CAPSLOCK Reviews 101

Fantastic cybersecurity boot camp! Broad, detailed curriculum, access to valuable resources, team-based learning and work readiness, dedicated tutors and careers team support, industry certifications and friendships for life!

CAPSLOCK helped me land a great role from a really difficult position (I was living abroad when I was applying for work!) and has genuinely changed the direction of my life for the better. I've definitely made a few friends for life throughout the course, and although it wasn't quite as technical as I'd hoped, it gave me a solid foundation to start understanding and applying for cyber-security roles.

To anyone thinking about going for it:

If you're already technical, the course probably won't give you much more technical knowledge, but it will absolutely give you valuable context for what you already know. If you're not technical, you don't need to worry for the most part, as the course is quite high-level and there's usually someone on-hand with the know-how to help you in a technical situation.

If you want to land a job after the course you need to be proactive about approaching the careers team. They're super helpful, but have a lot going on so unless you want to wait, you should be getting in touch with them ASAP. I really wish I'd approached them for help with things earlier on as I think it would have made my job-search once I got going a lot easier.

Don't be afraid to rely on your team and your peers. Ultimately the most help I had came from the group I was assigned to and the friends in other groups I made. The tutors and support team were great, but I absolutely wouldn't have made it through the whole course if I hadn't had the support of the people in our little group.

There is a ton of self-study! A few folks have listed this one as a negative, but honestly in a real work environment you're probably going to be left to your own devices to study for certifications or learn how to do something that's not part of day-to-day work process. At no point did I feel like I wouldn't have been able to ask for direction or help from the tutors if I got stuck on something, so keep that in mind when you read reviews here.

I will say that it's quite a lot of money to put down for a bootcamp up-front, and the income share can take quite a bit if you get something high-paying should you choose to use it. Do remember that there's a bunch of certifications and services you get access to included in that price though. If you really do want to change or start a career in cyber-security, this course is definitely an excellent route to do so.

Switching from one job to another is always a daunting prospect but leaving one profession and starting again, well that's another beast altogether.

I spent a long time researching paths into cyber security. Be it going to university or following online learning resources, but one name continued to come up, Capslock.

After reading all of the information on the website and talking to the staff I knew pretty quickly that this was the way to go. Originally I was going to sign up to the part time course but events in my job meant that I made a last minute switch to full time which Capslock were extremely accommodating and helpful in arranging.

I was thinking about transitioning into Cyber Security for 3 years. I decided to do the part time cohort with CAPSLOCK and after 6 intense months I came out with more than I had even thought of achieving in the 3 years prior: 3 certifications with 2 more pending, real cyber security experience that transfers directly into real jobs and life long friendships.
I am now working full time as a cyber security analyst.
Like any form of study it requires hard work & dedication, you gotta put in the hours but for what you get.. honestly, it’s priceless.

An amazing company that helps you retrain in cyber security. Whether you do this course on a full time or part time basis, there is exceptional support from an ever increasing team at CAPSLOCK.
I was able to secure a role in cyber security about half way through my 4 month full time course and know of hundreds more that have transitioned into cyber security roles across the U.K.
I can highly commend the course to everyone no matter what your background or profession is. It will be life-changing for you.

Having been a mentor for almost 2 years now for Capslock, I have seen and met many of the students, and seen how their careers have developed. From Retail to Security Consultant, from Teacher to Security Risk Consultants, from Recruiters to Security Architects etc etc.

Applying the classroom based teaching to solving the problem for "Plum" is what really helps to cement the learning, and set the students up for future success in industry.

The holistic support, from mentors that give up their time for free to help guide the groups, the CV and Careers support, is all available for the students to take part in. The more that students take advantage of the extra support, the better equipped they are when looking for that tricky first role in industry. Capslock provide ongoing support to Alumni with job opportunities to apply for, and ongoing careers support via their Alumni channels.

I have seen this program change peoples lives for the better, how does that saying go. What you put in thats what you will get out.

Enrolling on the CAPSLOCK course was an absolutely life-changing decision. I discovered a passion I didn’t know I had and it took me from absolutely no knowledge about information and cyber security to the ability to gain an influential position in an incredible firm. The team at CAPSLOCK won’t spoon-feed you and they won’t get you a job. You’ll have to do that for yourself. But they will give you the tools, training and support to get out of it exactly what you put in. The team are incredible, honestly I think the course is underpriced and underrated. Thank you Lorna, Andrea, Steve, Mark, Gary, Callum, Nita, Terri and the entire CAPSLOCK family!

CAPSLOCK is breaking down barriers. I was in retail for 9 years before I applied, never thought I’d ever do anything else. They showed me you didn’t have to have a degree or be the most techy person in the room to dive into a Cyber Career. I will always be thankful for the amazing CAPSLOCK team. Everyone brings something different that makes the place to learn one of the best I’ve ever seen. I can’t wait to see how far they will do :)

Capslock is the closest thing to actually being able to download everything cyber into your brain. The 16-week course expertly employs team-based learning to facilitate learning based on real-world cyber problems and scenarios. Understanding Cyber Security in Business, Security by Design, Applied Security, Offensive & Defensive Security, and Business Continuity Management are just a few of the topics covered.

