Business owners invest in demand for children’s education

Ranjit Gopi and Chetan Kamat will be opening their Code Ninjas franchise later this year in south-west London

In uncertain climates, there is one consistent requirement that unites families around the world – the need for children’s educational resources. As parents suddenly find themselves in a position where home-schooling is the norm and crucial examinations are cancelled entirely, business owners are recognising the need for additional educational support.

Code Ninjas, the world’s largest kids coding franchise, is now supplementing the curriculum offered in its coding dojos with ‘at-home’ coding tutorials, that students can work through with their parents and loved ones. Franchisees around the US, Canada and the UK have implemented a variety of initiatives to complement the learning done in Code Ninjas centres, meaning parents can keep their coding ninjas learning during periods of isolation. 

“As a parent of two myself, I understand how difficult it can be managing children’s education and ensuring learning loss doesn’t become a long-term consequence of these unforeseen circumstances,” explains David Graham, CEO and co-founder. “We’re heavily invested in the wellbeing of our ninjas and their families, so providing a resource that might offer some sense of normality during a time of unpredictability is of the utmost importance to us. Whilst ninjas can’t progress through the programme formally until they’re back in the dojo, under the guidance of a sensei, they can have fun working through familiar games at home.”

Investing in the future

In spite of recent events, the ongoing demand for aptitude in digital technology continues. In years to come, when Generation’s Z and Alpha attempt to enter the world of full-time employment, future employers will expect more than a basic understanding of computer systems and apps. In fact, it’s likely many corporations will opt to employ the graduate with the most apparent flair for digital technology. Therefore, investing in a child’s digital development now is bound to increase their ‘employability’ for years to come.

Two entrepreneurs who have invested their flair for tech and passion for business in a new venture with Code Ninjas are Ranjit Gopi and Chetan Kamat. Friends for over 25 years - and soon to be business partners - the community-minded pair will launch their own Code Ninjas franchise in south-west London later this year.

“We were instantly drawn to the Code Ninjas franchise model because we felt as though there was nothing quite like it here in the UK,” explained Ranjit. “We were so intrigued that we both travelled out to California to visit two centres. That trip was a real eye-opener. As you can imagine, with so many technology specialists based in Silicon Valley and the surrounding areas, the market is very competitive. In spite of this, both centres were performing very well and attracting kids from families with or without a technology background. That, combined with the impressive support on offer from the Code Ninjas team, confirmed our thoughts that a Code Ninjas franchise was perfect fit for us.”

With a combined 50-plus years in the IT and financial services space, this new endeavour will put Ranjit’s and Chetan’s resourceful skillset to good use. Notably, both also have children of their own who are suitably excited for the launch of their local centre.

“As a parent of growing kids, I often speak with other parents about how tech-savvy our kids are – like me, many wish there were avenues for them to channel their energy and creative minds,” said Chetan. “Code Ninjas helps kids have fun and learn new coding skills, offering an exciting learning destination right here in our community. I speak on behalf of both, Ranjit and myself when I say that we’re proud to be part of a brand that is so proactive in supporting children’s digital development and problem-solving skills in a fun based learning environment. We’re both looking forward to providing a change for our families and others too. We’re confident that our lifelong friendship and passion for digital technology will stand us in good stead as we launch our first centre.”

Ranjit and Chetan’s long-term plan is to establish themselves as the kid’s coding specialists of choice in their community, as they look to launch other locations in the not too distant future.