For quite some time, I had been considering enrolling in a data science bootcamp. Working in finance, I’ve found that more and more of my responsibilities involve programming—particularly in Python and SQL. As AI continues to evolve, I felt it was the right time to skill up and explore how I could integrate AI and data science into my professional development.

Living in Tokyo, I was looking specifically for an international bootcamp with in-person or hybrid offerings. Options were surprisingly limited, but Le Wagon stood out. Not only do they have a strong international presence, but they’ve done a great job promoting their tech community locally through Meetup events and free workshops. I attended a few of their free sessions and was impressed with both the content and teaching style—clear, practical, and beginner-friendly.

A Great Bonus: Education Subsidy in Japan

One of the big advantages of taking this course in Japan is the availability of the 教育訓練給付金 (a government-backed education and training subsidy). Le Wagon’s Data Science course is eligible for this support. If you’re reading this and considering applying, I highly recommend checking whether you meet the criteria. The school was extremely helpful in guiding me through the application process, which ultimately saved me 520,000 JPY—cutting the course fee nearly in half. That alone made a huge difference.

The Bootcamp Experience

I enrolled in the part-time bootcamp, which ran from September to March. Our cohort consisted of about 8 students—mostly based in Tokyo, with a few joining from abroad. It was a diverse, easygoing group, and while there was an option to attend on campus, many (myself included) chose to join remotely due to work and other commitments.

The course kicked off with a crash course in Python, SQL, and data manipulation—foundational skills for anyone pursuing data science. From there, we moved into a mock consulting project where we applied what we’d learned. All the course materials, including setup guides and exercises, were available on GitHub, which made self-study and review much easier.

The first half of the bootcamp focused on building core coding and data handling skills. The second half introduced machine learning in Python, culminating in a group project.

The Final Project and Demo Day

Each student had the chance to pitch a project idea, and the top two were selected for group work. Our team chose to build a football player predictor—an ambitious and exciting idea. While I wasn’t able to contribute as much as I had hoped (thanks to a demanding work schedule), I was grateful for our team lead, who carried much of the load. That said, I still created my own models on the side as part of my learning journey.

Finding quality data turned out to be our biggest challenge, but that in itself was a valuable lesson. We wrapped up with a demo day, where we delivered our pitches and had the chance to network with fellow students and instructors.

Career Support and Community

While I didn’t fully take advantage of it, I appreciated the “Career Week” offered after the bootcamp. It’s a fantastic resource for students aiming to switch careers into data or AI. I’ve seen firsthand how this course helped non-Japanese professionals pivot from English teaching or recruiting roles into tech, which is quite impressive.

Le Wagon also provides strong post-course support. They followed up thoroughly to ensure I completed the subsidy paperwork correctly, and I was able to finalize everything successfully. Their global Slack community is another great asset, connecting alumni worldwide to discuss freelance projects, startup ideas, and tech trends—something that personally appeals to me a lot.

Final Thoughts

Overall, my experience with Le Wagon Tokyo was positive. That said, like with any program, you get out what you put in. The most impactful learning happens during group work and collaborative problem-solving. Unfortunately, I missed several sessions due to work, so I wasn’t able to fully benefit from the group dynamic. However, I still gained valuable skills and look forward to revisiting the course materials once things calm down professionally.

If you’re based in Japan and eligible for the subsidy, I’d say this course is a worthwhile investment. Whether you’re looking to shift careers or just upskill like I was, Le Wagon offers a solid, community-driven learning environment to support your journey into data science.

Good luck to anyone considering this path! Feel free to reach out if you have questions about my experience.