TECH TASTERS - coding for beginners
TECH TASTERS - coding for beginners
QUICK JUMP MENU
QUICK JUMP MENU
LEARN NEW TECH SKILLS
The CFG Tech Tasters make the perfect coding courses for beginners or those with some tech know-how!
In just 4 lessons, you’ll learn a new tech skill and get certified with our Tech Tasters, designed to give beginners a good foundational knowledge across key tech topics including languages, problem-solving and career confidence.
FREE ONLINE COURSES
Our Tech Tasters are 100% free and will introduce you to in-demand tech concepts and languages and other key skills.
Ran by our fantastic instructors and often co-hosted by our partner companies – our online courses are available to all women across the globe!
EXPLORE OUR TECH TASTERS
EXPLORE OUR TECH TASTERS
Much like any tech role, you’ll get involved in sprints to build and ship new tech features and products. We thought the term ‘sprint’ was a fitting name for a our MOOC powerhouse learning which run across 4 sessions focused on a key topic where you will walk away with new skills and knowledge.
Not only that, after completing a MOOC Sprint, you will have the opportunity to test your knowledge further by taking part in a MOOC Challenge linked to your Sprint topic.
Our MOOC Sprints are open to all CFG members globally and are 100% free for all participants.
Tech Tasters run over 4 lessons, each being 1-hour sessions going into the detail of a key topic area.
At the end of the 4 lessons, you’ll walk away with a deeper knowledge of a key topic and have the opportunity to test your knowledge with a bite-sized quiz!
There will be a range of topics from introductions to languages, problem-solving, career pathways and more!
With each Tech Taster you’ll receive a shiny certificate if completed before the deadline.
What we love most about our Tech Tasters is that they are great for all CFG members – from beginners to those further along their tech journey.
Tech is an ever-evolving area, and building your knowledge base is sure to continue throughout your career. These online courses are great for those starting and wanting to learn more about a topic, or for those who have done our class or CFGdegree and want to gain additional knowledge and skills in a topic area.
AND, are available for all CFG members globally.
We know that sometimes life gets in the way of a good learning session, so all of our Tech Tasters are completely self-paced to learn in your own time!
This means you can watch and learn around your own schedule, in whatever time zone, accessing the video sessions and associated content to complete each lesson and quiz.
PLUS, when you complete the Tech Taster, you will receive a certificate to recognise your achievement.
Available for a limited time only! We’re unleashing some mini hackathon vibes with our MOOC Challenges. Our MOOC Challenges will allow members to test their knowledge in a key topic area with a project or challenge to complete.
Much like a hackathon, there will be a kick-off event, time to develop your response, and a final presentation session – with this all happening over four weeks.
Challenges and projects are a great way to not only test your knowledge but also for building a portfolio and adding to your CV!
Our MOOC Challenges are open to all CFG members globally and are 100% free for all participants. If you would love to take up the challenge but don’t think you have the skillset for it, check out our related Sprints first to get yourself challenge ready!
Each MOOC Challenge will begin with a kick-off event where the challenge statement and project will be presented.
Usually, these will be presented by our partner companies who may be seeking solutions to real-life tech challenges and looking for tech talent to show them the way!
Our MOOC Challenges are open to all CFG members globally!
It is always good to challenge yourself and put new skills (or old ones!) to the test!
Our MOOC Challenges are designed to follow our MOOC Sprint topics so that those who have participated in the Sprints can then test what they have just learnt.
These challenges are open to all participants, however, our linked Sprints are here to give you all the tools and skill sets to complete.
From the kick-off date, you will have four weeks to submit your response.
Finally, after all of your hard work, you get the opportunity to showcase your work to our partners who are your judges. Showcase all you have learned and worked on with a final presentation where one of our lucky challengers will be awarded the winner.
The final session will take place after around four weeks of free time to complete the challenge.
We are incredibly excited to have our partner companies involved and to see your solutions presented to the challenge.
Problem-solving is a key skill to have in tech and being able to showcase that you have participated in MOOC Challenges will be a great booster to any CV and portfolio.
