Over 20 graduates of CodeClan, Scotland’s accredited digital skills academy have joined Fintech companies in the last few months.

Recruiters include innovative start-ups companies such as Wallet.Services, Float and Money Dashboard, through to established technology pioneers such as FreeAgent and top tier financial giants such as Prudential.

CodeClan is working with the newly established industry body, Fintech Scotland, to forge stronger links between the academy and potential employers in the financial technology sector.

Adam Bannon, CodeClan’s acting CEO, told DIGIT: “A qualification in tech opens the door to a range of opportunities. The Fintech sector is rapidly growing and increasing in importance across Scotland and it is vital we can provide people with the right skills to help the industry thrive and fulfil its potential.”

“Technology has an impact upon almost every business sector and CodeClan is working with employers to ensure that we provide graduates with opportunities across a variety of industries.

Established in 2015, CodeClan is a key component of the Scottish Government’s Digital Strategy for Scotland, which aims to create a thriving digital technologies ecosystem.

So far the academy’s industry-led approach appears to be working. Approximately 93% of CodeClan graduates land their first job in Scotland’s tech sector within six months and over 70% secure a job within three months of finishing the intensive course.

Ed Molyneux, CEO and co-founder of cloud accounting software company FreeAgent, said: “The future of Scotland’s tech sector depends on new talent being unearthed and allowed to flourish. By partnering with CodeClan, we’ve been delighted to help a new wave of Scottish graduates get nurtured and trained for successful careers in the tech industry.”

Colin Hewitt, CEO and cofounder of budgeting and cash flow forecasting specialist Float agreed: “We’re delighted to see the CodeClan model really working, by identifying potential and training up quality software engineers.  It’s been a great success story, and I think they’ve now proved that it can really work for both the students and companies they are serving.”

Matthew Jeorrett joined blockchain company Wallet.Services as a developer evangelist after graduating from CodeClan’s 16 week Professional Software Development course. He said, “The course was very relevant and we had the chance to meet with many companies. I was interested in what Wallet Services was doing and working in areas like Blockchain.

“They invited me in for a meeting and after I was offered the job I was doing hands-on coding straight away and working on front-end products. I’m also now getting into cryptography. Being on the course was brilliant and it was everything I expected it to be.”