Google Student Blog: The search for Ireland’s coders of tomorrow begins

Student Blog

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The search for Ireland’s coders of tomorrow begins

October 20, 2015

Google is once again searching for Ireland’s coders and computer scientists of tomorrow, with the return of the Call to Code competition. Call to Code (www.calltocode.ie) is one way we’re aiming to help get younger generations interested in Computer Science. We want to inspire Irish teenagers to experience the power of code and to develop the skills needed for future careers in the tech industry, as well as many other diverse fields such as music, crime scene investigation, fashion, farming, government, design, medicine or film, to name a few.

Who can take part? The competition is open to all post-primary students in Ireland, aged 13-18. Students will participate in weekly practice challenges to learn the basics of coding and develop computational thinking skills. They’ll then have the opportunity to compete in an online contest, which includes logic puzzles and programming tasks suited for all levels, but qualifying will more than likely require some programming skill so get practising early! How does it work? The first phase of Call to Code is entirely online, and if you are an eligible student, we want you to participate! Once you have signed up through a teacher or individually, you will be able to look through resources to learn the basics of coding, sharpen your logical thinking skills, and get ready to compete in Round 1 of the competition on 25th November. With teacher support, you can develop your computer science skills during class, you can get a group together to create lunchtime Call to Code clubs, or you can practice on your own at home--anything goes! Then, on 25th November, participants will login anytime during the 24 hour period to solve logic puzzles and coding challenges set by Google engineers. On 9th December, 20 finalists from each cycle will take part in a nail-biting code-off at Google’s Dublin HQ for the chance to win some great prizes.
How do I sign up? Teachers are asked to get involved, register their school and sign their students up to participate. Teachers play a vital role in computer science education, and Call to Code is designed to support them in their efforts to inspire and educate our next generation of technologists. Teachers can register a school and sign students up at www.calltocode.ie before 12:00pm on 23rd November. Students then access the resources, from beginner to advanced level, provided on the Call to Code website to practice and develop their coding skills. These resources can also be used by teachers looking to introduce their students to code. We’re looking forward to seeing more teenagers in Ireland embrace the power of coding and equip themselves with the knowledge and skills to pursue exciting and diverse careers.
- Posted by Erin Mindell Cannon, Education Program Manager