Amazon Future Engineer have just announced sign-up for their free ‘virtual coding programme’ that will help build computer science skills for students currently learning at home due to COVID-19. We start to notice how important our digital world really is to us in times of crisis, that is why Amazon want to inspire children to get involved with computer science and help guide the future.
Virtual coding programme
Students, teachers and parents can now access the programme which provides learning resources with minimal to zero impact on teachers. Students who sign up will gain access to 20 hours of content which includes flying drones, designing smart cities and creating chat bots. The free resources use a Python Programming Platform, exploring ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ themes, plus a moderated forum and handy FAQs. Students can also earn experience points for completing the work and earn badges when they unlock skills.
The programme will be available for two months from 3 April to 3 June 2020, and the resources cater for students aged 12 to 17, covering computer programming aspects in line with Key Stage 3 and 4 of the English National Curriculum. By the end of the course students will have solved problems of an equivalent level to GCSE Computer Science courses. Teachers interested in using this with their class remotely can also request special access to a teacher dashboard, allowing them to track their students’ progress.
The digital economy needs computer scientists
According to Amazon research shows that the UK needs 21,000 more computer science graduates on average, every year, to meet the demands of the digital economy. The programs currently being offered are helping inspire young people to get involved with Computer science and is why the Amazon Future Engineer programme also includes Hour of Code the global movement in over 180 countries that aims to introduce tens of millions of students worldwide to computer science, inspiring them to learn.
Having better access to computer science skills and the chance to be taught by highly trained teachers who have experience in a digital environment can be a transformative opportunity for young people – especially those from poorer backgrounds who might not otherwise have access to these opportunities.
– Russell Hobby, CEO of Teach First
If you’re a parent with children who would benefit from Amazon’s virtual coding programme you can sign-up here!
