FAQ.

Devhub is Canada’s first education & co-working space for developers of all levels, and home of Lighthouse Labs in both Toronto and Vancouver. Devhub is a platform where developers can grow together, whether they’ve been coding for two decades or 10 weeks.

The idea of Devhub came about through Lighthouse Labs, where we live and breathe code, education and community while being surrounded by a community of over 500 software developers. This amazing environment has taught us that developers learn best when they are surrounded by others who are passionate, driven and intellectually curious. They learn best doing and having the freedom to explore their interests and focus on their skill. They also learn best through community.

Devhub was founded to support developers throughout their careers, with the guiding belief that exceptional programmers are lifelong learners, the ones who are always on the lookout for ways to better their craft.

The bootcamp educational model is built very differently from the ones you experienced in high school and/or university. Lighthouse Labs practices a flipped, immersive model of education that puts the emphasis on the development of practical skills through building real-world applications using an incremental and cumulative collection of tools and best practices.

Lectures take up a maximum of two and a half hours in any given day, with another eight to ten hours being spent each day working in a lab setting. You can expect to introduce yourself to new concepts through readings and exercises, getting your knowledge bolstered and backfilled with lectures throughout the week. You can learn more about the bootcamp experience our blog post: So You Want To Take A Bootcamp

It is our core belief that 80% of the learning should be done on the job and we’ve tailored every part of our program around it. Our curriculum is constantly interrupted by a community of passionate developers based off feedback from employers, students, alumni and industry trends. We won’t teach you everything about software development (that takes years of practice), but we will give you the foundation so you can continue learning in your new career as a developer as quickly as possible.

For more details, read about our Education Philosophies or explore our Student Outcomes Report.

Yes! We're accredited with PCTIA, PCC and are EQA certified. You're here to learn, let us worry about the paperwork.

In Vancouver, we're at 600-401 West Georgia. In Toronto, you can find us in Devhub at 662 King Street West. We also offer our satellite bootcamp and intro course in communities across Canada, including Victoria, Calgary, London, Saskatoon, Ottawa, Halifax, and Montreal.

Think about it this way, the Intro to Web Development course covers the breadth of Web Development including both front-end and back-end, while the Intro to Front-End with JavaScript course deals solely in front-end development in greater depth. If you want to get a good understanding of how teams web technologies work and gain a better way to communicate with developers, then take the Intro to Web Development Course. However, if you want to learn more front-end skills like learning how to style websites and gain a more practical skillset, then the Intro to Front-End with JavaScript course should be your pick.

There is no right or wrong choice but they provide different outcomes based on what you are looking to gain out of the course.

The choice between web and iOS should be based off your own personal interests and passions. When making your decision, you should weigh the benefits between the two very different development career paths, speak with both web and iOS developers, or try your hand at coding for both web and iOS to get a feel for which you prefer.

You can also consider your personal preference for your work style. Companies often hire Web Developers into collaborative teams, where as iOS Developers are often working individually on projects. At the end of the day, pursue whichever subject you want to build your new development career on!

To help weigh between the two options, our former General Manager Sylvia has helped break down the pros and cons of each in our blog post: iOS or Web: Which Bootcamp Should You Take

Ask yourself: "Do I want to work as a professional developer?"

If the answer is 'yes', then there is no question that the full-time development bootcamp is the program you need.

The goal of our bootcamp is to transform you into a professional full-stack developer. You’ll come to understand coding logic, and learn how to think like a dev by building software from the ground up using industry-relevant technologies. Our program will provide you with mentorship, data-driven curriculum and a top notch learning environment that will launch you into your first junior developer role.

If the answer is 'not sure', taking our part-time course might be the best option.

Our Intro to Web Development, Front End Fundamentals with JavaScript & iOS Development courses are excellent for:

• People interested in learning how to code
• People interested in learning how to communicate with a development team
• People looking to gain career skills to help in a hybrid role
• People interested in learning if they enjoy development before taking our Bootcamp

You can read more on the subject in our blog post: Full-time vs. Part-time: Which Program Is For Me?

Absolutely! Many of our students come from technical backgrounds, including people with Computer Science and Engineering degrees, and even people who currently work as developers. Our curriculum is designed with stretch goals to challenge students of all levels. You will also be surrounded by lots of seasoned developers who will be pushing you out of your comfort zone, so trust us that there will plenty of challenge – our unofficial motto is “get comfortable being uncomfortable”.

While the program is geared towards people of all coding levels, it takes dedication, grit and perseverance to handle a program of this pace and intensity. Our goal is to push everyone to their maximum learning experience in an 10 week period, and advanced students who have come to Lighthouse Labs have grown exponentially in the small, intense time frame.

