The new school, located in the city in which Rethink was founded, is the brainchild of the global talent management and recruitment business’ CEO Andy Lord, who revealed the school’s prime aim is to help recruiters, their clients and businesses train more people to tackle the UK’s digital skills shortage. 

The school, known as Code Nation and which will be a subsidiary of Rethink, will charge no placement fee for businesses hiring its graduates. It has also already secured partnerships with Rethink clients who have pledged to support students trained at the school. Initial supporters of the school include home shopping business N Brown, which has offered students advice, the chance to work on live commercial projects and work placements.

Commenting on how this new school will help tackle the UK’s ever-growing digital skills shortage, Lord said: “Code Nation’s been a big ambition of mine for a few years, especially as I’ve seen that skills shortage become more prevalent and bizarrely fall to the back of the queue in terms of business priorities.

“It’s time to change that and Code Nation students will be a big part of the revolution moving forward. I am also incredibly passionate about breaking down the barriers for great talent entering the workforce – hence the introduction of a fee-free structure for businesses offering job opportunities to our students. It’s a model I fully believe in and something I hope the broader sector will embrace.”

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