Coding expert in plea to take on more apprentices

Manchester-based Northcoders, the coding bootcamp for the North, is urging North West businesses to consider taking on a software developer apprentice after it received almost 10 applications for every available place on its new apprenticeship programme that launched last month.

Applications for the first intake of 20 apprentices closed on July 6.

Fourteen people have already passed the preliminary test and are now ‘course ready’, but Northcoders needs businesses to come on board and employ the apprentices straight away.

The aim of the apprenticeship scheme is to open up Northcoders’ multi award-winning coding bootcamp to as many people as possible.

The business – which is based in Federation House – has partnered with national apprenticeship provider Total People to ensure it gets the regulatory elements of the programme absolutely right.

Once employed, the apprentices will embark on the 14-month programme spending time at Northcoders’ bootcamp and working as part of a team at their employer’s office.

Successful graduates will earn the City and Guilds Level 4 Software Developer qualification.

However, crucially, they will become career-ready software developers within 15 to 19 weeks.

Amul Batra, director of talent and partnerships at Northcoders, said: “There is a real skills shortage in the tech sector, which is why we launched the programme in the first place, and the uptake from potential apprentices has been fantastic.

“The next step is to match them with businesses.

“We would encourage companies from all industries to consider taking on a software developer apprentice as they can access talent cost-effectively and also re-skill their current workforce.”