Lighthouse Labs was founded in 2013 by a group of software developers with a mission to find the best possible ways to train the next generation of Canadian tech talent.. Seven years later, they have expanded to serve students from all around Canada, as well as internationally, and have moved beyond web development to offer additional programs in data science and data analytics.
Lighthouse Labs has been aware of the societal shift toward a more digital world and has run with that idea to create bootcamp loved by thousands of students who pass through their programs. And, with upskilling and reskilling becoming more encouraged and pursued, the accessibility offered by Lighthouse Labs programs has become one of this bootcamp’s many strong values.
What Matters at Lighthouse Labs?
With the mission of continuously providing the best ways of training new professionals for the tech industry and transforming the way tech education is delivered, Lighthouse Labs has adopted three core values: personalizing education, accelerated learning, and making its programs outcome-oriented.
Personalizing Education
Programs at Lighthouse Labs are designed to be personalized. Since this bootcamp now serves students from all corners of the globe, the team understands the many factors that may impact a student’s ability to study. One way Lighthouse Labs provides personalized education is through mentorship-focused learning.
“The mentorship model was essential to my success at Lighthouse. Talking to people with years or decades of experience from diverse and often unconventional backgrounds was crucial in understanding the challenges I would face,” says Corrina C, a graduate from Lighthouse Labs who works as a web developer at Unity.
“It also helped me identify what kind of web development interested me beyond the front-end/back-end dichotomy; some mentors worked at agencies, others at SaaS companies, and some were data engineers, among other specializations. It gave me a broad overview of what is possible as a programmer.”
Now, to add to the ease of access and personalization in Lighthouse Labs’ education, the bootcamp has introduced a web development flex program. This program offers an even more flexible schedule, is delivered completely remotely so you can study from home, and provides students with options for which course schedule works best for them.
This program is meant specifically for those who have work, family, and other obligations that may typically prevent them from attending a full-time program, demonstrating the emphasis Lighthouse Labs puts on personalized education.
Accelerated Learning
One of the reasons many students choose to enroll at Lighthouse Labs is the length of the programs. “…The length of the program was also ideal as I didn’t want something too extensive or too short. The great reviews and feedback I got from others who knew about the program also led me to choose Lighthouse Labs,” states Flora U., a Lighthouse Labs graduate now working as a developer at SAP.
The programs at Lighthouse Labs are designed to be a more accelerated way to receive a tech education than earning a college degree or attending other bootcamps, but the programs are still long enough to ensure students have ample time to learn everything they need to know prior to graduating.
Since these programs are all mentorship-based—with an average ratio of eight students to one mentor—students are able to learn new technologies and concepts much faster. Being able to have more one-on-one study time allows for students to feel more confident in their learning, and ultimately allows Lighthouse Labs to continue offering such quick programs.
Outcome-Oriented Programs
According to Demerson N., a Lighthouse Labs part-time course graduate who works as a scrum master for Lululemon, “The instructors are super friendly and always ready to help or just have a laugh together.”
The programs at Lighthouse Labs are designed to set students up for lifelong learning; having friendly instructors certainly aids that mission. Since students feel as if their instructors and mentors are more like friends than teachers, they are able to better understand course material and often feel more comfortable when setting out on their own after graduating.
Even in the midst of COVID, 2020 bootcamp job-seeking graduates were able to find employment at a 97% success rate, with 87% of those graduates finding employment within 180 days of graduation.
Instructors with Experience
At Lighthouse Labs, all of the instructors are industry professionals. This allows students to learn from an expert in the field with real-life experience to back up their teachings. Working with experienced developers also helps students develop important connections with people and companies in the industry, which can be a big help when they graduate and begin their job searches.
The courses at Lighthouse Labs are not only delivered by professional developers but are also taught in more of an experience-based setting. Rather than having students sit and listen to long lectures for hours each day, students are able to learn by putting theory into practice. This is true of all of the courses currently available at Lighthouse Labs.
Lighthouse Labs Courses
Lighthouse Labs offers quite an array of courses. Currently, there are two options for full-time programs, five part-time program options, one flex program, and five free courses you can enroll in.
Full-Time Programs
The full-time courses at Lighthouse Labs are the most intensive program available. These run for 12 weeks and require 12 hours a day of studying. All full-time programs cost $13,000, though you can opt for the non-job seeker discount if you are interested in learning and not pursuing a career. This will take the cost of the full-time bootcamp down to $9,500.
Web Development Bootcamp
- Duration: 12 weeks
- Cost: $9,500 to $13,000
While enrolled in the web development bootcamp program, you will learn everything it takes to become a web developer. You will study JavaScript and Node.js, HTML, CSS, React JS, Ruby on Rails, and skills such as automated testing, software architecture, databases and data sets, and the fundamentals of computer science.
Data Science Bootcamp
- Duration: 12 weeks
- Cost: $9,500 to $13,000
In the data science bootcamp, you will spend 12 hours a day studying various skills and theories needed to become a data scientist or data analyst. You will cover data foundations, data wrangling, data visualization, data engineering, machine learning, and deep learning.