You can read more about some of our students who came to Lighthouse with strong technical backgrounds, like Andre Soesilo who came to Lighthouse with 3 years experience as a Software Developer + a degree in Computer Engineering, or Katie Peterson a former Engineer turned iOS Developer.

Yes, you can come to Lighthouse Labs as an international student! There is no additional tuition cost or restrictions for people applying from outside of Canada. We have had many students come to Canada for our Bootcamp on a visitors visa, however you are entirely responsible for making any legal arrangements for staying in the country.

Lighthouse Labs is not able to assist in securing working permits, and your eligibility to work in Canada will entirely depend on you securing the proper documents. If you are able to obtain a working permit, you'll be able to take full advantage of our Career Services opportunities!

For more information on coming to Lighthouse Labs as an international student, check out the Newcomer's Neighbourhood Guide.

The Satellite Program is crafted to deliver our Bootcamp and Intro courses to communities that otherwise wouldn't have access. The program retrofits advanced learning technology and mentorship that creates a personalized education experience to help students launch tech careers. This includes on-site mentorship from local developers, along with access to real-time online assistance from our Instructors in Vancouver and Toronto. The satellite program follows the same curriculum and structure, while lectures are delivered by Senior Developers via high quality live video stream.

Yes! Many organizations have sent their employees to us to upgrade their technical skills.

Our Intro to Web and iOS Development courses are fantastic for people looking to gain a technical knowledge of development that can help when communicating with a dev team, managing development projects, understanding technical limitations, or transitioning into a hybrid development role.

Our Web and iOS Development Bootcamps can train someone with zero coding experience, into an agile developer in 10 weeks. This is a great option if you love your company but are looking for a career change, if you are currently a developer but need to learn new technologies, or if you're a founder looking to have more control over your the development of your product.

We can also build custom curriculum for your organization. If you need niche technical or development training for your team, please get in touch via hello@lighthouselabs.ca.

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.

If you’re interested in our bootcamp but brand new to code, our Intro to Web and iOS Development courses are a perfect way to figure out if you're ready for a career as a developer.

In the Onsite Prep Bootcamp programs, you have the option to complete the first 4-week Prep Module fully onsite at our campus. This gives you a dedicated workspace surrounded by the buzz of developers and the opportunity to work through the Prep Modules without your cat settling in on your keyboard for its afternoon nap. If you select this option, there is an additional charge of $500 to secure your dedicated work space. If you prefer the Bootcamp programs without Onsite Prep, you can complete the Prep Modules from the comfort of your home with your physical presence on campus not required until day 1 of the bootcamp portion of the program. Both programs are the same in content, credential and completion time.

There are many ways Lighthouse Labs is unique. Our niche is developers, and everything we do is geared towards finding the best ways to deliver coding education.

• We have a rigorous admissions process, and will only admit potential students who we believe are able to thrive in an intensive learning environment like our bootcamp.
• Our curriculum is built by developers to teach industry relevant technologies, and is constantly iterated to stay on top of development trends. We <3 data-driven education.
• You'll spend 2 hours in lecture a day, and then spend the remainder of your 12+ hour day with hands on keyboard, practicing the skills and concepts you'll need to land a job as a dev.
• We are strong believers in the power of mentorship. At Lighthouse, you'll be supported by a community of over 80 developers. We keep a 1:7 student to teacher ratio, and our mentors are full-time developers who are available in-person throughout the day and on weekends to support your progress in bootcamp.
• We also do regular testing, and collect daily feedback from our students to constantly improve our student experience. Our developer community consists of over 500 alumni, mentors, and community partners that help our students stay on the pulse of innovation in the tech community.
• We share our space with amazing organizations like Launch Academy and Devhub.
• We have an experienced Career Services team that are entirely dedicated to connecting with employers and finding our alumni careers, which is how we've been able to achieve over an 95% employment rate for our job-seeking graduates.

To learn more about our graduate employment rates and how our career services sets us apart, check out our Student Outcomes Report.

For our Web or iOS Bootcamps, we recommend you apply 6-10 weeks before your desired start date as our cohorts start on a rolling basis. The more time you have to complete your prep work and stretch goals, the better! For our Intro to Web or iOS Development courses, we recommend you register and pay your deposit as early as possible to secure your spot - classes are often full a few weeks before the start date.

There is 80 hours worth of prep work you are required to complete before attending bootcamp, and we always recommend you go above and beyond the prep work to prepare yourself as much as possible! The more coding practice you have before attending the program, the happier you will be.

