Showcode launches global university coding competition in partnership with Cisco, Goldman Sachs, Visa and Microsoft

LONDON, Nov. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Unicode will be the first contest launched on the Showcode platform – a new community where coders gather to learn, collaborate and compete – and will see over 80 universities go head-to-head, online, in bi-weekly coding battles.

The competition seeks to connect student coders with employers, from their first year of university onward. It gives employers a chance to build a real relationship with students; while the coders can gain an insight into the employer brand, while they take part in the competition.

Unicode will have 84 teams competing in fixtures across 6 leagues, as each team looks to qualify for the live finale – where they will compete for a trip to San Francisco.

Chintan Patel, Chief Technologist & Engineering Director at Cisco, said "Making coding fun and inclusive for everyone is what ties Cisco and Showcode together. We're incredibly proud to partner on this, to challenge students, fuel innovation, and push the boundaries of coding skills and creativity.

"As a business, we believe passionately in digital opportunity for everyone – which is about the skills we have as individuals. The education system alone cannot be expected to keep up with the increasing skills gap. So initiatives like this are really important to develop the next generation of developers and ensure the UK cements its place as a digital leader long-term."

While Showcode Co-Founder Will Knight said "It's incredible to get our platform and the Unicode competition launched."

"It started as an idea a few years ago, so to see it go live with so many amazing sponsors on board is a fantastic reward for all our hard work."

Showcode are hopeful that Unicode can help shift mindsets of employers who screen talent based on their university and background, rather than their actual ability.

Having previously worked in tech recruitment, Will continued "We have seen first-hand perfect candidates get rejected at CV stage due to their university or years of experience."

"One of the things we're trying to do with Unicode, and Showcode as a whole, is put more emphasis on a candidate's ability rather than academic attainment or years of experience."

"We're excited to see the results of the competition and which university comes out on top."

For more information, get in touch with our Marketing Executive, Alex Adams, at [email protected]

Will Knight CEO – [email protected] - +44 7929 231386 & Oli Slot COO – [email protected] - +44 7825 884368