DIGITAL training specialist Code Nation has increased its North West presence with the launch of a brand new coding school in Chester.

In the coming year, it plans to transform the lives of over 400 local people by creating employable digital talent; to help address the UK shortfall of nearly 1.2 million digitally savvy employees needed by 2022, according to government figures.

The high-tech training hub is expanding its 20 strong team with the addition of 10 new positions created to help provide future coders with state-of-the-art technology, the latest teaching techniques and a direct link to employment.

The new premises will offer a number of courses including software development, cyber and data analytics, all with the aim of creating job ready course graduates.

The first to launch is software development, including the 12-week intensive Master course. The coding boot camp has an impressive success record, with 96 per cent of students gaining employment within the first few weeks of graduating, and with an average starting salary of £23,500.

The Master course not only provides students with the necessary digital skills but also provides them with industry and commercial insight by working on a live project and collaborating with potential employers. This exposure to the professional world is coupled with a focus on student wellbeing, including self-awareness, team-work, nutrition and mindfulness.

In addition, Code Nation has introduced a new three-week course called Develop; designed to Develop digital skills and help students understand the core principles that coding is built upon, and identify if coding is the right career path for them.

The Chester campus is already running a pilot Develop course with 14 students from broad backgrounds and age range.

Andy Lord, CEO of Code Nation, said: “The UK is facing a digital skills crisis, which is compounded by Brexit and the number of major infrastructure schemes coming online.

"We have a situation where we will need over one million job ready digital professionals, across a wide range of sectors, but with no pool of talent to draw upon. Our ambition is to take Code Nation to every region in the UK, making it accessible to all and creating employable talent for all businesses and sectors.

“We have huge plans for Code Nation over the next 12 months with Chester being the first of a number of new locations that we will be bringing the unique Code Nation offer to.”

Those looking to their future employability and are interested in the digital arena are urged to come to any number of free open evenings at The Vault, 8 Boughton, Chester, CH3 5AG to find out more about a career in coding.

Dates are:

  • Tuesday, December 18
  • Thursday, January 3, 2019
  • Wednesday, January 9, 2019

Set up by Andy Lord, the founder and former CEO of recruitment business The ReThink Group and David Muir, former partner and advisor at KPMG, Code Nation is headquartered in Manchester city centre.

The next Chester Master course starts on January 21, 2019. It costs £6,000 for private students or is available through a fully funded apprenticeship.