Each member that takes part and completes the MOOC Challenge will receive a certificate to confirm participation.
You’ll also have a great project to add to your portfolio and be able to add this to your GitHub, website or other pages showcasing your work!
LEARN A NEW SKILL IN 4 LESSONS WITH A TECH TASTER!
Sign up to our self-paced Tech Taster courses and learn a new skill in just 4 lessons. You’ll have 4 weeks to complete all 4 sessions and mini-quizzes to earn a certificate 🏆! From Coding and Data, to self-development, our courses are designed to fit around your schedule and are great to familiarise yourself with a new topic or as a refresher!
SELF-PACED LEARNING
Free and open to all CFG Members
INTRO TO JAVASCRIPT
LESSONS RELEASED: 5TH MARCH @ 6PM
JavaScript is a dynamic programming language that’s used for web development, in web applications, game development, and loads more. It allows you to implement dynamic features on web pages that cannot be done with only HTML and CSS.
Our Intro to JavaScript Tech Taster will give all members an initial intro to key concepts and this is a fantastic starting point for anyone who is curious about coding and would like a few taster sessions to understand how it can work across tech and businesses.
Complete before Wednesday, 26th March 2025 to get certified! 🏆
Session 1: Hello World
- Overview of JS
- Strings & Output
- Constants & Debugging
- Joining Strings
Session 2: Unleashing Variables and Numbers
- Data Types
- Numbers & Input
- Variables with let
- Comparison Operators
Session 3: Making Decisions
- Conditional statement
- Logical Operators
- Functions
- Data types: Undefined and Null
Session 4: Working with Data
- Arrays
- Arrays: Push and Pop
- Objects
- Loops: For
- Loops: While
SELF-PACED LEARNING
Free and open to all CFG Members
intro to BUSINESS ANALYSIS
LESSONS RELEASED: 5TH MARCH @ 6PM
Business Analysis is crucial for bridging the gap between business needs and technical solutions! If you’re ready to dive into this dynamic field, our Business Analysis Tech Taster is perfect for you.
You’ll explore key aspects of business analysis, providing a solid foundation to build upon. This course covers everything from understanding the role of a Business Analyst and comparing Agile and Waterfall methodologies to mastering requirements-gathering techniques and UML. You’ll also learn to document and prioritize requirements using various methods and tools like Jira, Confluence, Miro, and Lucidchart.
Complete before Wednesday, 26th March 2025 to get certified! 🏆
Session 1: Introduction to Business Analysis
- Intro to Business Analysis
- The role of a Business Analyst
- Introduction to Agile and Waterfall
- Business Analysis and Agile
Session 2: Understanding Users and Requirements
- Understanding Users and Stakeholders needs
- Requirements Gathering Techniques
- UML (Unified Modelling Language)
- User Stories and Use Cases
Session 3: Documenting and Prioritising Requirements
- Writing clear and concise requirements
- Functional and non-functional requirements
- Prioritising requirements
- MoSCoW method, Kano analysis, Impact/Effort matrix
Session 4: Business Analysis Tools and Techniques
- Intro to tools and software
- Jira and Confluence, Miro and Lucidchart
- What next?
SELF-PACED LEARNING
Free and open to all CFG Members
INTRO TO C++
LESSONS RELEASED: 5TH MARCH @ 6PM
C++ is a powerful programming language that unlocks the potential to build complex software systems! If you’re eager to dive into the world of programming, this course is perfect for you.
Each lesson, you’ll get an overview of different C++ concepts, from understanding data types and control flow to mastering arrays, loops, and advanced programming techniques. By the end of this course, you’ll have a solid foundation in C++ and be ready to tackle more advanced projects. It could be the first step in your journey to becoming a proficient C++ programmer!
Complete before Wednesday, 26th March 2025 to get certified! 🏆
Session 1: Intro to C++
- What is C++?
- Data types
- Variables
- Arithmetic and logical operations
- Displaying results and outputs
- Demo: “Student grades”
Session 2: Control Flow & Functions
- User input
- Conditional statements
- Functions
- Introduction to common C++ libraries (iostream, cmath, etc.)
