Diversity in Coding: Software bootcamp Makers teams up with Muslamic Makers

October 21st, 2021, London, UK: In continuation of their efforts to enhance diversity across the country’s burgeoning pool of tech specialists, leading software bootcamp Makers (@makersacademy) has partnered with Muslamic Makers (@MuslamicMakers) to collaborate on a 16-week software developer scholarship.

Under the new partnership, Makers has match-funded with Aziz Foundation to award two fully funded, full-time scholarships worth £8,000 each to two winning candidates from the community of Muslamic Makers. The successful scholars will train as software engineers at its award-winning, market-leading bootcamp located in London. It has also committed to further match-funding in the future.

The scholarship offers a fast and flexible route into software engineering, starting with four weeks part-time before moving into a 12-week full-time course that can be completed in-person or remotely. The aim of the scholarship is to reduce the diversity gap in the tech industry, and remove the financial barriers associated with digital skill training so that highly talented individuals can work for the world’s leading tech companies. Research by the BCS has found that black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds only make up around 18% of the tech sector. 

Muslamic Makers CEO Arfah Farooq founded the organisation after working at Makers for two years. The company provides a safe space for professionals of Islamic faith to collaborate and connect, providing networking and upskilling opportunities through various events, workshops and scholarships. 

“Having worked at Makers myself, I have first-hand experience of how transformative and career-defining the courses on offer are,” explains Arfah. “That’s why I’m absolutely delighted to be working with them once again on such an important issue. With these scholarships, it shows that Makers is a true champion of diversity and using its considerable influence to play a key role in developing a fairer society. Thanks to the match-funding, we’re able to offer two scholarships at this stage and give members of our community an outstanding chance to relaunch their careers in the tech sector and open corridors of opportunity that traditionally and historically have been shut for Muslims.”

Makers’ commitment to diversity is demonstrated by the fact that 46% of their apprentices are women, which is more than double the industry average of 19%. With over eight years of experience as Europe’s original coding bootcamp, the provider is also trusted by over 50 companies including Google, Deliveroo and Deloitte Digital; with Makers apprentices showing they outperform apprentices from other trading providers. In 2020, 45% of their graduates achieved a Merit or Distinction.

As part of the 16-week programme, the members selected for the scholarship will learn to code for free and be assisted to find work as junior software developers at the end of term, earning between £30,000-£35,000 in their first year. And with Maker’s accelerated learning trajectory, they could earn up to £45,000 within another 12 months.

Claudia Harris, CEO of Makers said: “We’re thrilled to announce this partnership with Arfah and Muslamic Makers. Her commitment to her community and advocating for inclusive spaces for Muslims is not only admirable, but also aligns perfectly with our own values as a company to address the diversity in the tech workplace. As a previous employee of Makers, she knows our ethos intimately and our courses inside and out. We’re excited to award these scholarships and support these women as they begin their careers in the digital world.”

The announcement of the partnership and scholarship program comes after Makers launched a similar initiative towards the end of 2020 with Coding Black Females, providing a small cohort of women with free software engineering training as part of an on-going effort to tackle a lack of diversity in the UK’s technology sector.