Front-End Web Developer

About the program

• A dynamic, full-time, 6-month program where you’ll learn by doing — no exams, just real projects that mirror the work of professional web developers.
• Choose the format that fits your learning style: online (January), in-person (May), or blended (September).
• Work in teams on hands-on, project-based assignments that simulate real-world development environments.
• Collaborate, share knowledge, and build a lasting professional network with your cohort and alumni.
• Commit to a Monday–Friday schedule (9:30 am to 4:00 pm), and graduate with a recognized certificate.
• Benefit from a strong job placement rate once you graduate.

See the Program Details to learn more about what to expect from FWD, and how to prepare for a career in web development.

This program is for you if…

• You’ve done other things, and now you’re ready to bring that experience into the world of web development.
• You’re a career changer looking to build on your past education, work, or life experience by gaining in-demand web development skills.
• You want to learn web development in a structured, supportive, and hands-on environment that sets you up for success.
• You’re ready to transition into a web development career in just six months, with a program designed to get you job-ready fast.
• You want to combine your existing skills — whether in customer service, project management, design, journalism, marketing, or other fields — with new technical expertise to create a powerful, versatile career path.
• You already hold a credential in another field (related or not) and are ready to pivot into a future-focused career in web development.

If any of these sound like you, please check the Entrance Requirements to ensure you can apply and start your new web developer career path!

After graduating…

When you graduate, you’ll be ready to launch your career in web development with a professional portfolio that showcases the real-world projects you’ve built throughout the program.

Your new skills and experience can lead to roles such as:

• Front-End Developer
• JavaScript Developer
• UX/UI Designer or Specialist
• WordPress Developer or Consultant
• Freelance Web Developer

You’ll also be equipped to take on freelance clients or even start your own web development business, building websites for small businesses or collaborating with agencies.

Visit the Graduating and Jobs page to discover five compelling reasons to become a Front-End Web Developer.

Learn about BCIT entrance awards, including support for Indigenous students entering computing programs.

Skills you’ll learn

The front-end web developer program prides itself on teaching the skills necessary to start a career as a front-end web developer. Our curriculum evolves with industry demands, ensuring you’re always learning the skills that employers value most.

User Experience / User Interface Design (UX/UI)

Some websites just work — they’re intuitive, easy to navigate, and visually appealing. That’s the power of a great user experience. It is why UX/UI is a critical component in creating successful websites and applications. You’ll learn the foundations of UX — how to define user requirements, design effective information architecture, and evaluate solutions through usability testing. The program emphasizes both the theory and practical application of UX. To bring interfaces to life, you’ll also explore graphic design principles and gain hands-on experience with industry-standard tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, Adobe XD, and Figma.

HTML & CSS

At the core of every web page are two key technologies: HTML, which structures the content, and CSS, which styles its appearance. You’ll learn the fundamentals of semantic HTML to follow best practices for accessibility and search engine optimization (SEO). Using the knowledge and best practices learned from their design and UX courses, you’ll learn how to style websites using CSS to build user-friendly websites.

JavaScript & React

The first programming language you’ll learn is the one that adds interactivity to websites and web apps: JavaScript. After learning the fundamentals of JavaScript, you’ll learn more advanced JavaScript with React, the most popular JavaScript framework, to build advanced web applications utilizing APIs to populate dynamic content.

PHP & MySQL

To build dynamic, data-driven websites, front-end developers need to understand how the front end communicates with servers and databases. That’s where PHP and MySQL come in. PHP is a server-side language used on over 70% of all websites. MySQL is the most common database management system on the web. These skills, which are covered in the program, can lead to becoming a full-stack web developer should you choose that path.

Tooling

Web development isn’t just about writing code — it’s also about using the right tools to work efficiently and professionally. You’ll gain experience with the essential tools that modern developers rely on to build, test, and manage websites and web applications, and will learn how to:

• Use version control systems like Git and GitHub to track changes, collaborate with teammates, and manage your codebase.
• Set up and customize your code editor (like Visual Studio Code) to streamline your workflow and boost productivity.
• Navigate the command line to interact with your development environment and run essential tools.
• Integrate JavaScript build tools (like Vite) to automate tasks and speed up development.
• Understand how these tools fit into a professional workflow, from solo projects to team-based development.

By the end of the program, you’ll be comfortable using the tools and workflows that are standard in the web development industry.

Content Management Systems & E-Commerce

You’ll learn how to create custom WordPress themes and plugins to practice building websites for businesses while learning the fundamentals of a CMS. Over 40% of all websites on the internet use WordPress as their content management system (CMS), and the Front-end Web Developer program teaches custom WordPress development to meet this demand. After learning how to build websites with a CMS, you’ll take it a step further to learn how to build online stores using the two most popular platforms: Shopify and WooCommerce.

Managing web projects

While web developers typically don’t begin their careers as project managers, they are often part of collaborative teams working on a variety of projects. In this program, you’ll gain an understanding of common project management processes and methodologies — including waterfall and agile — that are widely used in the web development field. This foundational knowledge helps you contribute effectively to team-based projects and understand how development work fits into the broader project lifecycle.

