The new curriculum was announced today. It’s an attempt to improve access to computer science education and make it easier for aspiring app developers to gain a foothold in the industry.
After completing the course, students will be able to design, plan and build their own apps. They’ll also receive training in vital job skills required to pursue an app development career.
The course expands Apple’s already extensive learning initiatives to a new audience. It’s the first time the company has directly targeted people of high-school and college age. Previously, it has focused on giving younger students in the first stages of education a chance to witness how computers work.
Apple’s App Development in Swift course
Apple
Swift Playgrounds has seen success in the classroom but previously there’s been no defined route forward for students eager to learn more. The new curriculum resolves that, giving individuals who learn best under formal tuition a chance to extend their education with Apple. As Mashable notes, the company now delivers Swift tutorials to people ranging from kindergarten age to the second year of college.
Apple said it developed the curriculum after hearing feedback from its existing Everyone Can Code teachers that more people should be involved. The Everyone Can Code materials have been downloaded over 430,000 times by 1,000 schools across the U.S.
The company is also keen to help resolve the computer science hiring crisis. Software development is one of the fastest growing industries globally but there’s still a dramatic shortfall between job openings and qualified engineers.
Apple’s App Development in Swift course
Apple
“We’ve seen firsthand the impact that coding has on individuals and the U.S. economy as a whole. The app economy and software development are among the fastest-growing job sectors in America and we’re thrilled to be providing educators and students with the tools to learn coding,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Community colleges play a critical role in helping students achieve their dreams, and we hope these courses will open doors for people of all ages and backgrounds to pursue what they love.”
The curriculum is available as a free download from today, accessible from Apple’s iBooks store. Educators and students can review the included material to see if it’s suitable for their needs. From the initial basics of getting started with Swift, Apple takes learners through progressively more sophisticated concepts, eventually providing a complete guide to creating a robustly architected app.
The course will initially be delivered to around 500,000 U.S. students in the fall. There are currently six community colleges registered to teach it. Apple also expects select high schools to start using it from this summer, giving more students a chance to write their own apps and leave an imprint on the industry.
