Newly established tech institution WeThinkCode officially launched its campus this week in Johannesburg, and introduced the first 120 coders selected to complete a two-year course.

Ahead of the opening of the campus in Johannesburg, WeThinkCode received over 30 000 applications for the selection process which opened in October 2015.

According to WeThinkCode only 2% of the entrants passed online qualifying assessments. From this, 300 candidates were selected to participate in one of three, four-week long boot-camp sessions.

This joint venture, founded by Arlene Mulder, Camille Agon, Justinus Adriaanse and Yossi Hasson, has secured the 42 curriculum license for sub-Saharan Africa.

In South Africa alone the initiative has identified 70,000 vacancies as a result of a shortage of skills in coding, and the intention is to source and develop 100,000 coders in Africa.

Sub-Saharan Africa

WeThinkCode plans to consolidate its model with the Johannesburg campus and then scale to open other campuses in the rest of Africa.

Founders are still considering where the next campus will be set up and confirm they have been approached by stakeholders in Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Botswana.

However, the final decision depends on the quality of partners and sponsors on the ground.

According to WeThinkCode the internet is an immense opportunity for many African countries and the digital economy holds unique potential to support skills training and employment opportunities.

"Companies will have access to a new and diverse pool of tech talent. Individuals will benefit from a tertiary education model that is tuition-free and based on potential (vs. diplomas)," say organisers behind the initiative.