STEM

Arkansas Coding Academy to Boost Students' Job Skills in Computer Science

• By Rhea Kelly
• 07/20/16

Students in Arkansas now can gain real-world skills in coding and computer science, thanks to a new partnership between the University of Central Arkansas and Metova. The university and mobile app development company today announced the opening of the Arkansas Coding Academy, which will "provide turnkey education and training opportunities to individuals seeking new careers in information technology," according to a statement from UCA.

Part of UCA's Division of Outreach and Community Engagement, the university's noncredit, continuing education and outreach unit, the Arkansas Coding Academy offers three-month coding bootcamps at a cost of $6,000 per student. Courses are hands-on, immersing students in skills such as building flexible user interfaces for multiple device operating systems (including Android and iOS), developing and debugging applications, and more, according to a press release. Coding Academy credits can be applied to UCA four-year degree programs, and all students receive access to UCA resources.

Students who successfully complete the program receive a certificate of completion, updated résumé and portfolio, and job search assistance. The academy works with Metova and other tech companies such as Acxiom, Rock Pond, Rockfish, RevUnit and Field Agent to facilitate student job placement.

"The Arkansas Coding Academy will open a wide variety of opportunities for Arkansans to learn the skills necessary to compete in the fast growing and exciting tech sector," said Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson in a statement. "Metova and UCA's coding academy, combined with our state's efforts to provide computer science classes for all students, will continue to raise Arkansas's stature as a state ripe for tech sector investment."

"The Arkansas Coding Academy will not only fill a void in the state for an educated workforce in the areas of technology and computer programming, but will also provide the talent that our new tech startup and existing companies need around the state," said UCA President Tom Courtway in a press release. "We are proud that UCA is able to deliver a program of this caliber to the state of Arkansas."

For more information, visit the Arkansas Coding Academy site.