Educational Innovation: Training Approach & Community Building-Reboot Coding Institute
Education_BH: Innovation and Excellence celebrates the remarkable innovations implemented in Bahrain’s schools and universities. We learned about these innovations, the process, the challenges, and the lessons learned from some of the leading educational institutions in the Kingdom. Read more in our latest issue.
An unconventional training approach that equips adult learners with skills to become successful
full-stack developers.
Reboot Coding Institute, a fully-owned Bahraini entity, is revolutionizing the educational
landscape in the Kingdom of Bahrain by establishing a new type of technology institute. The
institute recognizes the changing paradigms in pedagogy and business expectations and
provides individuals with the hands-on skills and opportunities they need to secure lucrative job
positions.
At Reboot Coding Institute, we offer Reboot01, an innovative and non-traditional training
approach licensed from 01EDU, a world-renowned pedagogy. This comprehensive two-year
program equips adults of all ages and backgrounds with the necessary skills to become highly
sought-after full-stack developers. The method of Learn-by-Doing and Peer-to-Peer learning,
which emphasizes a gamified and 100% practical approach, students engage in hands-on
projects and collaborate with their peers to develop their programming abilities and essential
soft skills that are in high demand in the industry.
Unlike traditional education, Reboot mimics the real workplace environment, eliminating
traditional teachers, lectures, and classes. Instead, students immerse themselves in practical
projects and solve programming challenges. Students work on a minimum of 55 projects that
add to their portfolio and their own GitHub, allowing students to showcase their capabilities to
potential employers.
Additionally, Reboot Coding Institute fosters a vibrant tech community that welcomes tech
enthusiasts of all ages and backgrounds, providing a platform for individuals to thrive in their
passion for technology.
Our mission at Reboot is to empower Bahraini talent to transform their lives by providing them
with high-paying job opportunities. Through our partnerships with hiring partners and global
strategic partners, we connect our students with job opportunities, bespoke projects, training,
and more, both locally and internationally. We are dedicated to ensuring that our students have
access to a wide range of career prospects and the support they need to succeed in the tech
industry
How was the innovation planned?
Recent research has indicated a growing disinterest among the younger generation in traditional
university curriculums that rely heavily on lectures, assignments, and textbooks. Instead, they
value project-based, hands-on learning, teamwork, peer discussions, online resources, and the
ability to engage in self-learning. They also seek opportunities for social interaction during their
higher education.
However, the conventional higher education sector faces significant challenges in transitioning
from its specialized and isolated approach, which heavily relies on textbooks and lectures, to a
more interactive and practical model.
In response to these challenges, Bahrain’s Vision 2030 was developed to enhance the
readiness of Bahrainis to thrive in a knowledge-based economy and remain competitive in the
labour market. The development of the vocational/educational sector was emphasized to meet
the needs of the government sector and address the requirements of the labour market. Despite
these efforts, innovative initiatives to tackle these educational challenges, particularly in the IT
sector, have been limited in scope and fewer in number.
What were the challenges faced during implementation?
Students may initially be hesitant to embrace new approaches to learning, such as the methods
employed by Reboot. These approaches, which emphasize peer collaboration, self-motivation,
collective intelligence and project-based learning, can be unfamiliar to students accustomed to
traditional lecture-based and teacher-centred education. Additionally, the commitment of two
years required by the program can be a deterrent, as it may disrupt personal lives and raise
concerns about financial considerations and future outcomes.
To address these challenges, Reboot focuses on creating a supportive environment that fosters
collaboration and community building. By showcasing success stories and providing
mentorship, Reboot aims to inspire and motivate students to overcome their hesitations.
Moreover, the program highlights the practical benefits and career opportunities that students
can gain through their engagement with Reboot, helping them see the potential long-term
rewards of committing to the program.
Give us a brief assessment of your results:
Reboot has surpassed its initial student enrollment target within just seven months of its launch.
The program currently boasts its first Cohort of over 230 individuals. The program is highly
inclusive with the youngest student being 18 years and the oldest 57 years old, with university
and full-time employees doing Reboot at the same time, career switchers like finance, and
medical professionals switching to Tech, as well as individuals even without Bachelor degrees
can become well-paid developers and change their lives! Reboot has also successfully formed
partnerships with hiring companies and established a vibrant community for technology enthusiasts.
Notably, some students who have participated in the program have already
achieved employment within six months of their training at Reboot, demonstrating the program’s
effectiveness in preparing them for the workforce
In hindsight, what were the most valuable lessons learned while implementing the
innovation? Could things have been done differently?
Formulating a partnership with the university from the beginning of the launch was a profound
learning experience for us.
