Online Cybersecurity Bootcamp

I initially enrolled in BrainStation's Data Analytics course from May to July 2023, hoping to pivot my career from Digital Marketing to Data Analytics. Unfortunately, my experience was extremely disappointing. Despite attending the full course, I left feeling like I had learned almost nothing. I was kindly allowed to retake the certification for free, which I completed in October 2023, but it still hasn’t been beneficial.
The coursework itself was very limited. The first time I took the class, we were told we could go home and complete the work on our own. There was no encouragement to stay and work together in a collaborative environment, so most people, including the instructors, just left. This made the entire course feel disengaged and lacking in depth.
The few concepts I did learn came from free YouTube tutorials, which went much deeper than what was covered in the course. For the high cost, it felt unproductive and not worth the investment.
I invested in the course due to them boasting "more than 90 percent of BrainStation's bootcamp graduates are employed in their fields within 180 days of graduation", but despite my six years of Digital Marketing experience, university degrees, other certifications, and now a Data Analytics project, I haven’t received a single interview from the many applications I've submitted since last summer. It’s been incredibly disheartening, and I deeply regret my decision to enroll.
I spoke with a BrainStation representative regarding my disappointment and I was told to reach out to my instructors for further help, but none of them have responded to my emails. Adding to this, I was made aware by one of the students in my class that some people in the course were allowed to take it for free just to fill empty spots, such as instructors from other courses who enrolled as students in the Data Analytics class, and vice versa. As part of this exchange they have to leave a 5 star review which is why you will never get honest feedback like this.
I also provided feedback through Synapse (the software with all course materiels etc), and indicated that I was open to further discussions, yet no one from BrainStation  reached out to me until I reached out to them first. For the amount of money I’ve spent, I expected far better engagement and support, and a better resolution than "reach out to your instructors / come to our networking invents".
Overall, this experience has felt like a significant waste of money, and I no longer believe the course was worth the investment. I hope BrainStation will take these concerns seriously and reconsider offering a refund.

When I started this 8-week course, I was a bit nervous because I didn't have a lot of experience in data analysis. However, the program was incredibly well-structured and accessible, making it easier than I expected to grasp the concepts and tools we used.

One of the best parts of the course was the diverse group of fellow students. Everyone brought different backgrounds and experiences to the table, which made discussions lively and gave me a broader perspective on how data analytics can be applied in various fields.

We covered all the essential tools and techniques, from Excel and SQL to Tableau and Python. The instructors, Josefina Oria from Airbnb and Leo Leoni from Spotify, were fantastic. Their industry insights and teaching styles made complex topics understandable and engaging.

I’m really grateful to BrainStation for this opportunity. It has not only boosted my confidence but also equipped me with practical skills that I'm eager to apply in real-world projects.

Here's to new challenges and continued learning!