Built from years of experience working alongside partners like these worldwide
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Live cohort sessions follow our published availability. Join from any US timezone: convert to your local time before class.
Instructor availability
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday:6:00 to 8:00 PM Mountain Time (MT)
- Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday:7:00 to 9:00 PM Mountain Time (MT)
- Saturday, Sunday:3:00 to 6:00 PM Mountain Time (MT)
- Graduates Trained
- 5,000+
- Years Teaching
- 10+
- Flagship Cohort
- $499
- To Job-Ready Skills
- 6 wks
Proven Impact
Real Mentors. Zero Pre-Recorded Videos.
Mentored Academy is inspired by takenoLAB, a non-profit organization that has delivered in-person and virtual digital skills training since 2015.
5,000+ Students Trained
From foundational digital literacy to software development, serving learners in community centers, refugee camps, and workforce programs.
Global Multilateral Partners
Programs delivered in partnership with the World Bank, WUSC, Government of Malawi, UNHCR, and US workforce development initiatives.
Verified Job Outcomes
Graduates transition into remote tech work, university computer science programs, and local software careers. Built for beginners starting from zero.
Community-Rooted Leadership
Founded in Dzaleka Refugee Camp and featured by UNHCR as a model for technology-enabled education. Created by leaders who conquered the barriers.
Transparent Pricing
Master Real-World Skills. Without $10,000+ Bootcamps.
Choose live instruction starting at $499 or build advanced AI products with flexible payment plans. Priced far below legacy $2,000 to $3,000 Maven engineering programs.
Self-Paced Practice
Free practice between live sessions
AI Change Maker Builder
10 weeks · 40 live hours · deploy + VPS capstone
$2,499 market programs
From $1,199 Essential · $2,099 Change Maker tier
Maven AI engineering cohorts: $1,999 to $3,000 · Flexible payment options
Job-Ready Cohort
6 weeks · Tue/Thu live · 24 instruction hours
Save $1,200+ vs AI Change Maker · Start here
vs $595 to $695 IC3 self-paced · vs $874+ college bundles
Institutions
Workforce boards, libraries, nonprofits
WIOA-ready reporting · Up to 50% off for qualifying orgs
From Self-Taught to Pro Builder
Start where you are. Graduate with real-world skills and deployed projects employers can verify.
01
Free Practice
$0
6 AI courses between live sessions
02
Job-Ready Cohort
$499
6 weeks · digital literacy + AI for work
03
AI Change Maker
From $1,199
10 weeks · build, deploy & own your stack
How Our Cohorts Compare
| Course Type | Market Average | Mentored Academy Price | You Save |
|---|---|---|---|
| IC3 Digital Literacy (self-paced) | $595 - $695 | $499 live | 16-28% |
| Job-Ready Digital Skills (6 weeks) | $478 - $695 | $499 | Live + labs |
| AI Engineering Bootcamp (Maven) | $1,999 - $3,000 | From $1,199 | 40%+ |
| End-to-End AI + Deploy + VPS | $2,200 - $5,000 | $1,699 Builder | Sovereign stack |
| Community College Computer Bundle | $874 - $1,200+ | $499 | 43-58% |
Sources: Maven AI cohorts, SLCC Workforce Training, IC3 programs, NobleProg sovereign infra training. Prices accurate as of 2025 to 2026.
Live Interactive Cohorts. Free Practice.
Choose your path. Start with the $499 Job-Ready cohort or advance to AI Change Maker Builder when you are ready to ship deployed software.
AI Change Maker Builder Cohort
From Viewer to Builder: Ship AI Systems You Own
Our premium 10-week live cohort for aspiring builders: AI-native development, LLMs, RAG, agents, automation, Docker, cloud deploy, and VPS sovereignty with a deployed capstone you own. Live architecture classes every Tuesday and build labs every Thursday (7:00 to 9:00 PM MT). Prerequisite: Job-Ready cohort or intake pass. Aligned to outcomes employers and clients pay for, not tutorial watching.
Tutorial paralysis ends when an instructor reviews your code live, unblocks your architecture, and verifies your deployment.
Prerequisite: Job-Ready Digital Skills Cohort graduate or 15-minute intake pass (basic Git, terminal, and a problem you want to solve).
Essential
$1199
$2,799 value
Save $1,600
20 seats · $100/mo
Builder
$1699
$3,499 value
Save $1,800
15 seats · $142/mo
Change Maker
$2099
$4,299 value
Save $2,200
8 seats · $175/mo
Our Master Curriculum Pillars
We deconstructed industry demand into 3 hands-on mastery tracks. No external links, no passive video watching: you learn live and ship production software you own.
AI Systems & RAG Architecture
Master production LLM APIs, hybrid vector retrieval, RAG evaluation, context engineering, and cost optimization.