I've earned a few qualifications over the years, including a degree, a master's degree, a PGCE, and a ski instructor certification, but the Capslock experience ranks right up there in terms of both challenge and effectiveness. The Capslock course is more than just a plan of study; it is an all-encompassing online campus and cyber learning community that offers excellent daily tutoring, incredible mentor guidance, in-house careers, coaching, and an unbelievable supply of resources.

The course structure was ok, team based learning wasn't what I expected but I soon got used to it... apart from carrying a team member who was working a day job whilst the rest of our team did the course work. The required pre-reading before test days was a bit much at times, & in attempts to deliver hard tests they try to catch you out with the wording of (multiple choice) answers. On at least two occasions non of the answers were actually correct because of the wording provided. I appealed an incorrect answer & they never got back to me to address it formally! Everything was going seemingly great until an industry speaker came in to do a talk & basically spilled the beans telling us that its gona be hard as hell to actually find a job becuase people want to hire experienced proffesionals, not fresh graduates who could've been flipping burgers four months ago. The entire class were recommended to build their own proffesional website to stand out from other applicants... I'm sure you understand the irony of that.
The external certifications are the most valuable thing I got from Capslock that a hiring manager will recognise, anyone can learn what Capslock teach for free on youtube. Of course they provide a structured course for you to learn material & that content can't be dismissed as invaluable, the point is the content is available for free & more in depth elsewhere (the pre reading is just articles on various websites). The Capslock certification isn't really recognised either, Ive spoke to some recruiters who havent even heard of it.
Last but not least, and as briefly touched on above... there is no shortage of junior/entry level cyber security proffesionals, so you'll have an (almost) useless certificate, zero experience & will have to compete with experienced working proffesionals to land a gig, not to mention Capslock churns out more candidates regularly along with the rest of the re-skill bootcamps out there. I was considering taking a hgv drivers course initially but chose to study with Capslock instead, how I wish I could go back & change my mind. Now, because there are so little entry level opportunities, I'm currently in talks with two companies in regards to attaining a cyber security apprenticeship, which will consist of another 18 months learning but I will pass as a level 4 cyber security proffesional as recognised by the government & be immediately promoted to an actual occupation.
Capslock claim their first cohort had an employment rate of 81%, maybe because they hired many of them (half joke). The following two cohorts percentages were 75% then 71%, so you can see the employment rate is dropping fast & I wonder if they verified any of those stats to begin with. I'd be very interested to know what that total percentage is now. You'll find employment if youre lucky.
To summarize, I would in all honesty avoid Capslock & just get an apprenticeship instead.

The course was a genuinely life changing experience for me. Before the course I was a burned out drama teacher and actually described myself as a technological luddite. It turns out what I needed was confidence and the right training. I got a job in a technical field a few weeks after finishing the course and the bump in salary means 6 months after finishing it has more or less paid for itself. One of the best things about the course is that the support doesn't stop when the course does and I'm still in contact with tutors and friends I made along the way and use many of the resources that I still have access to. You do have to work hard like you would if retraining in any field but it prepares you well for the continuous learning that is inherent in the field of cyber. Having been employed in the field for a while now the work that we did for the simulated "plum" has turned out to be surprisingly realistic and many of the tasks we were set I actually now do on a regular basis at work. The certifications are great but it is the real world style teaching that sets this course apart and actually prepares you for a job.

Taking the CAPSLOCK Course was genuinely the best decision I have ever made for my career. The wealth of experience of the tutors & support teams is incredible & it's truly a fantastic environment to grow as a professional & gain all of the skills needed to start a career in Cyber.

The "CAPSLOCK" name is also widely recognised within the cybersecurity industry & is extremely well regarded. I am constantly recommending for people to take the CAPSLOCK course, it is truly life-changing.

If you have any questions about the course, feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn!

You’re better just getting the qualifications yourself.

You’re given a quick slide show then essentially sent into groups to Google the solutions your self.

They brag about all their « mental health first aiders » but any complaints or worries lead to being told you have « imposter syndrome » and no admission or concession that the style might not suit everyone.

In terms of careers their main advice is to add as many people on LinkedIn as possible, not exactly £12,000 worth of advice.

The way they make you buy in to the whole Capslock idea is bordering on cult like.

Don’t waste your money.

Worthy of more than five stars!

Changing direction and reskilling with CAPSLOCK was a scary decision to make at first and now I am so grateful that I found that nerve to make the jump.

CAPSLOCK is full of people who come from a varied background and this makes for a great learning environment. There are people with years of Cybersecurity and Educational experience and that is cleverly supported by people who have also been previous learners. These previous learners are fantastic as they can help guide you through the appropriately challenging and demanding course.

