Abu Dhabi: Tuition-free coding school 42 Abu Dhabi is inviting applications for its upcoming May 2023 cohort, which will kick off with a boot camp on May 1.
The disruptive coding school, which offers free education and uses a peer-to-peer gamified learning methodology, will use the Piscine bootcamp to select candidates.
Potential applicants will have to complete 42 Abu Dhabi’s pre-selection Piscine, an online assessment which evaluates cognitive capacity via logic and memory tests - and attend a virtual check-in discovery session to be briefed on the Piscine and the learning methodology.
Intensive bootcamp
The Piscine, derived from the French word for swimming pool, is an intense and immersive bootcamp that tests candidates’ computer programming skills as well as their drive, perseverance, and dedication.
It is the final stage in the application process to 42 Abu Dhabi’s program, and it aims to prepare students for learning the fundamentals of programming, and is an opportunity for all coding enthusiasts to identify their areas of interest in software development while also immersed in the collaborative environment that 42 Abu Dhabi promotes.
In order to pass the Piscine and enroll in 42 Abu Dhabi’s program, candidates must commit their time over the course of 25 days in order to fully grasp the 42-Abu Dhabi learning technique. Once the candidates successfully pass the Piscine, they will be able to join 42 Abu Dhabi’s coding program and start their learning journey.
Opportunities
Candidates who succeed in completing the Piscine and join 42 Abu Dhabi will be able to leverage the school’s strategic partner network with leading organisations and companies across different industries and sectors, such as Mubadala Investment Company, Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE), Department of Government Support, Microsoft and BEACON RED.
These networks open broader horizons for the school’s graduates to secure internship and job opportunities, play a pivotal role in realizing Abu Dhabi’s vision and lead its digital future.
The strategic network of partners also supports 42 Abu Dhabi in training and upskilling Emiratis to enrich their learning experiences, and prepare them to drive the future of the tech industry in Abu Dhabi.
Past successes
The school therefore provides Emirati talents with sponsorship opportunities, in collaboration with its partners’ network, and offers stipends for every Emirati student who joins 42 Abu Dhabi.
In the past year, 358 job and internship opportunities were offered to 42 Abu Dhabi students, including 109 sponsorships for Emirati students as a result of the successful network of partners that the school has built.
Diploma in software development
All 42 Abu Dhabi students who complete the school’s Common Core, four additional modules and six-month internship are eligible to receive a diploma in software development recognised by the National Qualification Center (NQC) in the UAE.
“We look forward to welcoming potential candidates at our upcoming piscine, in which we will assess and prepare students to embark on their learning journey at 42 Abu Dhabi. Hosting our second Piscine this year further reaffirms our position as a talent incubator that is developing and upskilling Emirati talents in the coding field to empower them to lead Abu Dhabi’s digital future. At 42 Abu Dhabi, we remain steadfast in our commitment to providing world-class coding education to people from all walks of life who are keen to contribute to the Emirate’s digital transformation,” said Marcos Muller Habig, acting chief executive officer at 42 Abu Dhabi.
“Since its launch, 42 Abu Dhabi has enrolled 475 students, including 137 UAE national students, to further support Abu Dhabi’s efforts to create a diverse and inclusive education infrastructure that enables a future-ready workforce,” he added.
Application criteria
While no previous coding experience or academic qualifications are required to apply for 42 Abu Dhabi, candidates must be aged 18 years old and above, and possess an innate ability to adapt and collaborate.
42 Abu Dhabi’s tuition-free model is based on a peer-to-peer learning technique that develops flexible learning pathways using a project-based, gamified approach. Students earn points as they progress through the curriculum. The school is open around the clock and seeks to foster creativity, teamwork, and self-discipline by empowering students to take ownership of their learning journey.
42 Abu Dhabi was launched in 2020 as an initiative of Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge’s collaboration with the Ghadan 21 accelerator program, which aims to drive Abu Dhabi’s ongoing development through multi-faceted investments in business, innovation, and people.
