Brisbane to launch coding program for hundreds of kids

Brisbane has launched a program designed to tackle Australia’s declining rate of IT graduates by getting primary school kids passionate about the power of coding.

According to 2012 research by the Australian Computer Society, the number of students graduating from IT and coding related courses dropped by 53% between 2003 and 2010.

Coding abilities are of particular importance for a thriving tech start-up ecosystem.

The week-long “CoderDojo” educational programs will be held in libraries in Chermside, Sunnybank, Carindale, Mt Ommaney, Garden City and Indooroopilly from February to May.

Melbourne-based start-up OpenLearning recently announced $10 million worth of coding education for kids. Start-up leaders have called for coding to become a priority for schools and parents.

The kid’s coding program will be coordinated by Brisbane City Council’s technology initiative Brisbane Marketing.

In a statement, Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said Brisbane was the first city to launch the program last year and committed to pushing for digital excellence.

“As part of our Digital Brisbane Strategy, CoderDojo Brisbane is helping to ensure Brisbane’s future generation is fluent in the language of coding and can meet the ever-growing demand for coding and programming expertise,” Quirk said.

This is the second time the program has been run after a successful pilot with 20 sessions, 120 kids, 40 mentors and over 10,000 visitors in July 2013.