Kainos Announces July Date for This Year's Summer CodeCamp

Digital solutions company Kainos has announced the date for this year's summer CodeCamp. The free two-week course, aimed at year 11-14 students (aged 16-18) of STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and hosted in Belfast, will run from July 28th August 8th. The annual 'camp' is an intensive course in software development during the summer break. Students taking part will get a chance to work in a real-life software development environment, developing their own Android apps. Prizes will be awarded for winning designs. Participants will benefit from hands-on experience, with mentoring sessions from Kainos professionals and lecturers from Belfast Metropolitan College (Belfast Met). Belfast Met and Belfast City Council are partnering Kainos to deliver the course, which will be held in Belfast Met's e3 Building on Springvale Campus. CodeCamp is just one of many initiatives run by Kainos to foster the next generation of IT talent as part of its innovative Digital Academy programme. Kainos also plays a proactive, long-term role working with other promoters of IT talent development around the world, as highlighted in a lecture given by CTO Tom Gray on IT skills development at the international South by Southwest Education (SXSWedu) 2014 conference in Austin, Texas. Commenting on the opportunity presented by CodeCamp, Davey McGlade, founder of the initiative and a Solution Architect at Kainos, said, 'CodeCamp is all about teaching young people what to look forward to in a career in IT. It bridges the gap between classroom-based ICT and real software development. It shows students how challenging and rewarding it is to produce real code and real applications.' Tom Gray, CTO, added, 'At Kainos we recognise that - just as technology doesn't stand still - the talent producing it doesn't either. It is vital we keep close to the next generation of software designers and developers, and encourage them. We have a duty to keep inspiring and encouraging the developers of tomorrow.' Students interested in joining this summer's CodeCamp will be able to apply online at codecamp.kainos.com from July 1st. Places will be awarded on a first-come-first-served basis.