Frequently Asked Questions

How many _nologists end up turning perm?

So far we’re at 100%.

What happens if they don’t work out?

There’s always a 4 week notice period and a swap in/swap out policy. We also have a fantastic _nologist support team who look after the consultants to ensure we tackle anything before it becomes a problem.

What about IR35?

They’re our employees and so there are no IR35 implications.

Are they treated differently to direct employees?

_nology Consultants are on client site full-time and are treated like a client employee. We encourage them to join in client culture and socials.

We need people who can hit the ground running / my team don’t have time to support a junior?

_nologists have been through 12 weeks of practical, hands on training using tools they’ll use in the workplace. This means they can start delivering from day 1.
Beyond this, we have a dedicated consultant support team who solely focus on _nologist professional and technical development. They’re technically experienced and can tackle any issue the _nologist has. This helps to relieve reliance upon any line manager, saving them time. This support is full-time and unlimited across the 18 month programme and a key part of the service.

Seems expensive compared to a direct junior hire?

The only fee we charge is the day rate for days worked. This fee encompasses our attraction, assessment, training, support, continued L&D, holiday, sick pay and employer costs. So on a like to like basis, our total cost is comparable. In addition to this, you have the flexibility of a 4-week contract notice and reduced time-to-hire with our immediately available talent pool.

What are the company values?

_nology was founded on the belief that you don't need to be from a "techy" background to be a successful Software Developer. Our core values are to encourage support, focus, commitment, feedback, courage and respect.

Where is _nology based?

_nology was founded in Bristol, UK, where our Head Office is located. We have an office in London, UK and an office in Sydney, Australia. Our 12 Week Software Developer course & self-paced online learning platform is ran remotely across the whole of the UK.

Where can I find your policies and commitments?

Here at _nology, our core focus has always been increasing diversity and inclusion within the technology sector. As such, we are committed to investing in positive change through funding tech training and securing employment for talented, passionate people from underrepresented and underprivileged backgrounds. Read about our commitments here: https://nology.io/our-commitments/

What exactly is the course?

We pay for you to complete 12 weeks of intensive tech training, and will guarantee you a job at the end of it. We’ll hire you directly and place you with one of our clients as a Tech Consultant – think Accenture, Deutsche Bank, PwC, Goldman Sachs and more...

How much is the Technology Consultancy Programme?

The Technology Consultancy Programme is a fully funded programme.

You will receive 12 weeks of full-time fully funded tech training. Upon graduating you will be placed as a Junior Developer into one of our UK clients. The role will be based remotely or in their offices in the UK.

Will I receive a salary?

After completing your training and being placed into one of our UK clients you will receive a competitive starting salary of £24,000 with pay rises every 6 months.

Is the course online or classroom-based?

This course is delivered fully remotely via our online training platform. You’ll be taught in real-time, so there’ll be plenty of opportunities to interact, ask questions, and get to know your fellow students.

What’s the training schedule?

This course is 12 weeks long, and you’ll be training Monday to Friday, 8.30am – 5.30pm. Your training period will start on a set, allocated date, which cannot be changed.

Will I be training with other people?

You’ll train in squads of 8-16 people. It’s super interactive, so you’ll work closely with the other trainees and the coaches.

Will I get paid during training?

You won’t get paid, but your training will be free! Your salaried role as a Tech Consultant will start once you’re working on your first client project.

Will I be able to work during the training?

The training is very intensive, and requires a lot of time and brain power! Some trainees keep part-time jobs, but you should be prepared to be putting maximum effort into the course.

What happens if I’m put into a role/company that I really don’t like and am really unhappy, can I leave? And in that situation would _nology find me placement else where, and if so would my money stop in between?

If you are placed into a role and you're unhappy, we do our best to understand why that is and help – through speaking with client, providing coaching or additional upskilling. We would want the process to be a positive one for both you and the client, so we’d do our very best to help and sort out the situation. If we think the client is being unfair/providing a bad environment, we’d withdraw you, otherwise we’d work with you get you back on track and feeling happy in the workplace. It is so important for us that you are happy.

If I chose to leave the role, would I need to pay _nology back for the course?

In regards to leaving employment during the first 18 months with us, you would then be expected to pay back the training fee on a pro rata basis. I.e. if you leave after 9 months, you'd be expected to pay half of the course fee approx £4.5k.

Will my pension be through _nology? Will I receive any perks, and if so what are they and would they be through _nology or the client?

Your pension and benefits will come through us, so these benefits include:
Bonus holiday for strong attendance, employee discounts, eyecare vouchers, season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme, tech loan and client referral. £1,000 if you facilitate an introduction to a new client/new client area resulting in a _nology placement!

How much is the self-paced course?

We are currently offering the course at £3,487.50 as a limited time offer.

This includes a £600 deposit that is payable upon signature of a training contract.

To fund the remaining fee, you can either make the payment directly, or fund it through a student loan. We have partnered with a selection of reputable student lenders who offer a range of loans options to cover course fees and/or living expenses while you’re on the course.