Aside from practicing your coding, there are two things you can do which will set you up for success in the program. The first is to make sure you are comfortable with getting yourself into a productive, focused mindset. The ability to do this is a differentiating factor when it comes to success in the program. Students who are able to put themselves into a mindset that is productive and focused have an easier time adapting to the schedule and also are better at absorbing new material. Some people work best with headphones, some need quiet, some can just throw a mental switch. Find what works for you and get in the routine of doing it.

You can also work on learning how to logically break down tech problems. When you are using the web or your smartphone on a day to day basis, look at the apps and services you are using. Ask yourself the question, “What is the logic behind this? What would I have to do to solve this problem manually?”. This analysis gets you into the habit of looking at problems logically. You don’t need programming experience to talk through the steps you would have to do to play sudoku or solitaire. Just ask yourself how would you explain the steps to someone who doesn’t know the game.

At Lighthouse Labs we are looking for a rare breed: someone who is seeking an opportunity for extraordinary growth, is ready to thrive in an intense learning environment, and LOVES code.

Our students come from all backgrounds and walks of life. They’re weird, they’re quirky, and they stick out in a crowd. Neuroscientists, accountants, teachers, and musicians have all come through our doors. Above all, we look for: passion, aptitude for coding, grit and culture fit.

You can learn more on our admissions page.

If you are waitlisted for one of our programs, the admissions team will contact you ASAP when a new spot becomes available. If no spots open up, and the class is still full on the course start date, we will be in touch to either transfer you to our next available cohort or refund your deposit (whichever you prefer!).

Our Web and iOS Development Bootcamps run year round, on a rolling basis. In Vancouver and Toronto, our Web Development Bootcamp starts every 4 weeks, and our iOS Development Bootcamp every 10 weeks. Our part-time courses run every 6-12 weeks.

You can see all upcoming start dates when submitting your application!

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 10 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.

10 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.

We offer mentorship on weekdays following morning lecture from noon to 9pm. Our mentor ratio is 7:1 during the day and 10:1 in the evening, with limited mentorship available during the weekend and no mentorship available on Friday nights. Please keep in mind that these ratios are averages depending on both the time of the day and the day of the week, so you can count on having mentors when you most need them, particularly in the early afternoon and on heavier days.

We <3 our alumni! Lighthouse grads are always welcome (and highly encouraged) to come back to work in our space, attend workshops + Demo Days, mentor current students, or just say hello (some even come back to bake us cookies ^_^).

Alumni have the entire Lighthouse Labs community at their disposal, including dedicated Slack channels, first dibs on event tickets, ongoing career support and mentorship with no expiry date.

You can learn more in our blog post: The One Year (and Beyond) Bootcamp.

Not directly, but we can connect you with housing options and offer advice. Check out our Newcomer's Neighbourhood Guide for some suggestions!

Congrats! There is 80 hours worth of prep work you are required to complete before attending bootcamp, and we always recommend you go above and beyond the prep work to prepare yourself as much as possible. The more coding practice you have before attending the program, the happier you will be.

Our Head Instructor Don Burks goes into detail about how best to prepare for Bootcamp in our blog post: So You've Been Accepted to Lighthouse Labs. Now What?

Checkout the Newcomer's Neighbourhood Guide for some awesome suggestions for places to live, eat and explore while attending our Vancouver or Toronto campus.

At Lighthouse Labs our 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. Our dedicated Career Services team is here to guide our 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.

You can learn more by reading our blog post: Getting Hired After Bootcamp.

Your employability in Canada is completely dependent on you being able to independently obtain a work visa or find an employer who is willing to sponsor you. Unfortunately, we are legally unable to help you obtain a work visa and in our experience, it can be very challenging for employers to successfully sponsor students right out of bootcamp. Obtaining a work visa independently is completely dependent on your unique situation, including your educational or professional background, the type of job you want, as well as the country you are coming from.

We encourage you to become an expert in your own immigration by contacting Canadian Citizenship and Immigration or an immigration lawyer as early as possible.

Our Career Services team will speak to you about your individual situation and come up with a plan on how we can best support your job hunt, be it in Canada or elsewhere. If you are unable to work in Canada, we are not able to directly connect you with employers, but we are still happy to support you through resume workshops, technical interviewing coaching, and networking tips.

For more info on coming to Canada for bootcamp, check out this handy Newcomer's Neighbourhood Guide that we've put together!

Absolutely! Our Career Services team will work with you to find the perfect fit your organization's needs. Our grads are sought-after, challenge hungry developers. A combination of our rigorous admissions process, tests and mentorship, guarantees our graduates are setup for success and are eager to contribute to your team from day one.