- Demo: “User input grades”
Session 3: Arrays & Loops
- Arrays
- Pointers / Memory allocation
- Loops
- Demo: “Class grades”
Session 4: Advanced Concepts
- File handling
- Error handling
- Intro to OOP
- Demo: “Student database”
SELF-PACED LEARNING
Free and open to all CFG Members
INTRO TO AI & SECURITY
LESSONS RELEASED: 2nd april @ 6PM
AI is transforming the way we live, work, and secure our systems! If you’re eager to understand how AI and security intersect, this course is for you.
Over four sessions, you’ll explore the essentials of AI security, attack vectors, vulnerabilities, and how to build secure systems. From understanding key security principles to hands-on demos of adversarial and privacy attacks, this course gives you the practical knowledge to protect AI models and ensure ethical deployment. Join us and take your first step towards mastering AI security!
Complete before Wednesday, 23rd April 2025 to get certified! 🏆
Session 1: Introduction to AI Security
- What is AI Security?
- Understanding AI Security
- Security Principles in AI
- Demo: Identifying AI Security Risks
- Explore the model’s behaviour and identify potential security vulnerabilities.
Session 2: Attack Vectors and Vulnerabilities in AI
- Attack Vectors in AI
- Vulnerabilities in AI Models
- Adversarial Attacks
- Demo: Adversarial Attack on a Simple Model
Session 3: Privacy Attacks and Mitigations
- Privacy Attacks on AI
- Mitigating Vulnerabilities
- Privacy-Preserving AI
- Demo: Membership Inference Attack
Session 4: Building Secure and Ethical AI Systems
- Building Secure AI Systems
- Ethical and Legal Considerations
- Future Trends and Emerging Threats
- Demo: Securing an AI Model
SELF-PACED LEARNING
Free and open to all CFG Members
INTRO TO CODING
LESSONS RELEASED: 2ND APRIL @ 6PM
Coding is the process of writing instructions for computers to perform specific tasks, it’s essentially how we communicate with computers! If you want to dip your toe into the world of programming, this Tech Taster is perfect for you.
Each lesson, you’ll get an overview of different elements of coding and a great foundation to start building upon your knowledge further. It could be the first step in your journey to getting into tech!
Complete before Wednesday, 23rd April 2025 to get certified! 🏆
Session 1: What is coding and why is it important?
- Intro to coding
- Compiler vs Interpreter
- Low level vs High level programming language
- Basic concepts of computer programming, such as variables
- Different types of data types – Integer, Floating points (Decimals), Booleans
Session 2: Different forms of Data Structures
- Operators in programming- +,-,*,/,%,&,|, >,<,!,~, etc
- Strings
- Lists or Arrays
- Associated arrays such as Dictionary, Maps
Session 3: Control structures and Functions
- Conditional Statements – If, Else if and Else
- Loops – for, while, do-while and their basic structure
- Commonly used keywords with Loops- break, continue, pass
- Functions
Session 4: Errors, Types of errors and Error Handling
- Syntax errors, logic errors, runtime errors
- How to troubleshoot and debug code
- Art of Pseudocode and making flowchart
- A small taste of how to write simple programs in a programming language, such as Python
SELF-PACED LEARNING
Free and open to all CFG Members
INTRO TO DEVOPS
LESSONS RELEASED: 2nd april @ 6PM
Welcome to the world of DevOps, where innovation meets collaboration, and technology transforms the way we build and deploy software!
In this exciting and dynamic Tech Taster, we will embark on a journey to master the art of DevOps and unlock the potential of seamless integration between development and operations.
Complete before Wednesday, 23rd April 2025 to get certified! 🏆
Session 1:Intro to Devops and Docker
- Agile development context
- DevOps Job role
- Getting set up with Docker
Session 2: Introduction to Docker
- Docker commands
- Debugging
- Ports and port mapping
- Docker port commands
Session 3: Docker commands and containers
- Project Overview
- Docker Networks
- Project Code
Session 4: Dockerfile configuration and what next?
