Hi, I’m Brian, a former senior software engineer and now industry mentor at Pathrise. I have worked with hundreds of web developers and software engineers to help them land their dream jobs in tech. Check out my review of Jax Code Academy.
- What does Jax Code Academy do?
- Who is Jax Code Academy for?
- What does Jax Code Academy cost? How much work is involved?
- Ratings and reviews
- Alternatives to Jax Code Academy
- How does Jax Code Academy compare to Pathrise?
What does Jax Code Academy do?
Jax Code Academy is a coding bootcamp that teaches people the skills they need to launch a new career as a software engineer or cybersecurity professional. Classes feature live 1-on-1 instruction with a low student-to-teacher ratio. All classes are recorded and available online afterwards. Students can learn in-person, online, or a combination of both.
Their coding bootcamp runs for 12 weeks with classes Monday-Thursday from 10am to 4pm. Students learn full-stack web development by participating in live lectures, hands-on exercises, coding challenges, and group projects that they can add to their portfolios.
The curriculum first covers front-end development with HTML, CSS, and Javascript as students build responsive database-driven websites and apps. Students work with in-demand web dev tools like jQuery, Node, React, PHP, MySQL, WordPress, Python, React, and even object oriented programming. The curriculum also covers critical problem solving and soft professional skills like communication, presentation, teamwork, time management, organization, and more.
All students receive job support. The bootcamp includes workshops on resume building, lectures from local recruiters, and group projects that give students the chance to build real websites for their portfolios. Students are also paired with local recruitment firms Robert Half Technology and Apex Systems to help them land a software job. Grads can choose to sign up for a 3-month Jax Code Academy internship during the job search, allowing them to beef up their resume and sharpen their new skills. For grads who want extra practice, the course can be repeated for free within 1 year of graduation. Students usually get full 3-month access to the local Jacksonville coworking space as well.
Who is Jax Code Academy for?
People with little to no coding experience who are looking to launch a career as a web developer could benefit from Jax Code Academy. Their program is especially helpful for people who are based in Jacksonville or those who are interested in hands-on learning. Students seeking extensive career services with internship opportunities could also be a good fit.
What does Jax Code Academy cost? How much work is involved?
Tuition for any bootcamp course is $3,500. Payment plans are available based on student financial need, although a $1000 deposit is still usually required. Students who get a friend to sign up and pay for the bootcamp attend for free, in a sort of buy-one-get-one-free enrollment discount.
Unlike many other bootcamps, there is no formal admissions process. Anyone who applies can enroll. No prior experience is required so all students have to do is bring their own laptop.
Ratings and reviews
Jax Code Academy has mostly positive reviews. They hold a perfect 5/5 star rating on Course Report, where grads praised the hands-on curriculum and career services. One grad appreciated that “the class sizes were small so there was a lot of one on one assistance.” They also were impressed that their supportive instructor “knows exactly what he’s talking about.” Although the student did feel the course “should be a little bit longer,” they were very satisfied with the experience. Another grad raved that “the job assistance is great” and “the instructors were very helpful” with lots of 1-on-1 student support in the small classes.
However, the program only holds a 2/5 star rating on Switchup, but it is based on just 1 review. The grad warned “everything they teach can be found on Youtube” and the small classroom setting is only helpful “if you are the type that needs people to push you.” But, the bootcamp holds a perfect 5/5 star rating on Facebook, where grads describe the program as a “great hands on coding boot-camp with all of the 1 on 1 learning you need!” Some prospective students on Reddit were impressed with the concept, but were concerned that “having to stop when the slowest person in the class needs assistance” bogged down the experience. Overall grads were satisfied by the bootcamp’s supportive environment and the extensive career services, though some would have preferred a longer course with a slightly more in-depth curriculum.
Alternatives to Jax Code Academy
If you decide not to enroll in Jax Code Academy, there are a number of alternative bootcamps and resources to help aspiring web developers launch their careers.