100% of our focus is on producing high quality Junior Devs who teach themselves new skills and think like software developers. Visit our Employers Page or get in touch for more information!

Over 160 organizations have hired our grads! You can learn more about our hiring partners on our employers page.

None. Nada. We're proud to introduce our grads to our hiring partners and provide employers with a pool of top talent. If you are looking for a Developer to join your team, check out our employers page.

In the Onsite Prep Bootcamp programs, you have the option to complete the first 4-week Prep Module fully onsite at our campus. This gives you a dedicated workspace surrounded by the buzz of developers and the opportunity to work through the Prep Modules without your cat settling in on your keyboard for its afternoon nap. If you select this option, there is an additional charge of $500 to secure your dedicated work space. If you prefer the Bootcamp programs without Onsite Prep, you can complete the Prep Modules from the comfort of your home with your physical presence on campus not required until day 1 of the bootcamp portion of the program. Both programs are the same in content, credential and completion time.

Once you are accepted into a cohort, your place in the program will only be reserved once we have received your non-refundable deposit. Deposits can be paid by credit card, and we are able to accept cheques, wire transfers, bank drafts, or cash for the remainder of your tuition. Your tuition is due 2 weeks before the start of the on-site, in-class bootcamp.

You are required to pay your non-refundable deposit to secure your spot in the program, and your tuition is due 2 weeks before the start of your on-site, in-class bootcamp.

While we don't directly offer scholarships, we've partnered with local organizations in our bootcamp communities to offer bursaries for their members.

This includes the First Nations Tech Council, Venture for Canada, SFU FCAT, Ladies Learning Code in Victoria, and others.

Please reach out to these organizations directly for more information or contact us at hello@lighthouselabs.ca.

For all our bootcamp programs in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario you can withdraw RESPs and RRSPs to pay for your tuition. FYI, if you plan to withdraw RESP or RRSP funds you will need a confirmation of enrolment document from Lighthouse Labs first - so please keep that in mind. If you have other questions about withdrawing your RESPS or RRSPs, please get in touch.

Immigrant Access Fund (IAF) Canada provides loans to immigrants to help pay for the costs of obtaining the licensing or training required to work in their field in Canada. For more information, please visit IAF Canada.

Yes! We'll issue a T2202A for you to claim your tuition for any full-time program or part-time program on your tax return.

You can view our complete Refund Policies here: Web + iOS Development Bootcamp Refund Policy and Part-time Programs Refund Policy

Lighthouse Labs recognizes that bootcamp is a big financial commitment and we encourage you check out this blog post about government grants or this FAQ post about financing. The scholarships are not setup to be grants or bursaries and are awarded based on merit and social championing as opposed to financial need.

While Lighthouse Labs continue to work on larger initiatives that aim to tackle the financial barriers of bootcamps, these scholarships are setup to further encourage and support those who are already committed to coming to bootcamp. Our expectation for our scholarship applicants is that one way or the other the bootcamp would be pursued, and that the scholarship is an important demonstration of support for that pursuit from Lighthouse Labs and our partners in response to a candidates merit and dedication to championing those they represent.

Lighthouse Labs recognizes that “underrepresented” is difficult to define. We approach partnerships with curiosity, and with a goal of learning more about these underserved communities and how to best provide opportunities to them. Lighthouse Labs is open to partnering with companies and organizations with a genuine interest in reducing barriers for underrepresented groups in technology in Canada.

Web Development Bootcamp
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

iOS Development Bootcamp
Swift, Objective-C, iOS, Xcode, Storyboarding, Cocoa Frameworks, Parse, Auto Layout, Publishing to App Store, Git, Design, Product Management, Mobile, UX, UI, Camera, CoreLocation, CoreData, working with APIs, Parse Open Source Server

Intro to Web Development
Ruby, HTML, CSS, Sinatra, UX, UI, Front End, Back End, Database Access

Intro to iOS Development
Swift, iOS, Xcode, Design, Mobile, UX, UI, Parse Open Source Server, Storyboarding, Camera, APIs

At Lighthouse, we believe that programming is a craft and therefore we focus on those who endeavour to be a master of their field. As our analogy-loving Head Instructor Don Burks like to say, a lot of people love to cook but not all are cut out to be chefs.

Our other guiding belief is that 80% of your training will be learned on the job, and your first year working as software developer can be seen as paid high-intensity training. With that in mind, we believe that training developers is about providing the right skills so you jump into your new career as a developer. Our program isn’t designed to teach everything you need to know to become an expert — that takes years of practice. It’s designed to teach you just enough to successfully start a profession and continue learning throughout your career.

Learn more about this in our Education Philosophies blog post.