Digital skills academy calls for applications

CodeClan Highlands forms part of the Northern Innovation Hub, led by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), on behalf of the Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal partners. The Hub is supported by £11 million from the UK Government as part of its £53 million investment in the Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal and works to strengthen innovation and increase competitiveness among businesses across The Highland Council region.

CodeClan is Scotland’s only accredited academy for software and web development. It is now calling for applications in the Highlands for its first cohort in April.

The course is aimed at people returning to work, or those looking to change career or change direction in their current role.

It will provide industry-led training for a new generation of software and web developers. It will help attract and retain young people in the Highlands, through the creation of high-value jobs. And it will ensure businesses have access to skilled people to help innovate and improve their competitiveness.

Scottish Secretary David Mundell said: “I am delighted that UK Government investment in the Northern Innovation Hub is helping to provide students across the Highlands with new opportunities.  It is vital that we support the growth of skills to ensure that people everywhere can take advantage of new high-value jobs that are being created.  That is one of the reasons the UK Government has so far committed more than £1.3 billion to Growth Deals across Scotland.”

CodeClan already works successfully across the central belt. It will deliver its Highlands academy offering of a full-stack web application development course with a Professional Development Award: Software Development (Level 8) certification an internationally recognised qualification.

Melinda Matthews-Clarkson, CEO at Codeclan said: “We’ve seen great success in our programme across central Scotland, with over 600 graduates and almost as many placed in jobs when they graduate through our Industry Partner Programme.

“We are now open for applications to individuals who are either seeking a career change, those returning to work, or those who want to change direction in a current role. Our approach to teaching extends further than purely digital skills and ensures our graduates are job-ready.

“We’re working to develop strong relationships with local businesses, collaborating with them in the development of the course as well as helping them to build relationships with students to aid recruitment.”

Felix Spittal, HIE’s senior project manager for the Northern Innovation Hub, said: “Coding skills are increasingly in demand and employers are struggling to recruit suitably qualified people. It’s great to have a provider with the experience and track record of CodeClan deliver such an important project in the Highlands. We’re really looking forward to this course having a similar impact in the Highlands as it has had in the central belt.”