Portfolio and career management

Towards the end of the program, you’ll focus on planning a career in front-end web development. You’re helped to build a compelling resume and LinkedIn profile and prepare to showcase a body of digital work created both in and outside the classroom. Through guided research, you’ll explore industry trends, employment opportunities, and entrepreneurial paths to develop a personalized career plan. As part of this process, they also create a fully functional, professional-level portfolio website — a public showcase of their skills, aligned with their career goals and industry expectations.

Capstone project

The final course in the program is a team-based project where you’ll apply the full range of skills you’ve developed — from user experience and interface design to development and project management. Working in teams, you’ll build a website for a specific business of their choosing. This Capstone Project replicates a real-world web development scenario, focusing on meeting client needs through a custom website or online store.

Project and team-based learning

The front-end web developer program uses a hands-on and project-based approach to learning. There are no exams. Instead, you’ll complete assignments, solo projects, and team projects that mimic web development projects they will encounter in their careers.

Because employers are looking for individuals with technical and communication skills, you’ll learn how to work effectively in a team by utilizing best practices for project management and communication.

Utilize AI effectively

You’re guided in using AI tools effectively for web development — learning how to leverage them for learning, while understanding their boundaries, limitations and ethical concerns. Through hands-on practice, learners will use AI models and agents, such as ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and Claude, to enhance their development skills and productivity. For example:

• Efficiency: Leverage AI-powered code completion to handle repetitive tasks, freeing up time for higher-level problem-solving.
• Debugging: Use AI to identify errors, suggest fixes, and streamline troubleshooting.
• Learning: Treat AI as a coding tutor — get explanations, explore unfamiliar concepts, and access relevant documentation.

Despite what you may have heard, AI models are not a replacement for a developer. Instead, they are tools to improve development efficiency. They require human input at the start and human verification at the end. AI models are productivity tools that lack creativity, empathy, judgment and the ability to know if what they suggest even works! Skilled developers remain essential for designing and evaluating development solutions that meet user needs. The human touch remains at the core of front-end web development.

See also the interview we had with faculty Jonathon Leathers about how artificial intelligence is reshaping the profession – and what that means for students, employers, and the future of the web.

Community: Finding and participating in the right circles

Building a strong professional network is just as important as building technical skills. In FWD, you’ll have opportunities to connect with classmates, alumni, and industry professionals, forming relationships that can lead to mentorship, collaboration, and career opportunities. You’ll also learn where to find and how to engage with online and local tech communities, meetups, and professional groups.

• Collaborative growth: After completing the program, many graduates continue working together on portfolio projects — and in some cases, launch businesses.
• Industry exposure: You’ll attend events where they connect with employers, developers, UX designers, marketers, and business owners. These events can lead to job offers, freelance work, and valuable mentorship.
• Alumni connections: Graduates return to share their experiences, offering current students insights into job hunting, breaking into the industry, and building a career.
• Network effect: You’re encouraged to build strong relationships with peers and alumni — many companies that hire one graduate return to hire more, based on the quality of their work and trusted referrals.

Five reasons to become a Front-End Web Developer

1. Job Opportunities
   Every business and organization requires a digital presence. Front-end web developers are the people who build what the world sees. Skilled and personable developers are always in demand.
2. Flexible Work Opportunities
   A career in web development offers the flexibility to work remotely, in-person, or a hybrid of both. You can choose to work for a company or start your own business.
3. Blend Creativity with Technical Skills
   Front-end web development is the perfect blend of creative and technical skills. You can combine your design and user experience skills with your coding skills to make beautiful and functional websites and web apps.
4. Learning and Innovation
   Web development is an ever-evolving field that offers the opportunity to grow and learn on the job. The more you learn, the more career opportunities will open for you.
5. Leverage AI Tools
   Leveraging AI models and agents like ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and Claude will put you on the cutting edge of technology to become more effective and efficient at your job.

A career in front-end web development provides:

• A blend of the technical and creative
• A continuously evolving and changing tech stack
• Flexibility: many jobs are fully or partially remote. Work from anywhere!
• An opportunity to create dynamic, highly usable, and enjoyable user experiences
• The chance to learn about how people use and interact with the web
• A skill set that remains in demand. All modern organizations need a strong digital presence that is usable, engaging, and communicates information effectively. That’s where front-end developers come in — they specialize in crafting intuitive user interfaces that bring digital experiences to life.

Sector 2024 snapshot

Job Opportunities

Graduates will find careers in a variety of industries including business, finance, government, health, information technology, telecommunications and independent consulting. Depending on previous academic and work experience, career paths for graduates may include but are not limited to:

• Front-end web developer
• Web application developer
• Web developer
• UX/UI Designer

Faculty

Michael Whyte, FWD Program Head

Beata Kozma, FWD Faculty

Jonathon Leathers, FWD Faculty

Staff

Bal Lidhar, Program Coordinator

If you have any questions about this program, please send us an email.

You can also use the form below to make contact with our department, or other applicable departments at BCIT.

Campus info, map, and directions