If you're reading this I'll hazard a crazy guess you're involved in tech. So when did you start to learn about it? When you were a child or a teenager? From a website or even...a book? You may just be amazed at how things have changed...
Over recent years the ways in which young people can learn digital skills, particularly coding and digital making, has improved and increased dramatically. In the past five years in Scotland there's been a incredible rise in the support for young people to develop tech skills.
Organisations such as CoderDojo Scotland and CodeClub support children from as young as seven to get creative with coding and digital making. The Digital Xtra Fund, which aims to financially support organisations who deliver digital skills to under-16s, has recently become a charity. And of course RookieOven has created an Academy for young people who are interested in becoming tech entrepreneurs.
All of this is very positive and highlights not only a top-down recognition from government and industry of the importance of developing and nurturing new talent, but a demand from young people who are interested in learning about technology and how to use it to do amazing stuff.
This is an area I've been working in over the past few years. I'm really enthusiastic about helping young people appreciate the creative potential of technology and develop their own skills. As an ex-software developer and experienced teacher I set up the free coding clubs CoderDojo Castlemilk and CoderDojo Bridgeton and help facilitate RookieOven Academy.
I'm now setting up Just Add Code, a home-tutoring service for young people in central Scotland who want to develop their coding and digital making skills. If you've got a child (or know of one) who's super-keen to develop their tech super-powers I'd love to hear from you - john@justaddcode.co.uk.
