The Arkansas Coding Academy (ArCA) at the University of Central Arkansas will hold Demo Day on Friday, Aug. 9 from 1-3 p.m. at UCA Downtown located at 1105 W. Oak Street in Conway. ArCA Java/SQL graduates will present their final projects as students.
Demo Day is an event that allows recent coding academy graduates to showcase their work to the community and potential future employers. It serves as an opportunity for students to discuss their projects and network with the community as they prepare to enter the career field.
The students’ final projects exhibit the skills they learned in class and demonstrate their ability to utilize that information in a meaningful way that will intrigue potential employers while allowing the community insight into what the program does for its students. Students select projects based on their interests, hobbies and prior work experience. Current students are working on projects ranging in functionalities from inventory management to performance tracking to online databases.
ArCA provides training and mentorship to students interested in information technology industries in Arkansas. It equips students with the skills needed to gain employment as entry-level coders and quickly become productive team members.
Don Walker, director of ArCA, highlighted the value of Demo Day to the students and potential employers.
“Demo Day is our students’ final exam and graduation ceremony all rolled up together. It provides invaluable experience demonstrating software they created, live and in person, and gives employers a chance to get to know them and the skills they’ve gained during their time at the Coding Academy,” Walker said. “Many of our past graduates kicked off their successful job searches in earnest through the contacts they made at Demo Day.”
Walker noted that the need for software development talent in central Arkansas continues to grow, and ArCA is helping to fill that need.
This event is open to current and future students, employers and the community at large. There is no fee to attend. For more information about Demo Day, email Walker at dwalker@uca.edu or call (501) 450-5276.
Established in 2016, the Arkansas Coding Academy (ArCA) strives to create a talent pipeline from the classroom to the workforce for individuals seeking careers in programming, information technology or software development.
ArCA is part of the Division of Outreach and Community Engagement at the University of Central Arkansas and has partnerships with various organizations such as Acxiom, Merkle, Southwest Power Pool, the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services, Innovate Arkansas and a host of other companies across the state.
For ArCA enrollment information, visit arkansascodingacademy.com or email arcoding@uca.edu.
