A lot can change in two years – as society has come to realise in recent months, for good and bad. But international kids coding franchise Code Ninjas has a lot to celebrate, as it recognises two years to the day that the brand landed on UK shores. To date – and despite the challenges caused by the pandemic – six coding dojos have opened their doors, with 29 more planned to launch over the coming months. Justin Nihiser, CEO, is proud to commemorate the brand’s continued success following his first eight months at the helm.
Our Code Ninjas franchisees in the UK never fail to impress me. Despite the months of lockdowns and ongoing restrictions, they’ve all come together so efficiently to bolster our presence here in Britain. When our franchise model first launched in the UK in 2019, the franchise development team had obviously done their homework ahead of time – but the rate at which our brand awareness has increased still amazes me. Before long, our goal of becoming known as the nation’s number one kids coding franchise will become a reality.
In recent weeks, we’ve welcomed new franchisees to key markets in Oxford, Cheltenham and Bournemouth, with launches planned before the year is out. This is an exciting time for our brand and for the landscape of kids coding in general. Now, more than ever, parents are seeing the value of extra-curricular coding education for their children. In many cases, digital literacy is no longer regarded as a hobby but a necessity – 12 months of Zoom calls and ordering everything online has proven that to be true.
Parents are wising up to the fact that the next generation need an understanding of how technology works – and coding is the language of technology. When looking to equip their kids with these skills, they choose our concept because we deliver this necessary education in a fun and safe environment At our dojos, kids can learn with their peers, supported by a system that enables them to not only learn coding but also improve their critical thinking skills. I’m excited to play a part in this evolution. It’s also encouraging to see franchisees from so many different walks of life investing in our model. We’ve had prospects from tech industries, mainstream education, hospitality and even a former postman!
Now that restrictions are beginning to lift and our operational locations are able to physically reopen, I’m eager to see how rapidly the concept will roll out as we expand into new territories. Our programme now reaches children across 14 counties, with locations as far south as Dorset, right the way up to the Midlands. Our sights are firmly set on expansion in the north of the country, where our curriculum is in demand and our fun, interactive after-school sessions are bound to make just as much of an impact as they have in the southern regions.
Now, we look to the future and plan to end 2021 on a high. Our long-term focus is to continue to solidify our stake as the world’s most popular and fastest-growing kids coding franchise. We are doing this by providing robust investment in the curriculum we produce, the operational support we provide and the brand awareness we share.
The support team and I often find ourselves reflecting on the vast achievements from the last weeks, months and years. When I consider what has been accomplished in the almost five years since the brand launched and our first two years in the UK, it makes me eager to see where we’ll be in the years to come. Ultimately, I see our UK presence truly replicating that of our offering in the US and Canada, with 100 operational locations or 50 plus franchisees… whichever comes first! By then, I’m adamant that our brand will be considered the number one kids coding franchise across the nation. Something tells me that the next few years are going to be nothing short of remarkable.
Justin Nihiser is the CEO of kids coding specialist, Code Ninjas. At locations across the UK, Canada and the US, kids learn to code in a fun, safe and inspiring learning environment. With a game-based curriculum, kids love to learn and parents clearly see results. For more information, visit www.codeninjasfranchise.co.uk
