Codebar, which says it enables women, under-represented groups and members of the LGBTQ community to learn computer language and code in a safe, friendly environment, is marking its second-year anniversary since launching in Edinburgh.
It said it has attracted a record cohort of 287 students and 142 coaches to the Scottish capital.
Antonio Goncalves, one of the programme leads at Codebar, who also works at digital skills academy CodeClan in Edinburgh, said: “Having coaches volunteer their time for free, helping our students that are curious about what code is, is awesome.
“The networking that happens before the start of every session is amazing and all our students and coaches love the feeling of achievement.”
He added that there has been an incredible uptake in attendance over the past two years and the organisation is now keen to reach more people from under-represented and maginalised communities.
Goncalves said: “The best thing about this whole initiative is that it’s giving people the opportunity to learn a new, highly relevant skill for the current job market, and it’s totally free, all thanks to the hosts and sponsors”
Pim Sritawan, a student at Codebar, said: “Codebar gave me the opportunity to meet other like-minded people, and learn more about the tech industry, preparing me for an intensive bootcamp that I recently undertook. Because of Codebar, I discovered my love for coding, I’ve made some great friends and I’ve been able to kick start my new career in tech.”
According to Codebar, widespread industry research indicates that greater diversity in the workplace leads to better productivity and economic outcomes.
