National Coding Week: Difference between revisions

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'''National Coding Week''' was founded by former headteacher [[Richard Rolfe]] and tech entrepreneur Jordan Love, who was apppointedappointed EU Code Week Ambassador for the UK.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Love|first1=Jordan|title='DIGITAL JERSEY HUB RESIDENT APPOINTED AS EU CODE WEEK AMBASSADOR'|url=https://www.digital.je/news/eucodeweekambassador|accessdate=7 February 2016|work=Digital Jersey|publisher=Digital Jersey|date=16 September 2014|ref=2}}</ref> It took place during the week commencing September 21, 2014 with the aim of helping adults to improve their digital literacy in order to fill the growing skills gap.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bateman|first1=Kayleigh|title='Training firm Codex DLD launches National Coding Week for Adults'|url=http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240227952/Training-firm-Codex-DLD-launches-National-Coding-Week-for-Adults|accessdate=7 February 2016|work=Computer Weekly|publisher=TechTarget|date=2 September 2014|ref=3}}</ref>

[[File:Logo-national-coding-week.png|thumbnail|National Coding Week]]

{{Orphan|date=March 2016}}

'''National Coding Week''' was founded by former headteacher [[Richard Rolfe]] and tech entrepreneur Jordan Love, who was apppointed EU Code Week Ambassador for the UK.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Love|first1=Jordan|title='DIGITAL JERSEY HUB RESIDENT APPOINTED AS EU CODE WEEK AMBASSADOR'|url=https://www.digital.je/news/eucodeweekambassador|accessdate=7 February 2016|work=Digital Jersey|publisher=Digital Jersey|date=16 September 2014|ref=2}}</ref> It took place during the week commencing September 21, 2014 with the aim of helping adults to improve their digital literacy in order to fill the growing skills gap.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bateman|first1=Kayleigh|title='Training firm Codex DLD launches National Coding Week for Adults'|url=http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240227952/Training-firm-Codex-DLD-launches-National-Coding-Week-for-Adults|accessdate=7 February 2016|work=Computer Weekly|publisher=TechTarget|date=2 September 2014|ref=3}}</ref>

The week is run by volunteers in hubs, libraries, schools, businesses and NGOs with the intention of supporting adults to learn digital skills including coding. [[Richard Rolfe]] and Jordan Love were inspired to create the week when they trained a group of unemployed people in coding skills which eventually led to many of them getting jobs.<ref>{{cite news|title='Training course for coders launched'|url=https://www.gov.je/News/2014/Pages/CodingTrainingCourse.aspx|accessdate=7 February 2016|work=Gov.je|publisher=Government of Jersey|date=28 March 2014|ref=4}}</ref> The EU predicts a significant number of digital jobs being unfilled by 2020 due to a skills shortage.<ref>{{cite web|title='Grand Coalition for Digital Jobs'|url=https://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/grand-coalition-digital-jobs-0|website=DIGITAL AGENDA FOR EUROPE|publisher=European Commission|accessdate=7 February 2016|ref=6}}</ref> Richard and Jordan saw an opportunity to try to inspire adults to gain the skills necessary to fill the gap.<ref>{{cite news|title=National Coding Week|url=http://www.bailiwickexpress.com/jsy/business/national-coding-week/#.VrcrA_mLTIU|accessdate=7 February 2016|work=Bailiwick Express|publisher=Bailiwick Express|date=22 September 2014|ref=7}}</ref>

==History==

In 2015 National Coding Week ran from 21 September and spread beyond the UK. The week gained coverage and support in the EU and in the US.

A number of prominent business leaders offered support to National Coding Week including Brian Doll VP of GitHub,<ref>{{cite news|last1=STYLES|first1=KIRSTY|title='Q&A: National Coding Week with Github'|url=http://techcitynews.com/2015/09/24/qa-national-coding-week-with-github/|accessdate=7 February 2016|work=Tech City News|agency=Tech City Ventures Ltd.|publisher=Publishing Group|date=24 September 2015|ref=8}}</ref> [[Prince Andrew]],<ref>{{cite web|title='Code club: the interview'|url=https://twitter.com/TheDukeOfYork/status/646324359037100033|website=Twitter|publisher=Twitter|accessdate=7 February 2016|ref=9}}</ref> Congressman [[Kevin McCarthy (California politician)|Kevin McCarthy]]<ref>{{cite web|last1=McCarthy|first1=Kevin|title='It's National Coding Week!'|url=https://twitter.com/GOPLeader/status/646038102985850880|website=Twitter|publisher=Twitter|accessdate=7 February 2016|ref=10}}</ref> and

[[Tim Lovejoy]].

