About the Programme

The IoC Skills Bootcamps programme was established to address the growing digital skills gap across the United Kingdom. Delivered through the Institute of Coding (IoC) consortium and backed by the Department for Education, the initiative provides flexible, intensive training that prepares participants for employment in the technology sector.

The Institute of Coding

The Institute of Coding is a collaborative national consortium led by the University of Bath. It brings together more than 25 higher education institutions, over 60 industry partners and a range of outreach organisations. The shared goal is to develop the next generation of digital talent at degree level and above, ensuring that education keeps pace with the evolving demands of the technology sector.

Since its founding, the IoC has enrolled over 900,000 learners across more than 150 digital skills courses. The consortium operates with support from the Office for Students and maintains strong ties with employers, local authorities and government bodies.

Skills Bootcamps: A Government Initiative

Skills Bootcamps were developed as part of the UK Government's Lifetime Skills Guarantee and Plan for Jobs. The programme was designed to give people the opportunity to build sector-specific skills over a period of up to 16 weeks and then fast-track into an interview with a relevant employer.

The IoC consortium was selected by the Department for Education to deliver 20 Skills Bootcamps nationwide. These bootcamps covered topics including software development, data science, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, web development and core digital skills.

University Partners

The programme was coordinated and delivered by a network of respected UK universities, each contributing specialist expertise in their respective fields. Partner institutions included:

Engagement and Delivery Partners

The collaborative role of universities in addressing the digital divide has been central to the programme's success. Beyond the university network, the programme benefited from the involvement of engagement partners such as DWP Jobcentres, techUK, combined authorities and Local Enterprise Partnerships. Deloitte provided infrastructure for data flow and reporting, while also promoting bootcamp graduates among their employer network.

In the South West region, delivery was carried out in close collaboration with the West of England Combined Authority (WECA), the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership and the GFirst LEP based in Gloucestershire.

Impact and Results

The IoC Skills Bootcamps programme produced measurable outcomes that demonstrated the value of accessible, employer-aligned training. More than 1,500 graduates completed their bootcamps and entered the UK's tech talent pool. The programme achieved 44% female participation, significantly exceeding the industry average of approximately 25%, and 37% of participants came from groups traditionally under-represented in the technology sector.

Around 60% of bootcamp participants already held an undergraduate or graduate degree, reflecting strong demand for reskilling routes into technology careers even among those with existing qualifications.