New coding school for Manchester

A new coding school has launched in Manchester, to help curb the mounting digital skills shortage facing businesses across the region.

Code Nation has partnered with businesses across the North West, such as N Brown, which have pledged their support through advice, insight, or by offering work placements for students.

Alex Belford, managing director at Code Nation, said: “There’s no getting away from the fact that every business – regardless of sector – has had to transform and digitalise itself in recent years.

“A lack of digitally skilled workers though, means that technical advancements have been both a help and a hindrance to businesses who want to embrace the changes, but just don’t have the people to do it. Code Nation will help leaders in their quest to fill this gap; we’ll be training people across the North West region, teaching them how to code so they can help to reshape the way business is done round here.”

Over the summer, Belford has been assembling his Code Nation team with lead teacher Stuart Kirby brought in from digital agency Amaze; and a string of university academics who will lend their knowledge to Code Nation’s programmes.

The pilot one week ‘Begin’ course kicks off in October, with the first 12-week ‘Master’ course starting in January.

Belford said: “We have decided to offer two types of courses so that we can accommodate more students; whether they’re graduates looking to embark on a 12-week course to top up what they’ve learnt at university, or someone already established in a similar industry who wants to add to their skills with a one-week course.”

Upon completion students will be awarded a diploma and accreditation.

Code Nation is a subsidiary of recruitment business Rethink Group.

Andy Lord, chief executive of Rethink, said: “We operate in multiple markets in Europe, the UAE and Australia so it’s fair to say that we’re acutely aware of the failings of businesses, government and the education sector in getting people interested in digital.

“Digital has permeated every aspect of business now. We see this across Rethink clients; massive organisations which just a decade ago looked and operated completely differently. The change brought on by the digital revolution keeps on coming for them and right now, there simply aren’t enough tech skilled people to actually make the transformation happen. Code Nation’s been a big ambition of mine for a few years, especially as I’ve seen that skills shortage become more prevalent and bizarrely fall to the back of the queue in terms of business priorities.

“It’s time to change that. And Code Nation students will be a big part of the revolution moving forward.”