From June to August this year, 100 youths from historically excluded communities, including a high percentage of women and rural dwellers, completed the latest seven-week Skills for a Digital Future programme, which was made possible by funding from the Embassy of Lithuania in South Africa. This vital support is helping to equip a new cohort of aspiring coders to pursue sustainable and rewarding employment opportunities in the digital sector.
Sonkhe Shongwe, who recently completed the training, commented: “The course has given me a glimpse into how apps like Facebook and Twitter work behind the scenes. I now have a basic understanding of how JavaScript powers the interactive elements we use daily, like buttons, forms and real-time updates. It’s interesting to see how data is handled and manipulated to create seamless user experiences.”
The programme gave Lerato Kgoputso the incentive to: “Practice, practice and practice. To never stop learning and upskilling myself – and to secure my dream job.”
Phase 1: Think Like a Coder introduces beneficiaries to computational thinking through code-free explanations of computer science concepts like logical sequences, decomposition, abstraction and debugging.
Phase 2: Discover Code Basics is where beneficiaries begin learning the basics of coding, with a focus on JavaScript essentials such as variables, functions, conditional statements, loops and objects.
Phase 3: Get Hands-On is where beneficiaries start applying their understanding of coding concepts and critical thinking in solving challenges and debugging errors through online platforms, with successful candidates pre-qualifying for future codeX boot camps.
While there are numerous online coding programmes open to beginners, Skills for a Digital Future is different because it is specifically designed to meet the needs and challenges of aspiring coders from South Africa’s marginalised communities, ensuring everyone is able to participate and benefit. For example, the programme begins with code-free explanations to build confidence, introducing basic concepts before progressing to more complex coding concepts. Additionally, it offers beneficiaries guidance from tutors who speak their mother language, which enhances comprehension and engagement.
Cara Turner, CEO of codeX, said: “Statistics from the programme testify to its transformative strengths. Just a few of the highlights include a 70% increase in the number of candidates who started online coding exercises, rising from the typical 29% to 49% in our last cohort. In line with our emphasis on gender inclusivity, 58% of the 401 applicants were women, 2% were non-binary and 42% were men. Notably, 83% of women had no prior coding experience, compared to 55% of men.”
According to Turner, the programme also saw strong engagement from rural communities, which were traditionally the least likely to participate in such initiatives due to limited access and resources. Yet, 83% of rural dwellers passed the first phase, ahead of urban dwellers (79%) and township dwellers (64%).
Additionally, the program is fostering essential problem-solving skills by developing computational and critical thinking abilities. These highly transferable skills are not only crucial for coding but also vital for success across various careers, particularly in an age increasingly shaped by AI and automation.
“Our sponsorship model presents an incredible opportunity for organisations both locally and abroad to invest in communities, as well as employees, to upgrade their digital skills, with an immediate return on investment. We know exactly how much it costs to train a participant and we know our success rate. So, our programmes are very outcome-orientated,” she added.
If you would like to discuss how your organisation can best support codeX’s life-changing work, please get in touch with Cara Turner at oc.xedoctcejorp@arac to set up a meeting.
