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Programme archive
The Programme
A free training programme with a difference. Students got in-demand digital skills plus employability support from industry professionals, to help them set and reach their career goals.
This programme has now finished. Applications are closed and no more courses are planned. This page is a record of what Peckham DAZ offered. For free online courses you can take now, see Click Start by the University of Leeds.
Who it was for
Young, local and ready for the next step
The programme offered free, intensive digital skills training through multiple 15-week cohorts over 18 months, with teaching at the UAL Hub at Eagle Wharf and the Camberwell campus. Our mission was to empower and educate the next generation of tech talent in south London. Alongside the technical training, we set out to build confidence and show students the career paths open to them in the digital industries. We also wanted them to make a positive impact in their own community.
- Aged 18–30
- Living or working in south London
- From a Black or ethnic minority background
- With the right to work in the UK
- Seeking employment or earning below £25,000 a year
- Interested in building digital skills and taking the next step in their career
- No coding experience needed. Every course was beginner-friendly
The original ambition
Investment and launch plans
The March 2024 launch announcement recorded £800,000 in funding from Nominet and a total programme value of £1.4 million.
At launch, the programme was planned to start in Q2 2024, with the first six months focused on outreach, employer relationships and learner recruitment. The announcement described an initial audience of Black and minority ethnic young people aged 18–25 in Southwark; the later programme criteria listed ages 18–30 living or working in south London. Read the original launch announcement.
What students learned
Two tracks, one goal
Students chose a learning journey that fitted their career goals. They were taught by academic staff from the UAL Creative Computing Institute, who work where creativity and computing meet, to drive innovation and positive social impact.
Introduction to Data Science
Python and automated data collection, simple data analysis and visualisation, and discussions about ethical issues such as the fairness of AI systems.
How students learned
Three ways to study
Teaching followed a blended model: academic teaching, practical workshops, input from industry and one-to-one mentoring. Each session included a lecture and a group tutorial, plus 2–6 hours of independent study between classes. Every course finished with a portfolio project, using real local business challenges and datasets.
Fit learning around your life
- Where
- Online
- When
- Thursdays, 6.00pm–9.30pm
Fast Track: upskill in 4 days
- Where
- Online
- When
- Monday–Thursday, 9.30am–1.30pm
Learn with us in Camberwell
- Where
- In person
- When
- Wednesdays, 2.00pm–6.00pm
Students who attended at least 80% of the teaching sessions and career workshops received a certificate of participation.
Support along the way
Career preparation with UKBlackTech
A dedicated tutor from the UAL Creative Computing Institute supported every student. Alongside the teaching, UKBlackTech ran exclusive hybrid workshops, networking events and talks to build employability skills.
Job Readiness
CV preparation, networking, current job-market trends and in-demand skills, with advice from professionals who moved into tech from other careers.
Data Centre Career Pathways
Industry insight into data centre roles, software engineering and database management.
Data Centre Management
How a data centre actually runs.
GitHub Portfolio
Build a digital CV and show your work on GitHub.
Scrum Methodology
Agile project management techniques.
Personal Branding
Tips and tricks for building a professional profile.
Students also got career planning tools, 1:1 coaching and apprenticeship opportunities through GetMyFirstDigitalJob.
What came next
Routes forward
Whatever students wanted from their careers, next-level digital skills could help them get there.
Employment
Apprenticeships, internships and entry-level roles.
Self-employment
Starting a business or working freelance.
Volunteering
Using digital skills to help the community.
Further education
Students who achieved a B grade or above could gain learning credits towards UAL's MA/MSc Computing in the Creative Industries (Modular). Standard entry requirements still applied.
The bigger picture
Part of Click Start
Peckham DAZ was part of Click Start, a wider digital training programme developed by the Institute of Coding (IoC) and funded by Nominet. The programme fact sheet records 180,000 global enrolments across the wider Click Start programme, including 36,000 UK young people aged 18–35. These are wider programme figures: Peckham DAZ itself skilled over 200 young people aged 18–30 in south London.
The IoC, led by the University of Bath, is a national group of employers, educators and outreach providers. Together they deliver employer-led digital skills education. IoC partners have created more than 150 new courses and reached over 1 million diverse learners.
Nominet is a public benefit company that uses technology to improve connectivity, security and inclusion online. Its social impact programme funds work on some of the most important digital issues facing young people in the UK.
See what it all added up to
More than 200 students, real high street data and stories that are still unfolding.