CARIRI and RBL offer free coding classes to students

The Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI) and Republic Bank Ltd (RBL), under its Power to Make a Difference programme, have launched a free education programme for students.

Registration for the virtual youth innovation training programme on coding and mobile app development fundamentals began on June 15. Owing to the overwhelming response from the public, by the next day, registration was closed.

The programme is scheduled to start on July 26.

"This programme is designed to provide young people with a modular introduction to coding using the principles of mobile app and game development," a release from Alicia Williams of CARIRI said.

"Taking an interdisciplinary approach, it introduces the computer science field, the fundamentals of coding and the careers which can be pursued."

This programme engages 600 youths in schools in TT via online training.

The aim is for the participants to be able to understand coding and its importance in creating and building various applications. The participant would also be educated on the steps that it takes to generate and commercialise an app.

"CARIRI and RBL understand that coding is a vital skill to have, especially as we (TT) move rapidly into a global community that has embraced the fourth industrial revolution," the release said.

"One of the key benefits of learning to code is that it gives students both the tools and the idea that there are many ways to solve a problem, while at the same time sparking curiosity, encouraging teamwork, and enabling communication."

Williams said coding also requires students to think outside of the box, thereby enhancing their creative skills.

She said solving difficult problems requires creative solutions, a highly sought-after skill that is often difficult to teach in more traditional classroom subjects.

The programme will engage students at two different levels, level one (basic and intermediate), and level two (advanced). Upon completion, each participant would be awarded a certificate of achievement.

Williams said since 2018, CARIRI has been successfully executing ICT educational programmes and have trained about 2,000 students so far, both in-person and virtually.

"As we engage with the new normal, CARIRI is committed to finding innovative ways to provide support and training for our nation’s youth," she said.