When can I start the self-paced course and what IT equipment will I need?

You can join at any time and do not need to wait for a set start date.

You will need a laptop/PC that is capable of being used as a development machine. You will also need a microphone and webcam to participate in virtual training sessions. We recommend that you have a 2nd monitor.

What coding skills will I learn?

You will receive hands-on experience of core coding languages as well as expert soft-skills coaching to shape you in to a future leader in tech. The coding concepts you will learn include HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Node.js, GIT and a host of other fundamental skills.

Is the self-paced course online or classroom based?

The self-paced course is delivered fully remotely via our online training platform.

You will have your own unique log in details to access the platform and this is where you will find all of the modules and materials for the course. Our expert coaches will be on hand to provide support daily via the live chat and we use video conferencing software to schedule 1-1 reviews and invite you to live tutorials.

Do I need any qualifications/experience to apply?

You don't need any qualifications or previous experience of coding to join _nology. Any coding experience that you have gained through studies or self-learning may prove beneficial in the earlier stages of the course, but is by no means necessary. What's more important is that you've done enough research into a career in coding to know that it's the right path for you.

What is the application process?

Step 1: Submit an application through our website.Step 2: We'll set up a phone interview to talk in more detail about your interests in starting a tech career.Step 3: We'll then invite you to take part in a coaching assessment with a _nology Coach. In this session, you'll learn some basic coding and work through a series of challenges.Step 4: Once both the Admissions and Coaching Teams are confident that you're a strong candidate for the course, you'll be offered a place on an upcoming intake. To secure your spot, you'll be required to pay a non-refundable deposit.

How long will I have to complete the self-paced course? What are the timings of training? How many hours/weeks?

From start to finish, the course will take roughly 350 hours to complete and you’ll work through the modules at your own pace.

You’ll have access to the course materials for a maximum of 12 months, so you’ll be required to spend a minimum of 6-7 hours per week, on average.

The course is fully self-paced and flexible, so you can complete it in anywhere between 3-12 months. Our Coaches recommend that, if possible, you spend 10-15 hours per week learning, which would see you finishing the course in 6-9 months.

How old do I need to be to apply to the course?

You must be at least 18 years old to join the _nology course. There is no upper age limit and we encourage people from all ages to fuel their interests in coding! There is a 27 year age difference between our youngest and oldest trainee (so far!).

Is the course live or pre-recorded?

The self-paced course consists of a blend of pre-recorded video tutorials and “code-alongs”, supplemented with extra reading, quizzes and project work.

Our experienced Software Coaches have recreated our tried and tested training sessions through video tutorials. The training is delivered by a variety of _nology Coaches, who all have their own unique style of teaching – we'll keep you on your toes!

Throughout the course, you’ll get to know our Coaches and they’ll be on-hand to provide daily support via live chat. You’ll also be contacted by our Coaching Team to arrange regular 1-1 reviews, at times that suit you.

How does the self-paced course differ to free online courses?

The pre-recorded training sessions are just one element of the course as a whole. What differentiates this course from "online" alternatives is that is a fully structured training programme that will take you from 0 (or close to) all the way to "job-ready" developer in 12 months or less. It is a comprehensive curriculum that combines pre-recorded training, project work (including real-life client projects), 1-1 feedback, drop-in sessions and most importantly, a community! The last thing we want is for you to feel like you're doing this training alone.

You'll get to know other people from all walks of life, all working towards a career change just like you and you'll support each other through the course. You'll be surprised by how much you learn from other and helping others.

The course will consist of 10 modules and you'll complete a project after working through the teaching content for each module. When you submit a piece of project work, you'll have a 2-hour 1-1 call via Zoom with a coach to go through individualised feedback, suggestions for improvement, and anything else you'd like to discuss. On top of these 10, 2-hour sessions, you'll also have more ad hoc feedback calls, interview practice and careers coaching, resulting in a total of about 30 hours of 1-1 live contact time with our team.

In addition to the 1-1 time, there will also be regular drop-in group sessions that you can choose to attend if you're available.

What is the coach availability like?

Our coaches will be available online via live chat every day between 9am and 5.30pm. They will also often be available a little later in the evening during the week.

There will be weekly live drop in sessions where you can come and ask for support on specific blockers and bugs.
Finally, you will have a 2 hour one on one session at the end of each module to review your work. There are 10 modules in total to complete. If further work is required to complete the module, coaches will continue to support with further sessions until it is complete.

What should I do if I get stuck or are struggling?

Remember that this is a learning process, and you aren’t expected to understand everything, first time! There will be a lot of support available to you when you need it.

By joining the Self Paced Course, you’ll also join our community on Slack (an instant messaging platform) and be able to communicate directly with _nology Coaches and your fellow Software Developer Trainees.

Does the course include Group work or Client Projects?

During the course we will endeavour to connect you to the other trainees as much as possible. For the client projects, we will facilitate you connecting with others to complete features and tickets as you wish.