The Return of CodeClan

Establishing a route for people to switch careers into technology is vital to meeting the strategic talent needs of Scotland’s tech and start-up sectors. ?The original CodeClan made inroads with employers in demonstrating that people could switch careers into tech via a relatively short, intensive training course in programming techniques.? ?But, although the concept was established and the opportunity was clear, the business and delivery model for CodeClan, in its original incarnation, had various challenges. These unfortunately led to the closure of the company last year.?

At the time, I wrote that re-establishing a CodeClan-style capability to directly support people switching careers into tech would be reinstated, but that it was essential to first learn lessons from the first iteration of CodeClan, including what worked well and what didn’t.

On completion of that process CodeClan is now relaunching, in a partnership led by CodeBase, and with a new delivery model addressing the points learned through this analysis and consultation process:

World-class, regularly updated training material

CodeBase has partnered with Qwasar, a leading Silicon Valley-based online technology training platform, for the source training material to be used in CodeClan’s courses.? This means that the courses are regularly updated and tested by thousands of students worldwide. The training material has also been approved by employers in the UK and internationally, meaning that local employers can hire CodeClan graduates, confident in the quality and level of the training programmes.

Hybrid delivery, including local tutors, and in-person support

For the initial pilot of new CodeClan, CodeBase has also partnered with three of Scotland’s leading colleges to deliver the training programmes.? These are Edinburgh College, Borders College and West Lothian College. This means that students benefit from a blended online/in-person hybrid teaching model. High quality learning material supported by local mentorship.? ?

An inherently scalable model

Partnering with Scotland’s extensive college network provides inherent scalability and geographical reach.? As we move beyond the pilot stage of new CodeClan, and as more colleges join the programme, CodeClan's hybrid on-line/in-person model can effectively scale across the country.

A more affordable programme

In general, Scotland’s tech ecosystem gets stronger when we build intelligent partnerships between our ecosystem assets, creating a network of support that is more than the sum of its parts.? In the present case, the effect of leveraging these partnerships means that the courses will cheaper than previously for students, and incur no fee for hiring employers (which was a point of friction in the original CodeClan model).

Employment pathways

CodeBase, which will operate new CodeClan, is also the Scottish Government's delivery partner for TechScaler, Scotland's national network of incubation and learning hubs for start-ups. TechScaler, which already has over 500 start-ups in the network also has partnerships with over 50 other Scottish ecosystem support assets. This network, when combined with CodeClan creates pathways for CodeClan graduates to be visible to and to reach potential employers.

All in all, a welcome development for Scotland's tech ecosystem.