11 learn coding skills during NTRC/LIME summer programme

Some eleven youngsters are now more knowledgeable on coding and designing applications — all thanks to a summer programme hosted by the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC).

The five-week programme, which began in late {{more}}July, held its closing ceremony last Friday, August 21, at the Technical Division of the SVG Community College.

Keisha Gurley, USF Operations officer (NTRC), gave brief opening remarks — providing an overview of the programme and explaining its objective.

Gurley said: “Our vision at the NTRC is to provide opportunities to enhance the technological skills of the young population. It is the NTRC’s hope that if we provide a chance to create applications of high standards and better quality, the younger population will be the driving force behind new and competitive technological area in St Vincent and the Grenadines.”

She also explained that the summer programme was designed to encourage participants to enter the NTRC’s annual I-Squared competition — which kicks off from September 18, 2015.

Also giving remarks was the general manager of LIME, who co-sponsored the event.

Wayne Hull congratulated the participants on successfully completing the five-week programme, and said that LIME was happy to come on board because the programme fits into its mandate of helping to develop and expand St Vincent and the Grenadines.

“I encourage you to embrace this field… It’s for you to now take the skills that you learnt here, where you now make an added use of the Internet,” he relayed.

“Here in St Vincent, we are generally consumers of content in terms of the Internet… It’s now an opportunity for you to use this as a platform to begin to add value… and the way you add value is by creating something new.

“The skills you learnt here will be a vital tool on your path.”

Jason Alexis, the programme lecturer, said that he throroughly enjoyed teaching the participants, and getting to know them individually; and also thanked the NTRC and LIME for granting them the opportunity to do something so “special and unique”.

Alexis said that this was the first opportunity of its kind where students have been afforded the chance to learn how to code and make ‘apps’.

He further noted that none of the participants had any background in programming, but that their progress along the way was encouraging.

“To see the development that each student has made individually has been a blessing. They have grown a lot… A few of them even have their own applications already prepared!”

Also present at the closing ceremony was NTRC director Apollo Knights. (JSV)