A new global project seeks to educate children aged 11-15 in computer programming, a skill that is only expected to become more valuable in the coming years. Called “Code with Pope,” the initiative comes thanks to 33-year-old Polish tech millionaire, Miron Mironiuk, founder of the artificial intelligence company, Cosmose AI.
According to the BBC, the World Economic Forum has listed computer programming among the “fastest growing roles” in the world, but there is a severe shortage of those with the skills to code. It is estimated that there will be some 85 million computer programming jobs unfilled worldwide by 2030.
As the digital age progresses, coding jobs only become more vital to societies around the world, and now the “Code with Pope” program will address these shortages with free education for the younger generation. It is Mironiuk’s hope that the new program will open doors for children of low and middle-income countries, many of which are majority Catholic.
Mironiuk said he will travel to Rome to discuss the "Code With Pope" project with the Pope himself. While the BBC reported that Pope Francis has endorsed the educational program, it is unclear if there is an official partnership between Mironiuk and the Holy See. Mironiuk commented:
"We believe that the involvement of the Pope will help to convince [students] to spend some time and use this opportunity to learn programming for free.”
Mironiuk expressed his pride to be a part of the current explosion of success in the Polish technological market. In recent years, Poland has made great advancements in technology, most notably in artificial intelligence, with several high profile AI companies maintaining a significant number of employees in Poland. Now Mironiuk wants to share his success with children from other nations who may not have the same opportunities to learn.
The program is offered in Spanish, English, Italian, and Polish, and the entire course is offered online and at no charge. The “Code with Pope” website describes the valuable technological skills that children will learn during the 60-hour course:
“In this project, you’ll learn the basics of programming in Python with a course designed by Codeforia. You’ll start by learning about variables, loops, and conditional statements. Then, you’ll progress to more advanced concepts such as functions and objects.”
Registering for this free educational course is as easy as providing an email address, selecting a language, and pressing “join.” Discuss this promising opportunity to learn a new skill with interested children and get them started learning skills for a future career in the tech industry today!