[[Boris Johnson]] the Mayor of London stated that “Coding is a language that is increasingly important for both young people and adults to understand, but it can be an intimidating prospect. National Coding Week will help to make whole generations of Brits more comfortable with coding, allowing them to embrace the business opportunities of the future.”.<ref>{{cite news|title='National Coding Week aims at adult learners'|url=http://www.electronicsweekly.com/news/design/legislation/national-coding-week-aims-adult-learners-2015-09/|accessdate=7 February 2016|work=Electronics Weekly|publisher=Electronics Weekly|date=8 September 2015|ref=11}}</ref> One of the aims of the week was to also encourage women to get involved in coding<ref>{{cite news|last1=Atcheson|first1=Sheree|authorlink1=Sheree Atcheson|title='National Coding Week - A Great Opportunity to Reflect on the State of Play for Women in Tech'|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/sheree-atcheson/national-coding-week_b_8170292.html|accessdate=7 February 2016|work=Huffington Post Tech|publisher=Huffington Post|date=22 September 2015|ref=12}}</ref> Martha Lane Fox’sFox's drive to bridge the gender gap in tech gave prominence to the week.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Card|first1=Jon|title='Gender imbalance in tech sector must change for startups to thrive'|url=httphttps://www.theguardian.com/small-business-network/2015/apr/13/gender-imbalance-tech-sector-martha-lane-fox|accessdate=7 February 2016|work=The Guardian|publisher=Guardian News and Media Limited|date=13 April 2015|ref=13}}</ref> Over 100 events and 1000 people took part in 2015. Events occurred all over Wales in libraries and hubs and was supported by [[WEA YMCA Community College Cymru]] and the [[Welsh Government]]

Speaking at the launch event in [[Cardiff Central Library]] Hub’sHub's new digital floor, the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, [[Ken Skates]], said “Learning new skills such as coding can open new doors to people. We are increasingly moving into an online world and it is important that people do not miss out on opportunities to develop these skills, which have the potential to create employment opportunities. I’m delighted to launch the National Coding Week in Wales and am pleased this is taking place in a library, which is the ideal place to get support to learn new skills. It’s particularly good to launch it in the new digital floor of Cardiff Central Library, which received a grant from the Welsh Government towards its modernisation.”<ref>{{cite news|title='Developing Wales as a nation of Coders'|url=http://www.weacymru.org.uk/en/news/109/0/developing-wales-as-a-nation-of-coders|accessdate=7 February 2016|work=WEA YMCA CC Cymru|publisher=WEA YMCA CC Cymru|date=28 August 2015|ref=14}}</ref>

In Scotland [http://www.scotlandis.com/about-scotlandis/our-board/ Polly Purvis] head of [http://www.scotlandis.com/ ScotlandIS] outlined Scottish plans for future tech growth and how National Coding Week fitted in.<ref>{{cite news|title='ScotlandIS chief Polly Purvis on what lies in store for the tech industry'|url=https://www.holyrood.com/articles/feature/scotlandis-chief-polly-purvis-what-lies-store-tech-industry|accessdate=7 February 2016|work=Hollyrood Magazine|publisher=Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd.|date=24 September 2015|ref=15}}</ref> Free coding lessons for adults were also offered all over [[Scotland]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Mackie|first1=Gareth|title='Free web coding session on offer by Yard'|url=http://www.scotsman.com/business/companies/tech/free-web-coding-session-on-offer-by-yard-1-3888241|accessdate=7 February 2016|work=The Scotsman|publisher=Johnston Publishing Ltd.|date=16 September 2015|ref=16}}</ref>

In [[England]], Schools, Hubs, Businesses and libraries supported the week.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Rolfe|first1=Richard|title='Libraries - how they can improve our digital literacy'|url=http://www.cilip.org.uk/blog/libraries-how-they-can-improve-our-digital-literacy|website=CILIP|publisher=15 June 2015|accessdate=7 February 2016|ref=17}}</ref>

In November 2015 Richard and Jordan won the CIPD Award for Diversity and Inclusion Strategy for their efforts in inspiring adults from all backgrounds to gain digital skills.<ref>{{cite news|title='Industry recognition for digital training business'|url=http://www.bailiwickexpress.com/jsy/business/industry-recognition-digital-training-business/#.Vrc1V_mLTIV|accessdate=7 February 2016|work=Bailiwick Express|publisher=Bailiwick Publishing|date=23 December 2015|ref=18}}</ref>

National Coding Week 20162021 will run from 1913 September to 2527 September in the [[USA]], [[UK]] and [[Australia]].

==References==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Computer science education in the United Kingdom]]

{{Uncategorized|date=March 2016}}

[[Category:Software development events]]