Build Real C++ Skills That Actually Matter
Twelve months of hands-on work with systems that people use every day
Most C++ courses throw syntax at you and call it done. We spent years figuring out what actually prepares someone to write production code — and yeah, it takes longer than six weeks. Our program runs from September 2025 through August 2026, because that's how long it takes to really understand memory management, threading, and the other concepts that separate hobbyists from professionals.
Talk About Your Goals
You'll Write Code From Week One
There's a pretty clear pattern we've noticed — people who succeed with C++ spend most of their time actually writing it. Not watching videos about it. Not reading about theory (though that matters too). They're debugging segmentation faults at 11pm and finally understanding why raw pointers need careful handling.
Projects That Break
You start with a multi-threaded data processor that has three deliberate bugs. Finding them teaches you more about concurrency than any lecture could.
Code Reviews Like You're On A Team
Every assignment gets reviewed by someone who's shipped C++ professionally. They'll point out the stuff that compiles fine but would cause problems at scale.
The Messy Parts Too
Build systems. Dependency management. Working with legacy code that predates modern standards. These aren't glamorous but they're part of the job.
The Twelve Month Structure
Each phase builds on what came before. We don't move forward until the foundations are solid.
Months 1-3: Core Language Mechanics
Memory layout, RAII patterns, move semantics, template basics. You'll write a custom allocator and a simple container class. This phase feels slow but it's the difference between understanding C++ and just knowing enough to be dangerous.
Months 4-6: Concurrency and Systems
Threading primitives, lock-free structures, async operations. The project here is a network server that handles concurrent connections — you'll encounter race conditions and learn to fix them properly.
Months 7-9: Performance and Architecture
Profiling tools, cache-aware code, design patterns that scale. Work on optimizing a real codebase where every microsecond matters. This is where things get interesting.
Months 10-12: Capstone and Portfolio
Build something substantial of your choosing. Past students have created game engines, trading system components, and embedded frameworks. You'll present it to the group and defend your design decisions.
Who's Actually Teaching This
All three of our instructors still write C++ for actual products. Linnea works on financial systems where latency is measured in nanoseconds. Britt builds embedded software for manufacturing equipment. Thora does game engine development.
They're not full-time educators — they teach because they know how hard it is to learn this stuff without guidance. And they remember what it's like to stare at template error messages that span 200 lines.
Linnea Bergstrom
Systems PerformanceSpent eight years at a trading firm where microseconds matter. Knows more about cache coherency than anyone should. Her code reviews are thorough.
Britt Holmqvist
Embedded SystemsWorks with hardware constraints that force creative solutions. If you want to understand why certain patterns exist in C++, ask her — she's debugged enough production systems to have stories.
Thora Lindqvist
Graphics and Engine DevelopmentBuilt rendering systems used in shipped games. Excellent at explaining why seemingly complex template code actually makes things simpler at runtime.