Bridge is a free evening course based in Toronto that is helping underrepresented groups advance their careers in tech. Among other things, they teach modern JavaScript, React, and agile product development.

This course had been on my radar for a while. In 2018, I was lucky to get accepted to Cohort 6. The application process was similar to interviewing with a company. There were almost 140 applicants and only 12 got the chance to go through this program.

First half of the course was all about getting up to speed with modern JavaScript and React. We had experienced teachers leading the classes and each participant also had a mentor. Second part of the course was dedicated to team work. We were split to teams of four and got projects to work on - manage the process, and implement the solutions.

Going through the course while working full-time was challenging. I ended up with a pretty cool project to share in my CV and a great friend. Along with technical knowledge, I learned a lot about working in a team. We also got a chance to interview with companies that sponsored the course. As I was not looking for a job, it lead to a slightly awkward situation but at least I got to practice my interviewing skills.

I greatly appreciate the opportunity I got. The curriculum was packed with useful content. Unfortunately, we didn't have a chance to practice TDD which is something I would've welcomed. I wish there were more courses like this, even for not underrepresented groups as I believe advancing one's career is not easy for anyone.