, how to be curious and assertive. Of course, no one understood everything, so the mentors were always there at the ready, to help us either look through documentation and code more carefully or come up with a different explanation of the problem, while never revealing the answer!

As fo the curriculum, it was heavily dependent on javascript and on week 7 we did a ruby project. We did many projects using different stacks of technologies, all the while learning how to use git and Github for good workflow. The last 10 days were the craziest, most exhilarating days of the bootcamp; we had to team up in teams of 3 or more, come up with a solution to a problem, have a good team workflow, and do a full-stack application with our newly acquired knowledge.

We also had some networking events with employers, where we could talk with them, ask questions and even potentially get a job. Overall, we learnt how to present ourselves in a favorable light to more easily get interviews and later on, a carrer.

Since I didn’t have any prior notable work experience, it was a risky but life-changing decision.

January 15, 2020

I enrolled in the Web Development Bootcamp at Lighthouse Labs with very little prior coding knowledge (I had completed a couple code academy courses in CSS and HTML) and I came out the other end a Full Stack Web Developer! I loved the learning environment, and I don’t think I would have made it through without the encouragement and expertise of my teachers and mentors. And at the end they even helped me find a job! A 10/10 learning experience that I would highly recommend to anyone looking to jump into the world of web developement!

March 16, 2020

Lighthouse labs have a special effect on people. It takes what you knew as your limit, destroys it, and don’t let you build a new one for a few weeks, not until you have learned everything they have to taught.

And all that with an imense support from the teachers, mentors, and staff.

June 18, 2020

I graduated from Lighthouse Labs’ Vancouver Web Development Bootcamp in April 2019, and really couldn’t rave enough about the program.

Coming from some basic coding knowledge (I had taken one of the part-time introductory coding classes that Lighthouse offers), I found the bootcamp to be a difficult yet supportive and rewarding experience.

With tons of mentor support, awesome teachers and a curriculum that’s regularly updated, it’s clear that Lighthouse cares a lot about their students.

August 27, 2020

School never really worked for me – I was often bored, often distracted, and when high school ended Computer Science was definitely not in the cards. But I always enjoyed coding and dealing with technologies. 15 years later after a few career changes the idea of a bootcamp came up and I asked around a bunch and landed on Lighthouse as having one of the best reputations and…man…I’m so glad. Those 10 weeks were some of the most challenging but ultimately most rewarding of my life. I met 13 amazing other cohort mates and great – really great – instructors and mentors and by around week 7 I realised I could barely recognize week 1 me. By week 10 I’d learned a tonne and created a web application from scratch that I’m really proud of.

I am a bit of an evangelist now. This experience was incredible, and career services was so helpful – I’m about to start my first job in the field in 5 days and I graduated only 2 weeks ago. If I had it to do over again I would do it in a heartbeat.

November 7, 2020

I would highly recommend the Web Development Bootcamp with Lighthouse Labs. From the instructors to the mentors to the support staff, it really seemed like their main focus was ensuring the student’s had the best experience possible. I felt supported throughout the entire bootcamp and there was constant reassurance when things got tough (which they did & will – this is not a simple program. It definitly requires a lot of work and dedication).

One aspect I really like about the bootcamp is the life-time access to the course material. I’m currently going back over some of the topics we learned as a refresher and it’s been immensly helpful! I also think it’s extremely beneficial that you complete the bootcamp with a full portfolio of web applications to show employers. Upon completion of the program, there are events to connect with the mentors, alumni, etc. to help you become part of the tech community.

All in all, 10/10 would recommend this program to anyone who’s contemplating taking the leap! It will provide you with the skills needed to make a career change.

December 13, 2020