How Project Code is preparing Bangladeshi youths

One of the biggest challenges for Bangladesh's young graduates is the gap between what the industry needs and what education provides. Many graduates are unsure of what skills they need to land a job or what skills are required for global opportunities. As a result, they face rejection in interviews and often become frustrated. The main problem is that students often don't have the skills the jobs require. In today's AI (artificial intelligence) and tech-dominated era, everyone needs to understand how to leverage technology. Learning programming is hence essential because technology is influencing everything. It's becoming an indispensable skill in many countries, especially the more developed ones. Moreover, with few quality jobs in the local market, youths of Bangladesh should prepare for remote and global job opportunities in the ever-growing tech field.

To fill this gap, Project Code has been an effective initiative to provide would-be software engineers with real-world skills and experience that businesses in today's workforce require. It's a boot camp that provides a Silicon Valley-qualifying European coding course through its partnership with Codeworks, one of the top coding boot camps in Europe. The programme is designed to meet global industry standards and encompasses full-stack software engineering with a focus on advanced-level JavaScript, algorithms, data structures, and system design. It is a shared vision between Alessandro Zanardi, founder of Codeworks, and the founders of Project Code, to give back to the next generation of tech talent in Bangladesh. Their goal was to bring world-class coding education to Bangladesh at a fraction of the cost compared to similar programmes in Europe and North America.

One of the most common battles for fresh graduates is the dichotomy of "No experience, no job; no job, no experience." Project Code is solving the dilemma by establishing a business-tech setting in the boot camp. The students solve real-world projects in team settings, therefore acquiring hard as well as soft skills, which include collaboration, communication, as well as timing. This empowers the graduates with theoretical learnings plus live experience, preparing them to better compete in the job market.

Alfred Pithu, a graduate of Project Code shared, " I remember spending around 14-16 hours daily on campus with my batchmates, tackling tough coding problems and brainstorming how to build products that users would love. This experience eventually helped me grow as a product engineer."

The programme breaks the cycle of purely theoretical learning by pushing students into a practical and creative mindset, which is crucial given the global shift towards digital transformation. Students don't just learn to code-they learn to think critically and solve real-world problems. The programme challenges them to rethink existing tech models and processes, preparing them for leadership roles in the industry.

To guarantee the utmost dedication, Project Code follows an extensive admissions process. Prospective students undergo several rounds of interviews and technical screenings to challenge their fundamental knowledge and passion for software engineering. With the knowledge that not all students may have any coding experience before, the boot camp offers a prep with the "Fundamentals of Programming course." Project Code is thrilled to present this programme, designed for beginners who want to build a strong foundation in coding. The Fundamentals of Programming course is designed for a diverse set of students, including high school and college students, professionals who want to change careers to software development, and those who want to learn coding from scratch. Also, Project Code promotes gender equality in technology by offering women scholarships to encourage them to become software engineers. These scholarships provide financial support, easing the tuition burden for women facing economic challenges in accessing quality tech education.

The bootcamp follows the pattern of a real tech company where students develop actual projects, preparing them for senior software engineering roles. Project Code also showcases a solid employer network, placing its graduates in top Bangladeshi and international companies, and has a competitive admission process that only takes in dedicated learners.

Anushua Ahmed a CSE graduate from BRAC University, and an alumni of Project Code shared, "The industry and the academic pathways of CSE are very different and many people do not understand that. I had a good CGPA and research papers but I had no actual practical skills or industry knowledge. Project code helped to be that bridge that closed this gap for me."

She added Project code helped me to get into the software industry and understand the whole workflow of a product, starting from planning to building to testing. "What I loved about it is that it strengthened my technical reasoning and encouraged me to always ask questions. A good engineer is a good communicator as there can be many different ways to solve one thing. It taught me how flexible programming can be. Also we did business and product classes with Eshtiaque Bhaiya which was very eye-opening for CSE grads like us. We learned about product planning and business logic. These things have currently helped me be who I am today,” explained Anushua.

By maintaining these high standards, Project Code provides superior coding education in Bangladesh so that students can compete on the world stage of technology. The effectiveness of the model of Project Code can be observed in its graduates' success. Codeworks graduates have secured jobs at leading tech companies globally, such as Google, Spotify, and Oracle. In Bangladesh, Project Code has collaborated with leading companies eager to employ its graduates.

Project Code, with its campus located at Gulshan-2, Dhaka, is inclusive as it welcomes applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds and ages. Whether you have a profile as a fresh graduate, a career worker seeking a career shift, or an entrepreneur who wishes to learn the technicalities of your business venture, the bootcamp offers an entry point that can facilitate you in fulfilling your dreams. The only important consideration is a passion for coding and a willingness to undergo the intense learning challenge. With initiatives like this, the nation is likely to attract more investment and innovation in the tech industry with more trained software engineers making their way to the market. Project Code is leading the change by empowering future leaders in technology and bridging the gap between industry and academia. Project Code is an excellent example of how hands-on, practical learning can drive both personal and collective growth in the digital era.

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