Frequently asked questions
DO YOU QUALIFY
Individuals who are former members of the Canadian Armed Forces (including those who served in the Reserve Force, special duty areas and on domestic duty), who have been, or are about to be, honourably released from military service.
You have an interest in technology
HOW DOES CAREER SERVICES AT LIGHTHOUSE LABS WORK
Lighthouse Labs guiding belief is that over 80% of training will be learned on the job, and the first year of working as a software developer can be seen as paid high-intensity training. Their dedicated Career Services team is there to guide the students into their new roles. They work with all students to identify their career goals, and help them jump from classroom into the real world ASAP to continue honing their skills. Check out just a few of the employers who hire from Lighthouse Labs and our
career outcomes.
HOW MUCH DOES THE 12 WEEK BOOTCAMP COST
The Soldiers In Tech program is a full ride scholarship with no cost to the veteran and we will supply a MacBook Pro computer to assist you through the course if needed.
HOW HAS COVID AFFECTED THE PROGRAM
All in-person programs and events are now available in an online live format. Lighthouse has been running hybrid and online education in different formats since its inception, and in releasing our online bootcamps and part-time courses in '
Online Live' format all our students can be assured they will receive the same level of support and engaging environment. This includes on-demand mentorship, live-streamed interactive lectures, and incorporation of various messaging tools to make sure you experience going through your program with a cohort full of motivated peers.
Furthermore, with employers starting to look for more specific abilities around working remotely, the online live courses have been built to better simulate the current work environment that graduates will be entering. You will have the same access to all of the aspects of our career services support and we will work closely to prepare you for the competitive job hunt.
We will continue the remote program delivery until government and health professionals agree that it is 100% safe to resume in-person classes.
NOT SURE THAT TECH IS A CAREER FOR YOU, CHECK OUT THESE WEBSITES AND RESOURCES TO TRY FOR FREE
FreeCodeCamp.org: This is an awesome free resource that teaches the basics of full stack web development.
Head First Javascript Programming: Great book focused on Javascript foundations
Katas and coding challenges that are one of the best ways to build your problem solving before bootcamp. Try all the stretch katas in Module 6.
Coderbyte | Code Screening, Challenges, & Interview Prep
Improve your coding skills with our library of 300+ challenges and prepare for coding interviews with content from leading technology companies.
Codewars: Codewars is where developers achieve code mastery through challenge. Train on kata in the dojo and reach your highest potential.
HOW TO APPLY AND WHAT TO EXPECT
The application process takes 3 steps:
Apply online:
Complete our online application, where you'll introduce yourself and give us an overview of your background. This includes your military service, education, coding experience, goals and interest towards the program
Interview: After filling out an application form online, you will be contacted by Lighthouse Labs within 24 hours with a link to book yourself into a group interview. This group interview is a great chance to ask questions and learn more about the program! We will also ask a little bit about you. Following the group interview, you will be booked into a one-on-one technical interview with Lighthouse Labs. In this technical interview, you will be given 1 week to study some Javascript modules and we will be asking you basic questions relating to those modules. Upon completion of the technical interview, we will be in touch regarding your acceptance and next steps!
Prep Modules: The 70 hours you’ll spend on the Prep Modules will introduce the basic technologies you’ll use throughout bootcamp. You’re required to complete the Prep Modules in the weeks leading up to your first day on campus. Ask admissions for more information.
HOW MUCH PROGRAMMING EXPERIENCE DO I NEED TO TAKE THE BOOTCAMP
No formal education is required to being admitted to Lighthouse Labs! While having some coding knowledge always helps, your background does not matter as much as a genuine interest in development and a raw determination to succeed in this challenging environment. Want to get a head start or see what it's like - take a free code camp here.
TELL ME MORE ABOUT THESE PREP MODULES
The prep work is there to help you do the groundwork and prepare for success before Day One of on-site Bootcamp. Each student is required to complete a 70-hr prep module at least one week before starting Bootcamp. The program is really 14 weeks long, as we consider the prep modules to be two weeks of full-time work on top of the 12 weeks of on-site bootcamp. However, you can jump into the Prep Modules as soon as you are confirmed into the program, so we recommend that you use all the extra time to make sure you get through all the prep with plenty of time to spare.
WHAT IS LIGHTHOUSE LABS GRADUATE EMPLOYMENT RATES
95% of Lighthouse Lab job-seeking graduates have been hired within 180 days! You can view the complete breakdown of their employment statistics in the Lighthouse Labs Student Outcomes Report. We have continued to see this success during the COVID-19 pandemic.
WHAT KIND OF LAPTOP WILL I NEED
We strongly encourage you to bring either a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, running the most current version of Mac OS X. However, PC laptops can be used if they are running a recently installed version of Linux. Netbooks are a no-go.
In any case, laptops should be no more than 3 years old with a minimum of 4GB of RAM.
Let us know if you do need a computer for the course and we will hook you up!
For more info
WHAT DOES A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER IN TECH STUDENT LOOK LIKE
During Bootcamp, you can expect to dedicate 100% of your time and energy to code. Lecture is from 9am-11am, and the rest of your day will be spent with hands on keyboard, completing the daily assignments, projects and reaching for those stretch goals.
Day in the life
WHAT LANGUAGES, FRAMEWORKS AND SUBJECTS DO YOU COVER
JavaScript, Express.js, Ruby, Ruby on Rails, SQL, Sqlite, Postgres, Node.JS, HTML, CSS, Git, Front-end, Back-end, MongoDB, Sinatra, jQuery, AJAX, Product Management, UX, UI, Websockets, OOP, RSpec, TDD, BDD, APIs, REST, MVC, ES2015, Responsive Web Apps, Heroku
DO I GET A DIPLOMA UPON GRADUATION
Graduates will be provided with a Web Development Diploma from Lighthouse Labs.
WHY IS THE LIGHTHOUSE LABS BOOTCAMP ONLY 12 WEEKS
Our goal is to get you job ready and employed as quickly as possible. As a Developer, the best thing you can do is build, build, build - so by accelerating your learning into 12 weeks, you can start your new career ASAP. We strongly believe that your first year after bootcamp will be where you do the most learning - so while we could cram more coding knowledge into your brain, we don't want you to twiddle your thumbs when you could be tapping on keys, making $$ and gaining real experience as a Developer.
12 weeks has proven to be the ideal balance to absorb the material, practice your skills and get employed, all while being able to maintain the pace, intensity and immersive nature of bootcamp. 2500 + students have completed the bootcamp and moved into successful tech careers.
• Employment as developers: 81% of graduates who responded to our survey
still work as developers and over 93% of graduates work in technical roles
that require coding knowledge.
• Seniority level: 91% of graduates who are employed as developers occupy
either Intermediate or Senior roles.
• Average developer salary 3+ years after Bootcamp graduation: $85,247
*From a survey taken of Lighthouse Labs grads, 3+ years after they graduated
