In this digital era, do you give a child or a young-person, something educational or something fun for a gift? As parents, teachers, relatives and friends of people with children, we face this question everyday; holiday season, birthday etc. because no matter the occasion, we are torn between pleasing the child and satisfying a need. One unique gift that offers no harm but rather comes with fun and fufils an educational need is the enviable digital skills for life which includes coding.

Coding is nothing more than telling your computer what to do in a language the computer understands. Coding is all about learning by doing, and it offers the best way to help the special child (a girl or boy) and young-people in your life to start out doing and learning. Therefore, with coding skills she/he can develop relevant software, apps, and other technologies. These products when scale-up will lead to improved productivity, value-addition and create sustainable jobs.

Speaking at the launch of WeCode and Robotics Training Program on 5th August, 2008 at the Innovations Village Event Hub, Anomaawabi Village via Kasoa, Mrs. Afua Ansre- Chief Executive Officer of the Innovations Village Seed Company (IVSC) explained ‘’knowing how to code can be likened to being able to read. Coding is a must-have skill for the 21st century”. Since computers have changed our world forever, and most children and young-people cannot code, even those in formal education, graduates and workers, she added.

A job for life is now a thing of the past. This means that no job will be for life without a coding skill in the next five years from now. Meanwhile, coding/tech jobs are already the most sought-after in the world today.The reality is, anyone can learn to code. For example, ”WeCode” which is a tailored coding training by the Innovations Village (IVSC) exposes children and young-people to computer science using coding as entry point, to help them to learn how to code and develop relevant products for industries and institutions. WeCode also provides a coaching and entreprenurship platform for WeCode trainees and connect them to industries. The training program has three components; beginners stage, intermediate and advanced stage.

Now, using WeCode Training as a case study, coding training comes with benefits and opportunities :

1. Coding Develops Problem-Solving Skills: Learning to code at IVSC (WeCode Training) helps children and the youth to develop critical thinking skills as well as the ability to solve problems. When children/young-people are working on solving a programming problem, trying to get the computer to do something, they are learning to look past the bigger picture and breakdown the problem into smaller, manageable tasks. They are able to make logical connections. These skills are not needed just to make a computer do something; they are useful in everyday life as well. And once children gain those skills at WeCode, they can analyze any situation. It’s a skill that’s welcome no matter which career they choose and it builds their confidence as they become aware that they are capable of finding solutions and achieving their goals.
2. Coding Encourages Creativity: In programming, as in life, there is more than one way to solve a problem. Once a child learns the basic concepts and undertake our activity-exercises, they will realize they are limited only by their imaginations. They can find their own solutions and they can examine someone else’s code and add their own tweaks to it to make it better. In fact, many programs we use today were created as improvements and variations upon older versions.
3. Children and Young –People Pick up New Skills Faster: Using our training models, children and young-people have an easier time learning coding skills because their minds are like sponges. They absorb new information almost effortlessly. Learning to code at IVSC is like learning another language, and it has been proven that babies and toddlers have an easier time mastering another language. There’s no better time than the present to introduce coding to children at IVSC WeCode.
4. Coding Is Widely Used: Computer Science is present in our everyday lives. We rely on software development more than ever, and it doesn’t show signs of stopping. When IVSC teaches trainees (children and young-people) to code, they will be able to understand the world around them and gain skills that are highly sought after on the job market.
5. Coding Is Fun; Putting aside the practical applications of coding, consider the fact that creating a game, a simple app, graphic design or an animation of their (children) own can be tremendously fun for children. Especially, the WeCode training introduces coding to children in the form of games, friendly-interactive settings, departing from the traditional classroom setting they know.

In the digital-age, coding is an enviable skill for the future of work. Coding among children is an entry point and an important element to achieve the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) agenda of any society (including Ghana). This means coding will encourage more children and young-people (girls and boys) to take an interest in STEM fields in Ghana. In a nutshell, coding helps teach STEM skills, and this idea gets children and young people hooked on. This will significantly lead to the development of value-added softwares ,app products and other technologies for growth and productivity of industries.

An 11-year old student present at the launch of WeCode in an interview expressed his joy and expectation as - ”I cant wait to start my coding training now and develop quality educational softwares, sporting games and share my skills with others’’

In the words of a parent also at the launch, he stated that such opportunities offered the private sector just like the Innovations Village WeCode training, should be supported to reach majority of people at the district level, in communities, and to benefits those who are out of school as well as workers.

’’As business owner I’ll be delighted to have softwares and technologies designed by these young-people to help my business grow’’-A female entreprenure noted at WeCode launch

WeCode starts on 20th August, 2018 and anyone can register: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Twitter : @IVSC_GH Cellphone: +233-0244665252

The Innovations Village Seed Company (IVSC) is a private entity that provides innovative trainings, skills enhancement and technologies for development. At IVSC, we strive to give children and the youth the best possible training and tools so they can thrive in an entrepreneurial and innovation-led society.