- Building a DockerFile
- Dockerfile commands
- Pushing to a repository
LIVE COURSES - LIMITED TIME ONLY
Join us live for our Sprints and Challenges below, all hosted live by expert instructors – available for a limited time only!
*LIVE*: EXCLUSIVELY FOR 16yrs +
Free and open to UK residents 16+
INTRO TO DATA
STARTS: MONDAY 17TH FEBRUARY @ 5PM
Welcome to the world of data! Designed for complete beginners, you’ll get introduced to data analysis and uncover the power of data. Kickstart a career in tech and get to know the basics of data, understand how to create databases and learn key languages like SQL and how it allows you to manipulate data in a way that’s useful.
Session 1: Introduction to Data
LIVE Session Session: Monday 17th February @ 5pm (GMT)
- Data basics
- Databases
- MySQL and DBeaver
- SQL
Session 2: Databases
LIVE Session Session: Tuesday 18th February @ 5pm (GMT)
- Creating databases
- Constraints
- Primary keys
- Foreign keys
Session 3: Working with Data (Part 1)
LIVE Session Session: Wednesday 19th February @ 5pm (GMT)
- Selecting and retrieving data
- Comparison operators
Session 4: Working with Data (Part 2)
LIVE Session Session: Thursday 20th February @ 5pm (GMT)
- Logical operators
- Filtering data
- Sorting data
*LIVE*: GET CERTIFIED (FOR FREE!)
Free and open to all CFG Members
INTRO TO PYTHON
STARTS: 7th JANUARY - 28TH JANUARY @ 6pm
Python is an interpreted, object-oriented, high-level programming language with dynamic semantics. Python is commonly used for developing websites, task automation, data analysis, and data visualisation. Due to the nature of Python, it is regularly used in industries and roles such as accountants and scientists, for a variety of everyday tasks.
Session 1: Introduction to Python
LIVE Session Session: Tuesday 7th January @ 6pm (GMT)
- Install Python on your machine
- Why learn Python?
- Hello World!
- Variables
- Conditions
Session 2: Operations in Python
LIVE Session Session: Tuesday 14th January @ 6pm (GMT)
- Assigning Values
- Comparing values
- Assessing Logic
Session 3: Functions in Python
LIVE Session Session: Tuesday 21st January @ 6pm (GMT)
- Lambda functions
- Local and Global Scope
- Spelling checker project
Session 4: Statements, arguments and libraries in Python
LIVE Session Session: Tuesday 28th January @ 6pm (GMT)
- Python Libraries
- Return Statements
- Arguments
*LIVE* CHALLENGE
Free and open to all CFG Members
intro to python
STARTS: 18th february - 1st april @ 6pm
Test your knowledge with our Python Challenge sponsored by DSTL and NCF! This challenge will let you put your knowledge to the test and help you further develop your Python programming skills while gaining valuable practical experience.
CHALLENGE SESSIONS
Tuesday 18th February @ 6PM GMT – (Kick-off event & challenge revealed)
Thursday 20th February – Project work begins for final hand on Thursday 25th March
Tuesday 1st April – Presentations from finalists
TECH TASTER
FAQS
Yes, our Tech Tasters are the perfect “coding for beginners” option. These 100% free sessions will introduce you to in-demand tech concepts, languages, and other key skills, providing a great introduction to coding.
These online courses will give you a great taste of key tech topics – from UX/UI to bug fixing, languages to CVs and applications. After each session, you complete a quick quiz on the topic to earn your certificate on completion.
Yes, all our courses are 100% free! They are a great place to start and sessions will introduce you to in-demand tech concepts, languages, and other key skills.
Yes! They are free and hosted by our friendly Code First Girls instructors and they are suitable for anyone over 18+ wishing to get started in tech, or brush up on their skills.
Fully self-paced to fit around your schedule, they can be completed in the time that works for you! All 4 lessons and quizzes must be completed in order to get certified and before the deadline stated – this is usually 4 weeks!
Our live courses (known as MOOCs) are available for a limited time only and are short coding courses with four 1-hour sessions.
Other questions? Visit our knowledge base for more information.