A project to ensure Bath continues to be at the forefront of digital innovation by training the next generation of software engineers has been launched by city-based software house Mayden.
The Mayden Academy is a unique, employer-led intensive training opportunity for entry level staff. Based at the firm’s new offices in the centre of Bath, the academy aims to plug the gap between the theory that is learnt in formal education and the practical work experience that employers seek.
It takes an innovative approach, offering structured learning to trainees and allowing them to gain the hands-on experience of working with a team on commercial development projects. 
As demand for software engineers grows across the country, the continued success of Bath’s tech sector – recognised, with Bristol, as being one of the UK’s biggest outside London – depends upon the retention and growth of developer talent.
The programme, which welcomes its first intake in September, will engage individuals who have little to no prior coding knowledge.
It will enable them to earn as they learn the fundamentals of coding, software design and project management using the latest technologies under the guidance of experts and mentors. The opportunity will appeal to ambitious, driven individuals looking to fast track their entry to a career in software development, either following their A levels, after college or university, or as a career change.
After six months, Mayden, which specialises in innovative, flexible cloud-based software for the healthcare industry, hopes trainees will be ready to take up permanent roles with the company as software engineers and to continue their learning and professional development.
The academy is supported by the Department of Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) through the Employer Ownership of Skills (EOS) Fund, a national initiative to fund employer-led training in sectors where there are recognised skills shortages.
Mayden’s application to the fund was supported by the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
Skills minister Nick Boles said: “We listened when employers told us they needed more support to improve the skills of their workforce. The investment from the EOS Fund helps companies like Mayden train the next generation of engineers.”
Mayden founder and managing director Chris May said: “We’re delighted to be able to offer such a valuable opportunity to individuals seeking a new career in software development and we’re very grateful to have the support of BIS and the West of England LEP whose initiatives are helping to address the growing demand for software engineering talent in our region.”
