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Award winning Warrington
digital agency launches free programme to boost youngsters coding skills
THE award winning Warrington
digital agency Results Through Digital (RTD) have launched a groundbreaking
community programme designed to teach young people the benefits of learning
how to code; and help them design a new youth club website.
The Coding Club, run in partnership with OnSide Warrington Youth Club, will
see up to 15 youngsters aged between 13 and 17 work alongside digital
experts from RTD over the course of the next 12 weeks.
They'll carry out research on target audiences, design a new youth club logo
and branding and work on the technical details of the site before putting it
together and then watching it go live.
The 1st session of the club saw the youngsters get a behind the scenes tour
of RTD's office in Centre Park, Warrington. And then it was down to business
as they mapped out what they wanted to achieve over the next 12 weeks and
the key skills they wanted to learn.
"It was fantastic to welcome the young people to RTD House. There's plenty
of work ahead but their attitude was brilliant. With our help, I'm confident
we'll produce something really special for OnSide Warrington Youth Club."
said Jamie Wilson, RTD's CEO.
Dave McNicholl runs OnSide Warrington Youth Club, which has over 4,500
members aged 7 to 19 or up to 25, with a disability, and operates out of the
Town's Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Peace Centre.
"Over the last 15 years we have
organised a number of courses and programmes to help our young people
develop their confidence, social skills and independence. We all know how
important digital skills are, but without the help of RTD we just wouldn't
have been able to deliver such a high quality programme to teach them. This
new coding club is going to give our young people a valuable set of skills
that can only help them progress in their chosen careers and improve their
confidence. We are aware that there is a significant skills gap around IT
and this is only due to increase. The team at RTD is providing the
opportunity for many of these young people to consider a career in the IT
industry." said Dave McNicholl.
As part of their contribution to OnSide Warrington Youth Club, RTD is also
donating 10 computers, to enable youngsters participating in the project;
and future youngsters supported at the Centre, learn and improve their
digital skills.
"The generosity of Jamie and the
team is amazing and we're really keen to make sure we use the 10 free
computers for the good of many of the Town's young people." added
Dave.
In March, the Government launched its digital strategy, which is designed to
improve the public's digital skills and teach around 45,000 school children
how to code.
Culture secretary Karen Bradley said the strategy would make Britain the
best place in the world to start and grow a digital business and make sure
nobody was left behind when it came to skills.
"Improving the digital literacy of
our young people is integral to the growth of Warrington and the North West
as a hub for innovation and new business. The digital sector is worth 7% of
the country's economy so it's vitally important to educate young people on
the benefits of learning key skills in this area." added Jamie.
Results Through Digital, which opened in Warrington in 1999, has developed
more than 17,000 websites.
Only recently, RTD was named as 1 of the
UK's top 3 SEO companies and hailed as 1 of best digital agencies in the
North of England.
In March, Jamie was recognised as 1 of the region's outstanding business
leaders after being shortlisted in the 2017 High Sheriff of Cheshire's
Awards for Enterprise. |
