WeThinkCode_ has landed in Durban/eThekwini. Selection bootcamps to recruit the maiden cohort for Kwa-Zulu Natal kicked off last week. Bootcamps are being hosted at Convention House located at 125 Florence Nzama Street in Kingsmead. The software programming academy is inviting potential candidates in the region to apply to its tuition free, two-year software programming course which starts in July.  One hundred places are available - part of WeThinkCode_’s plan to increase its total student intake to 450 in 2021.  The academy already has campuses in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

WeThinkCode_‘s CEO Nyari Samushonga, explains, “We know that South Africa has a vast pool of untapped talent with the aptitude to be trained in technology.  At the same time our youth unemployment is among the highest in the world.  Our plans are based on the desire to give more South Africans the opportunity to join the digital world and help build the country’s technology skills capability.  The Durban metropole has seen significant growth in business activity over the past few years, hence our decision to open a campus there.  This is an exciting development for us.” 

A physical space in a digital world

WeThinkCode_ uses a blended-learning approach, hence the need for a local campus.  

While much of the academy’s teaching is done online, a place where students and faculty can gather is a critical part of the learning process.  

“A physical space for learning facilitates community, inspiration, innovation and provides a safe place for our students to share experiences and iron out challenges they may be facing in mastering the coursework.  KZN youth wanting a career in software programming can now apply to study at a campus on their doorstep,” she adds.

Access for all

Inclusiveness is central to the academy’s ethos.  “WeThinkCode_ is open to everyone. Specifically, we aim to increase the number of women programmers on our course and our target is for women to exceed 40 percent of our student contingent in 2021,” Samushonga says.

Geographical expansion and the inclusion of more women are not the only evolutionary processes happening at WeThinkCode_.

“Finding candidates with the right aptitude and attitude is crucial and therefore we are using a newly-developed approach to identify youth with the required cognitive skills.

These are individuals that would otherwise be overlooked by traditional selection methods. In addition, we draw on the expertise of leading technologists for the design of our course material.  These experts are continually updating the curriculum content to keep it relevant as the technology landscape changes,” she concludes.

Anyone wishing to apply for the course should go to apply.wethinkcode.co.za.