The course is definitely challenging and not a case of just being present, you do have to work hard and I found that through the support of the staff and fellow learners, they helped to grow the level of enthusiasm to overcome these challenges.

I have also potentially made friends for life by attending this course and we support each other almost daily in our new Cybersecurity jobs.

My life has drastically improved from taking that jump and I am enjoying the benefits from making that choice on a daily basis.

I work with genuinely good people and so thankful that I can help others to make the jump and go on that reskilling journey

Seven Stars feels appropriate!

I had a great experience with CAPSLOCK and I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a new career.

The course work layout worked really well and learning as if you are in the role of a Cyber security consultant really helps you to learn a little bit about alot of cyber related subjects which is ideal when trying to gain an entry level position.

The team based learning style was tough at first however I think it is really important to help build those important team working skills and I now have a great group of Cyber friends that mean the world to me.

I'm often told that there are 'cheaper' courses/botocamps out there or more 'technical' ones and I'm sure there are but when I started I had no idea what area of Cyber I really wanted to go into and with the support of the careers team I managed to create my perfect Cyber CV and start applying for roles quite early on into my course.

I'd say the most important thing I can say to anyone considering CAPSLOCK is that I had ZERO Cyber or IT experience. I was a hairdresser/makeup artist working self employed around my family with no additional work benefits and with everything I learnt at CAPSLOCK I am now an Information Security Governance Analyst for a big financial services firm with a really good pension, private healthcare and 40 paid holiday days a year. I am a mix of office and home based with the flexibility I need to work around my family when I need it.

CAPSLOCK really have made a big difference to my life and for that they deserve every star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Started the cybersecurity bootcamp in September 2022 and graduated January 2023. Thoroughly enjoyed it and had a Job secured before i graduated - earning more than I ever was.

After realising cyber security was something I wanted to reskill into, I did many hours searching for a boot camp that would work for me.

CAPSLOCK has everything and more to make this work in my current situation.

Each tutor brings their own wealth of experience and knowledge, with each area of cyber covered.

I would highly recommend anyone looking at breaking into this industry reach out to CAPSLOCK, as they are all extremely friendly, welcoming and will move mountains to support you on your journey.

Before I give my review, I'd like to preface this with full disclosure that I now work for CAPSLOCK. My employment does not bias my opinion. I was not asked or incentivized to give this review in any way, and the opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

I first enrolled on the CAPSLOCK course in December 2020. Due to personal circumstances I had to defer and did not start until September 2021. The entire process of applying and then changing my start date was made effortless by the admissions team, whose communication was second to none.

I was extremely nervous about beginning my course, mainly because I have no experience in the field whatsoever. My background is hospitality and retail management, and I had minimal IT skills. The pre course work was challenging, but proved to be an amazing way of showing me that I was capable. It helps that there is a Slack channel where you can ask questions and seek support.

On the first day we were greeted by a warm and friendly team of tutors who went out of their way to make things smooth and welcoming. I met the group of people I would work with for the duration of the course for the first time. I was very lucky that these people were amazing, and we supported each other in many ways, all bringing a different skillset to the mix.

It's important to understand that the entire course is based around Team Based Learning. This mirrors the environment you'll find yourself in, in the real world of work, and gives people the opportunity to develop and improve on soft skills such as communication and project management.

I found the technical aspects of the course challenging, as I knew I would. By the time I graduated I was able to grasp subjects I'd previously had no knowledge of, and this is one of the strongest things about the course for me. You will cover a broad range of topics, giving you an oversight of the industry as a whole. All of it will be relevant, and you should be prepared to deep dive in to certain topics and tools as you see fit, outside of the classroom.

There is ongoing support from the careers and guidance team, who are always there for 1:1 meetings about everything from writing your CV to discovering which path in cyber you want to take. They are truly a credit to the company and provide engaging and insightful sessions throughout the course.

I studied the course full time whilst holding down a part time job. By week 13 I felt confident enough to start applying for jobs. Thanks to the careers team, I was put forward for a role as a Cyber Security Analyst. After completing the interview stage, I was offered the position. This proved to me that the course was indeed worth the time and energy involved. I would not have stood a chance of even shortlisting for that role had it not been for CAPSLOCK. It was my experience on the course and the skills I'd gained that got me on the company's radar.

I interviewed with CAPSLOCK around the same time, and was also offered the position. The company aligns so perfectly with who I am, and what I want to do with my career, that it was an easy choice for me.

If you're considering studying with CAPSLOCK I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them wholeheartedly. This course changed my life, and I would have said that even if I didn't start working for them.

I undertook the fulltime course in 2022, it's fair to say that CAPSLOCK changed my life. Not only did I learn everything I needed to now to kick-start my career in Cyber, I also gained confidence, a great group of friends and an incredible network of people.

Completely and utterly worth it.