Part-Time Programs
There are five part-time courses you can choose from at Lighthouse Labs. Each part-time program takes six weeks to complete, and costs between $1,750 and $2,000 to enroll in. Part-time programs involve attending three-hour classes twice per week and offer the perk of no homework outside of class hours.
Intro to Web Development
- Duration: 6 weeks
- Cost: $1,750
The intro to web development program provides students with a simple and more watered-down version of the full-time web development program. This program teaches students the basics of web development, including the fundamentals of web development, and how to use HTML, CSS, HTTP, Ruby, GitHub, and the Sinatra Framework.
Intro to Front-End with JavaScript
- Duration: 6 weeks
- Cost: $1,750
In this course, you will be learning front end coding using the JavaScript language. Additionally, you will also study the fundamentals of web development, HTML, CSS, and jQuery. The course is also curated to be beginner-friendly, making it a great option for those with zero coding background.
Intro to Data Analytics
- Duration: 6 weeks
- Cost: $2,000
This course focuses on using real-world data sets to prepare students for real-world work. You’ll spend six weeks learning data collection and cleaning techniques, how to use Microsoft Excel for data analysis, and how to use Tableau for data visualization.
Data Analytics for HR- 101
- Duration: 6 weeks
- Cost: $1,800
Similar to the course above is the Data Analytics for HR course. This course will teach you the foundations of data analytics, as well as data collection and cleaning techniques, planning and forecasting, and data visualization and dashboards. All topics are taught in the context of a human resources position, aligning your education to your career goals.
Data Analytics for Sales Leadership
- Duration: 6 weeks
- Cost: $1,800
This course teaches all of the same topics as the Data Analytics for HR course, but it is focused on sales leadership roles instead. You will use real sales data to complete lessons and projects.
Flex Programs
Currently, Lighthouse Labs only offers one flex program. This program is designed specifically for students with busier schedules, and is beneficial to anyone who wants to attend a bootcamp but isn’t able to make the time commitment needed for a typical program schedule.
Web Development Flex Program
- Duration: 30 weeks
- Cost: $9,500 to $13,000
The Web Development Flex program is Lighthouse Labs’ most flexible program yet, as it only requires students to attend courses for 25 hours per week. Students have two schedule options: weekends and evenings or weekday afternoon classes. It takes approximately seven months to complete. This is a great program for those who have full-time jobs, family obligations, or other conflicting schedules.
The program covers all of the same topics as the full-time 12-week web development program, offering students the exact top-tier curriculum. The primary difference between them is the schedule, with the flex option offering more freedom for you to plan your lessons.
Free Courses
Lighthouse Labs also offers free courses to anyone who is interested in learning to code but is not quite ready to make a bigger time or financial commitment. These courses are fully remote and self-paced, making it easier to learn on your own time. Each course consists of 12 to 41 lessons you can go through at your own pace.
It is recommended that beginners start with the HTML and CSS Crash Course, in which you will learn how to use HTML and CSS. After that, you can move to the JavaScript Crash Courses, Parts I and II, and learn how to code in the JavaScript language. There is also an iOS App Development Course if you are interested in learning how to develop apps for Apple products, and a Python Crash Course for those interested in learning one of the most popular coding languages today.
Financing Education at Lighthouse Labs
There are a few different ways you can finance your education at Lighthouse Labs. For Canadian students, you can apply for provincial student aid or government assistance. Those who are new to Canada may qualify for loans through Windmill Microlending or assistance from the Immigrants Services Society of BC. There are also many impact initiatives for underrepresented groups in tech that may be able to partially or fully finance your tuition.
Scholarships are another great way to finance your education. Currently, Lighthouse Labs is offering its own COVID-19 relief scholarship. These are partial scholarships for both the full-time and part-time programs, awarding students $750 to $3,500 toward their tuition.
Career Services Department at Lighthouse Labs
“The career services team helped me prepare for the job searching process by providing insightful advice on how to craft a resume and cover letter that meets industry standards as well as showcase any relevant skills I acquired from my previous background. They really encouraged each of us to incorporate our unique passions and skill sets to help us stand out to employers,” Elissa M., a former graduate who now works as a developer for Telus, talks about the career services offered by Lighthouse Labs.
Through the Lighthouse Labs career services department, you can participate in numerous activities with career mentors to boost your career-finding skills. You will be able to participate in career coaching, interview and resume prep, national and localized networking, and learn which skills are currently in demand.
What Makes Lighthouse Labs Unique?
Lighthouse Labs is unique because of its adherence to its core values: personalized education, accelerated education, and outcomes-oriented programs. By providing students with mentorships and experienced instructors, this bootcamp has been able to grow from its origins in Canada to serve the entire world. Now, with the new web development flex program, aspiring developers can plan their lessons around their lives. Begin your career transformation by applying to Lighthouse Labs.
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.
