I was shocked when I heard about the recent collapse of CodeClan.
Founded in 2015, the company provided intensive training courses for people looking to gain digital skills, and had a fantastic reputation for helping them find jobs in the tech sector upon completing their courses.
Aimed at people of all ages and from all walks of lives looking for a change in career path, CodeClan ran a 16-week course – think of it as a digital bootcamp. It gave students the chance to learn everything they’d need to know about coding and software development in order to walk into a job with one of the company’s many industry partners, which included some huge names like Skyscanner, Tesco Bank and FanDuel.
It was widely regarded as a huge Scottish success story, so it was a surprise when liquidators were called in, citing current market conditions and the impact of the pandemic as two of the reasons behind the hit their turnover had taken.
The future of in the middle of studying with CodeClan was uncertain for some time, with many left wondering how they’d ever get back the money they’d invested into their courses. Not to mention the 57 staff members who were made redundant.
Since news of the company’s collapse broke, there has been talk of a rescue plan led by the Scottish Government and CodeBase, the tech start-up incubator.
CodeBase is set to acquire CodeClan’s training materials and a range of other assets from the liquidator, which will allow around 80 existing students to complete their courses, and CodeClan trainers will be paid in full for their teaching.
I’m sure everyone affected will be glad about this silver lining to a terrible situation, but despite this short-term rescue plan, the future of the skills academy remains unclear. Many will be left wondering how the company ever got into this situation in the first place without action being taken before it was too late.
Many have criticised the Scottish Government for allowing the company to fail after initially backing it, and Lib Dems leader Alex Cole-Hamilton wrote a scathing letter to the economy secretary, encouraging him to speak with Scottish Enterprise urgently to seek a solution. He mused: “You never know where the next Google, Skyscanner or Deliveroo will come from, but it certainly won’t be here if resources like this are allowed to wither away.”
While CodeClan was originally established with Scottish Government seed funding, it was a private business which ultimately stopped making a profit. News of the rescue plan, while welcome for those impacted, calls into question the pros and cons of government intervention in the event of a company failing.
Of course I think training and recruiting in the tech sector should be a priority in Scotland. It’s an area we should continue to invest in and the loss of a programme which fosters and nurtures home-grown talent into this field would be devastating.
However, I also wonder to what extent we can justify using public money to rescue a company if there are fundamental issues that are outside of our control. For example, if the problem is that there simply aren’t enough jobs out there to place people into, how can a rescue plan solve this in the long-term? It certainly raises a lot of important questions.
I’ve seen lots of good news stories about the future of tech in Scotland, particularly over the last year, with predictions of a jobs boom and increased foreign investment into our digital sector.
Even with the scarily fast developments in AI, the need for people trained in tech is unlikely to go away any time soon, so I believe we must either enable CodeClan to continue in one way or another, or we build a suitable replacement which will continue to equip people in Scotland with the necessary skills for a job in tech in a way that is sustainable and suitable for the current jobs market.
AI Funding Finder helps SMEs stay smart
Whether you see Artificial Intelligence as a revolutionary invention that will change the course of life as we know it, or you think it’s simply a passing trend, there’s no escaping conversations about AI and its endless uses.
I’ve only scratched the surface in dabbling with AI, experimenting with some software, thinking about its potential business uses – but I can tell you now it’s here to stay and we’re going to keep seeing more and more innovative uses for it as time goes by.
I recently heard about a new development from The Data Lab – Scotland’s innovation centre for AI and data science, which aims to support SMEs across the country by helping them navigate the complex landscape of seeking funding and business grants.
It has a new free AI tool which uses ‘Funding Finder’ technology to help source smart funding opportunities that smaller startups can apply for. They can use it to find personalised recommendations that suit their goals and ambitions in whatever sector they’re hoping to succeed.
It was promising to hear that a two-month pilot test run brought positive feedback from those who took part, suggesting it’s going to be a useful tool for businesses that need a bit of guidance. So much time can be wasted on irrelevant bids so hopefully this will simplify the process and support more businesses in seeking that all important funding.
If AI can help support business growth within Scotland in this way, then I welcome our robot companions!
It Made Me Laugh
Juggling traffic woes
I know the roads around some of Scotland’s cities can be a circus at the best of times but a viral video from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this week really made me laugh.
It shows drivers in long queues of traffic in the capital (we’ve all been there!) waiting at a red light on Broughton Street and being treated to a surprise juggling act.
Despite the rain pouring and the junction being one of the city’s most notoriously busy junctions, it was nice to see the festival spirit being used to brighten up those in need of a bit of extra cheer while stuck at one of the city’s most notoriously busy junctions.
It Made Me Weep
Book festival protests
Businesses really need to have their wits about them and anticipate what’s likely to draw criticism.
The irony of the Edinburgh International Book Festival not “reading the room” when it came to its sponsors this year was not lost on me.
Several authors at the festival, which provides a massive boost to Scottish tourism every year, recently walked out of special guest appearances in protest of the festival’s sponsor Baillie Gifford and its supposed links to fossil fuel companies.
It’s a tricky time for businesses of all shapes and sizes and this serves as a reminder of the need to read between the lines and consider the impact when lining up sponsorship partners.