Weeks 1 to 4: Toolchain → App Core → LLM → RAG
- Async Python & Next.js AI SDK
- OpenAI, Anthropic & Gemini APIs
- Embeddings & Vector Databases (Qdrant/Pinecone)
Autonomous AI Agents & MCP
Build agentic loops, multi-step reasoning workflows, Model Context Protocol (MCP) integrations, and automated tool execution.
Weeks 5 to 6: Autonomous Agents, MCP & Monetization
- Tool Calling & Function Schemas
- Agent Orchestration (LangGraph / CrewAI)
- Model Context Protocol (MCP)
Sovereign Full-Stack & VPS Deploy
Containerize, automate CI/CD, deploy to managed cloud, and provision a self-hosted Linux VPS server you fully own.
Weeks 7 to 10: Docker → Cloud → Linux VPS → Demo Day
- Docker & Multi-Stage Containerization
- GitHub Actions & Automated Testing
- Cloud Deployment (Vercel & Railway)
Every track combines live Tuesday architecture classes, Thursday hands-on coding labs, and optional Saturday office hours.
Designed by takenoLAB-trained educators. 5,000+ graduates trained since 2015What each tier includes: real breakdown
| What you get | Essential $1199 $2,799 value Save $1,600 $100/mo plans | Builder $1699 $3,499 value Save $1,800 $142/mo plans | Change Maker $2099 $4,299 value Save $2,200 $175/mo plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-week live curriculum (40 hrs) | |||
| Lifetime access + Cohort 1 lesson updates | |||
| Group office hours + Demo Day | |||
| Verified completion certificate | |||
| 2× capstone code reviews ($300 value) | |||
| Pre-Demo Day deploy audit ($250 value) | |||
| Priority forum (48hr SLA) | |||
| 1:1 architecture session ($250 value) | |||
| Portfolio & LinkedIn positioning ($200 value) | |||
| 90-day alumni deploy clinic ($350 value) | |||
| Seats per cohort | 20 max | 15 max | 8 max |
Week 1
AI-Native Builder Mindset
Toolchain mastery: Cursor, Claude Code, production repos
→ Capstone charter + GitHub repo
Week 2
Full-Stack Application Core
Next.js, APIs, MongoDB, auth
→ Authenticated CRUD app
Week 3
LLM Integration
OpenAI-compatible APIs, streaming, cost control
→ Live AI feature in your app
Week 4
RAG & Knowledge Bases
Embeddings, retrieval, context engineering
→ Custom knowledge-base Q&A
Week 5
Agents & Automation
Tool calling, workflows, webhooks
→ Multi-step automation with logs
Week 6
Payments & Integrations
Stripe, email, third-party APIs
→ Monetization or lead-capture flow
Week 7
Docker & CI/CD
Containers, tests, GitHub Actions
→ Green CI pipeline
Week 8
Cloud Deploy
Vercel, Railway, domains, monitoring
→ Public production URL
Week 9
VPS Sovereignty
Linux VPS, nginx, backups: infrastructure you control
→ App on your VPS + runbook
Week 10
Capstone & Demo Day
Ship, pitch, portfolio: viewer to change maker
→ Deployed capstone + case study
10 weeks · 40 live hours · Demo Day capstone
From First Class to Job-Ready in 3 Steps
Pick Your Skill Track
Select a live cohort or start with free practice courses. Absolute beginners welcome, as we start from zero with step-by-step guidance.
Code Live with Expert Instructors
Attend 2-hour interactive Zoom classes every Tuesday and Thursday at 7:00 PM MT. Get instant code reviews, clear blockers in Saturday office hours, and complete practical assignments.
Graduate with Portfolio Proof
Finish your cohort with real-world projects and a verified certificate that proves 24+ hours of live instruction to future employers.
Real Mentors. Zero Pre-Recorded Lectures.
Live Expert Instructors Every Session
Ask questions in real time and get unblocked immediately. Never struggle alone through recorded video playlists.
10+ Years of Proven Impact
Designed by educators who have trained over 5,000 students in partnership with global organizations like the World Bank and UNHCR.
Practical Job-Ready Skills
Every lesson teaches practical tools you use immediately, including real-world coding, digital safety, and productivity tools.
Accessible on Any Device
Phone, library computer, or home laptop. Designed for learners with limited hardware and slower internet connections.
Verified Completion Tracking
Institutions receive real-time attendance and completion data for workforce grant reporting.
Accessible Cohort Pricing
Substantially lower than legacy bootcamps. Payment plans from $42 per month and scholarships ensure motivated students succeed.
Real People. Real Impact.
Your Tech Career Starts Here
Cohort seats are limited to ensure 1-on-1 instructor support. Secure your $499 Job-Ready seat or start practicing today.