The Institute of Coding, in partnership with the University of Art’s London (UAL) Creative Computing Institute (CCI), UK Black Tech and the London Borough of Southwark, has announced a new collaboration to deliver digital skills training to learners from south London’s black and ethnic minority communities.
The Peckham Digital Accelerator Zone is part of Click Start, a nationwide training programme developed by the Institute of Coding that works to digitally upskill the population, and made possible by funding from Nominet, the public benefit company and guardians of the ‘.UK’ namespace.
Over the 11-month programme, the partnership will deliver comprehensive digital skills training to 200 18-30-year-olds from black and ethnic minority backgrounds in the London borough of Southwark and South London, helping to guide and place learners in work and meet the needs of the digital transformation of the Southwark and wider south London area. The programme will be aimed specifically at those who already have technical knowledge or enthusiasm for technology, but are currently seeking employment or have a personal income of £25,000 or less.
Each programme will span 15 weeks and be run from UAL’s purpose-built community incubator unit in the heart of Peckham, enabling local tech talent to leverage the skills acquired through the course and make a tangible impact on the local economy and community.
The training will be fully accredited by UAL’s Creative Computing Institute, giving learners the skills needed to work in industries such as web development and artificial intelligence, utilising UAL and Southwark’s programme which pairs 30 South London businesses with graduates.
The first programme, which is now open to applications, is split into three learning blocks, each lasting 5 weeks. Participants will learn a broad range of digital skills, such as Web Development, Data Science, and Artificial Intelligence. They will also have the opportunity to boost their employability skills, through mock interview workshops, networking events with industry professionals, as well as sessions to help build a professional portfolio.
Application deadline: 24/05/2024
Course start date: 03/06/2024
Course end date: 13/09/2024
Eligibility criteria:
• Aged 18-30
• Resident of London borough of Southwark or South London
• Personal yearly income of £25,000 or under or currently unemployed
• From a black or minority ethnic background
• Right to work in the UK
• Achieved an educational level equivalent to an honours degree in the broad field of science and technology studies (e.g. computer science), or from a creative discipline with substantial computational practice (e.g. graphic design). Residents that don’t meet the educational requirements but have an enthusiasm for tech and can demonstrate why the course is for them are also encouraged to apply.
For further information and to apply, please visit https://instituteofcoding.org/click-start-courses/click-start-digital-acceleration-zone/.