CodeClan eyes Glasgow expansion as digital demand soars

It's already welcomed hundreds of aspiring coders, eager to find work in the booming digital sector, through its doors in Edinburgh.

CodeClan chief executive Harvey Wheaton is eyeing growth in Glasgow and the west of Scotland. Picture: Jane Barlow

Now CodeClan, the UK’s first accredited digital skills academy, is offering employers in Glasgow a fresh source of talent as its first courses to be held in the west of Scotland take off.

With more than 11,000 unfilled tech vacancies north of the border, there’s no shortage of demand.

The firm said it had seen “great take-up” for its first 16-week software development course, with applications now being accepted for cohorts two and three, which begin later this year.

Backed by the Scottish Government, digital trade body ScotlandIS, and Skills Development Scotland, CodeClan has seen strong industry support from a number of Glasgow-based employers eager to recruit entry-level software developers.

More than 90 businesses across the country make up CodeClan’s employer community, including smaller firms such as Adimo and FarmFlo, and major international firms like Iomart.

CodeClan offers its employer community with privileged access to students throughout their training to allow them to meet and hire the most appropriate person for their individual team as they complete the course.

Company CEO Harvey Wheaton said: “We’re delighted by the response we have had from a wide range of employers in Glasgow, but there is still work to be done.

“It’s important that we expand our ties with employers across the country in order to create a vibrant, sustainable digital community and we urge businesses who have not yet joined our network to come and see us.

“Given that we only announced our expansion late last year, we are delighted at the response from prospective students eager to embark on a new career in software development.

“We are seeing a continued demand for our course with applications rolling in for cohorts two and three. This is extremely encouraging as it really reinforces the message that it’s never too late to embark on a career in tech.”

CodeClan has seen a very high quality of applications for its 16-week course in Glasgow, with students coming from a wide variety of career backgrounds, including environmental biology, oil and gas, and publishing.

A recent survey conducted by EKOS revealed that CodeClan has become the number one source of new talent amongst its employer partners.

Frances Sneddon, CTO at SIMUL8 Corporation, said: “CodeClan is constantly challenging students and this really helps to prepare them for a role as a developer in Scotland’s tech industry.

“We hired a graduate from CodeClan’s first cohort and were blown away by how much he could take on from the second he arrived.”

Brian Ferrie, CEO of Edge Testing Solutions, added: “A benefit we get from CodeClan graduates is that they have work experience. This is vital in our industry when a lot of the work relies on not just technical ability but also interpersonal skills, so those coming to us with work experience is a great asset to the company.”

CodeClan offered two scholarship positions for its first Glasgow-based cohort and will be looking to offer further funding support to applicants for future courses in a bid to encourage people from all backgrounds to apply.