- The popular bootcamp BrainStation offers courses in full stack web development and many other tech topics. Like Jax Code Academy, BrainStation emphasizes project-based learning and lots of 1-on-1 support. Their hiring partners include Facebook, Google, and more.
- Similarly, General Assembly teaches full-time, part-time, and 1-day courses on a variety of topics including software engineering. Their program features a hands-on curriculum, more than 19,000 hiring partners, and a 91.4% job placement. Read more about General Assembly in our review.
- Another well-known bootcamp, Fullstack Academy runs part-time and full-time software programs for aspiring software engineers. Like Jax Code Academy, Fullstack Academy is known for their intense experience with a hands-on curriculum.
- Aspiring web developers can look into CodeX Academy, a self-paced coding bootcamp with 1-on-1 mentorship opportunities. Learn more about CodeX Academy in our program review.
- Students seeking self-paced learning can also check out Springboard. This online educational resource helps people launch a career in a wide variety of tech fields, including software development. Students in their career tracks build over 14 portfolio projects with weekly mentorship meetings. If graduates don’t land a tech job within 6 months, they get a full refund. Read more about Springboard in our review.
- Flatiron School is a popular bootcamp with tracks in software engineering. Their bootcamps feature a hands-on curriculum, career coaching, and a job placement rate above 86%. Students can learn online or at in-person, with both full-time and part-time options available.
- The full-time tech bootcamp Kenzie Academy teaches in-person and online courses in 2 tracks full-stack software engineering & UX design and front-end engineering. They offer an ISA so students don’t pay until they land a tech job with a salary of at least $40,000. Learn more about Kenzie Academy in our review.
- Students looking for a flexible remote program with mentoring can check out Bloc. They host online courses in web development and web design, with instructor feedback, a project-based curriculum, and 1-on-1 mentorship meetings every week.
- The wildly popular Codecademy program offers hands-on coding courses for free. Students can learn web development, dozens of programming languages, and even data science. They offer $20-40 monthly membership options for greater course options and support. Read more about Codeacademy in our review.
- Students on a tight budget can also consider Udemy, an online program that hosts thousands of self-paced video courses on web dev, cybersecurity, and many other topics. Classes cost about $10 each and come with lifetime access.
- People seeking affordable, flexible web dev learning with mentoring can look into Udacity. They offer free intro courses, as well as paid “nanodegree” programs for a more intense experience with greater support. Nanodegree students meet 1-on-1 with both a technical mentor and a career coach as they build projects. Read more about Udacity in our reviews.
- Students seeking university courses can look into edX. Their platform hosts thousands of self-paced university courses from top schools like Harvard and MIT, and even big tech companies like Microsoft. Students can choose to learn the fundamentals or take a deep dive into specific topics, like web development. Learn more about edX in our review.
How does Jax Code Academy compare to Pathrise?
Jax Code Academy is a bootcamp for people interested in starting a new career as a web developer or cybersecurity professional. While an interest in coding is recommended, their program is designed for beginners. Pathrise job-seekers should already have a background in their chosen field so they can get the most out of our technical curriculum.
Pathrise is a career accelerator that helps people find their dream in tech. Our mentors have already helped 800+ fellows land great jobs by helping all phases of the job search including resume and portfolio optimization, reverse recruiting, cold emailing, technical and behavioral interviewing, and salary negotiation. The curriculum is customizable and tailored to the individual needs of each fellow.
Jax Code Academy is an intensive program, with lots of live classes and project work. The Pathrise program is flexible. There are just 2-4 hours of group sessions per week and fellows can schedule 1-on-1 sessions as needed. Our program offers a 9% income share agreement (ISA) so fellows pay nothing until they land a great tech job. We never require deposits or upfront payments.
Pathrise optimizes the job search through 1-on-1 mentorship and personalized training. Fellows in our program see their interview scores double and their application responses triple, landing a job in only 3-5 months on average. If you are interested in working with our mentors to land your dream job, join Pathrise.
Apply today.
