First Cohort Graduate from Free 12 Week Community Code Programme

Grand Cayman,
Cayman Islands (19 June 2019) –
Wednesday 12 June 2019 marked Women
Code Cayman’s first
alumni event which welcomed over 30 guests to celebrate the
individuals who completed a 12 week-long introductory computer
programming course. The free programme, developed to help close the
technology sector’s gender gap, offers women a supportive network
and platform to learn how to code.

Founded and supported by Cartan
Group, Cayman
Enterprise City (CEC), The
Ministry of Community Affairs, and Walkers,
the Women Code Cayman initiative has formalised curriculum, attracted
industry professionals to instruct courses, and now has its’ first
cohort of alumni who have developed foundational skills required to
build websites, software programmes, and digital applications.

“The class is
truly welcoming for everyone, regardless of age or background,”
explained Veronica Arboleda who was one of the recent Women Code
Cayman graduates. “The proramme is an excellent opportunity for
individuals who want to think outside of the box. It has challenged
us to learn about, and question, recent innovations that are
currently impacting our digital world.”

Brandon Caruana,
Managing Member of Cartan Group, instructed the recent group of 33
students over a 12-week period, where Wednesday evening sessions took
place within the CEC special economic zones’ main boardroom at
Strathvale House. “The course really aimed to demystify
programming. Several participants were intimidated at the beginning,
so it was fantastic to see the group become more and more confident
at the course went on,” said Caruana. “Everyone knows how to send
an email but not everyone knows how it all works. I’m excited to
see where Code Cayman goes.”

Women Code Cayman
is one of the first of its kind in the Caribbean which offers free
in-person programming training. The programme’s mission is to
support women in technology, to empower women who code to pursue
creative technology-driven careers, and to nurture support networks
which will foster leadership and encourage professional growth in
technology.

Hon. Joseph Hew
the Minister of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure was in
attendance along with Senior Policy Analyst, Karlene Bramwell and
Manager, Lois Kellyman for the Gender Affairs Unit, Ministry of
Community Affairs. “The Gender Affairs Unit has been extremely
delighted to play a role in this partnership and we hope to continue
to support the growth and development of this initiative,” said
Bramwell. “We applaud the entities and volunteer facilitators for
their dedication and are very proud of the commitment and
achievements of the participants.”

Programme sponsors from Cartan Group,
Walkers, and CEC were also in attendance and gave their
congratulatory remarks at the event. “As a country we need to
ensure that everyone receives the right support and encouragement to
realise their hopes and dreams of becoming active contributors to our
ever-evolving global digital economy. We are proud to be a part of
the Women Code Cayman initiative,” said CEC’s CEO Charlie
Krikconnell.

Registration is now open for the
next Women Code Cayman series which begins in fall of 2019. Classes
take place Wednesday evenings from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM at CEC’s
Strathvale House location. To register and for more information email
info@codecayman.com.

IMAGES:

Caption 1) L-R
Bianca Mora, Content Marketing and Public Engagement Officer, CEC;
Brian Tang, Managing Member, Cartan Group; George Blake Tutor, Women
Code Cayman and Software Engineer, Maples Group; and Brandon Caruana,
Managing Member, Cartan Group; and Melissa Lim, Partner, Walkers

Caption 2) L-R
Karlene Bramwell, Gender Affairs
Unit, Ministry of Community Affairs; Charlie Kirkconnell CEO, CEC;
and Lois Kellyman Manager, Gender Affairs Unit, Ministry of Community
Affairs

Caption 3) L-R
Kayla Young, Journalist, Pinnacle Media; Hon. Joseph Hew, Minister of
Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure; and Veronica Aroleda, Women
Code Cayman Graduate

Caption 4) L-R
Jack Copper, Managing Director, NeuralStudio SEZC; and Patricia
Dixon, Women Code Cayman Graduate