CodeClan collapse shows Scottish Government isn’t serious about tech – Alan Grant

The Scottish Government could and should have saved CodeClan

In 2022, the then Scottish Government business minister, Ivan McKee, committed to “establishing Scotland as a leading destination in Europe for tech companies”. That promise is now in doubt.

Last week, students and employees of Scotland’s digital skills academy, CodeClan, were informed that the organisation was going into liquidation with the loss of all staff and services. The academy, which received Scottish Government backing, was well-loved by its students and had praise heaped upon it by its graduates, many of whom credit it with their later success. It was also a pivotal part of the future of Scottish tech.

For those who have uprooted their lives to pursue courses or banked their careers on CodeClan, sadness is understandable. That sadness would also be justified in evolving into rage directed at an act of government lip-service followed by inaction.

How is it possible that this vital part of Scotland’s tech offering could have been allowed to collapse? All we got from the Scottish Government was a flimsy and terse expression of regret, and the sincerity of the Scottish Government’s commitment lies in tatters. It’s all very well to blame market forces, as the liquidators did, or to simply stuff one’s hands in one’s pockets and sheepishly kick dust, but what was lacking was political will and not resources.

The sum required to save CodeClan was meagre, especially in comparison with other recent investments, such as the £42 million given to the CodeBase tech scaler that now seems tragically ironic given the damage done to the sector. The Scottish Government could have saved CodeClan for generations of future programmers.

In the aftermath of CodeClan’s demise, people’s lives will return to normal. Its staff and trainers are far too talented, educated, and dedicated for them not to. The students too will go on to either further study or work. In fact, some generous souls have offered to help them complete their courses and a CrowdFunder has been set up in this cause.

However, no such optimism is in sight for the Scottish Government’s commitment to making Scotland a top European destination for tech companies looking to hire and invest. They must choose, either to act to save CodeClan or to admit that their commitment to Scotland’s tech sector is like Windows Me, unreliable and destined for the scrap heap.

Alan Grant is a writer and columnist