ThinkYoung Collaborates With Boeing to run Coding Schools in Kenya, Rwanda, and Ethiopia

In spring 2023, the ThinkYoung Coding School, which operates coding schools for teenagers and young people in Kenya in collaboration with Boeing, plans to expand to Rwanda and Ethiopia with the goal of empowering teens and young people throughout Africa.

The interactive curriculum of ThinkYoung’s bootcamp program includes coding techniques applicable to the aviation sector, robotics, and drones. This year, free computer programming training will be provided to over 150 African students, 60% of whom are female.

Software engineering has already risen to the top of the list of the most in-demand specialties in the aerospace industry, according to a statement from Kuljit Ghata-Aura, President of Boeing Middle East, Turkey, and Africa. Young talent must gain 21st century abilities in order to compete on the job market. Programs like the ThinkYoung Coding School are essential because of this.

More than 1,300 students have been introduced to coding by ThinkYoung and Boeing since 2016. The 17th edition of the ThinkYoung Coding School bootcamps in Africa has successfully ended in Nairobi, Kenya.

The ThinkYoung Coding School stands out for its creative approach to non-formal education, which addresses the requirements of young people in real life and equips them with the abilities needed to succeed in the modern world.

The ThinkYoung Coding School intends to train children in digital skills and inspire them to follow a higher education path in STEM topics, despite the fact that the percentage of STEM graduates in Africa is less than 25%. The initiative aims to ensure that the future generation has top-notch capabilities to meet the worldwide need for qualified workers in the aerospace and technology sectors.

“We are delighted to partner for the seventh consecutive year with Boeing and conclude another successful edition in Kenya. With more and more of young people’s lives shifting to the digital realm, we maintain our commitment to equipping them with the STEM skills required to participate in and lead the digital transformation. We believe 2023 will be a big year for our impact in Africa, and we are looking forward to going to Ethiopia and Rwanda to further scale our journey running coding programmes around the world,” said Andrea Gerosa, Founder of ThinkYoung.

Bridging the gender gap in STEM

Every year, between 60% and 70% of the students at the Coding School are female and eager to master the basics of coding and the language of the future. The project attempts to dispel the myth that STEM fields are not suitable for women. The program’s main objective is to advance gender equality by providing young girls with computer science experiences. The program creates a nurturing environment capable of fostering girls’ confidence and interest in potential STEM careers.