Students may now apply to join Samsung Campus by filling their application for the third session of the Samsung Campus “Web & Apps Coding” training course. Young people between the ages of 18 and 25, with no high school diploma and passionate about computing, have until midnight on September 18^th to register on www.samsungcampus.fr. Preselected applicants will enter a three-week initial session on October 3, to gain the foundations they need for the training and to assess their motivation before entering the Samsung Campus.

Opened in Saint-Ouen, France in September 2014, Samsung Campus is a socially engaged training center that offers a free training course to develop digital skills for approximatively 50 young people per year. Graduates thus acquire valuable professional expertise in a very dynamic sector.

An educational team ensures individual follow-up of students throughout their training, while the incentive to work together and help each other strengthens group cohesion. To facilitate their future integration in business, students who are interested may also join a mentoring program in place with employees of Samsung Electronics France.

A Training Offering Genuine Job Opportunities

“Web & Apps Coding” is a two-year training course in web and mobile application* development, which includes apprenticeship during the second year. Designed to address the shortage of web developers in France, this training is operated by ZUP de CO and EPITECH.

ZUP de CO, an NGO which works to promote equal opportunity for disadvantaged young people, is in charge of recruiting and supporting students. EPITECH, the leading French school in IT and innovation, is in charge of the learning aspects.

This intensive training (1,600 hours the first year, and 455 hours during the work-study year) covers up to fifteen recognized coding technologies, as well as emerging technologies in web and mobile application development.

It also includes a marketing awareness module taught by ESSEC, and professional speakers to give students a thorough understanding of the business environment in which they will be evolving. “This course gives motivated young people the opportunity to develop skills that are sought after in a fast growing industry, and offers them genuine job opportunities,” says Florence Catel, corporate citizenship director at Samsung Electronics France.

As an indicator of the quality of the program, students who are currently in the second year regularly receive job offers: “My employment opportunities have completely changed,” says Pauline, age 25. “Now I’m contacted every week for jobs I haven’t even applied for!” Samir, age 23, reports a similar experience: “There’s everything we need to help us build our future. Now I’m regularly contacted for projects or permanent jobs. It’s both reassuring and motivating.”

A Training Course Approved by the “Grande École du Numérique”

 The Samsung Campus “Web & Apps Coding” program is part of the first training courses to be approved by the “Grande École du Numérique” (GEN) that was launched by the French President in September 2015. The Grande École du Numérique seeks to support the professional integration of young people without qualifications by offering them training in the digital fields.

For many of them, joining the Samsung Campus is a fresh chance: “I felt I shared the experience of some students who were motivated but had seen all doors close on them because they had no diploma. Samsung Campus is a real opportunity for me,” says Housama, age 23.

Marie, age 24, adds that coding is also a women’s job: “I’ve always loved computing, but my teachers didn’t support me in this choice,” she explains. “I never would have thought I could pursue a career in a field that is still viewed as very masculine! Today I’m finally doing what I love.”

A Mentoring Program with Samsung Employees

Samsung Campus students can also benefit from the volunteer involvement of Samsung Electronics France employees, in the form of a mentoring program based on experience-sharing and discussion, which is part of a socially responsible company approach: “I don’t know which of us got the most out of the mentoring,” says Alexandre, Allan’s Samsung mentor, with a smile.  “What motivated me at first was to be able to help a young person get ready to enter the job market. I hope I was up to the task. What’s certain today is that Allan has gained new confidence about his future. And that’s wonderful!”

To learn more about Samsung Campus: http://www.samsungcampus.fr

About ZUP de CO

ZUP de CO is an NGO which works to promote equal opportunity for disadvantaged young people. Empowering young people in a difficult situation to become key players in tomorrow’s society and prove that dropping out is not inevitable, such is the ambition of ZUP CO. www.zupdeco.org

About Epitech

Epitech has been training 5200 students every year for over 17 years. Epitech is neither a technical college nor an engineering school. Its innovative teaching model is rooted in project-based learning. The model designed by Epitech has proven popular with companies and has been rolled out by a consistent international network: Epitech therefore exists in 12 French cities and has over 40 worldwide partners.

Epitech’s network of exceptional international partners enables it to provide all its students with the opportunity to spend a year studying abroad (in 4th year) to experience another culture, build contacts and prepare for a potential international career.Epitech has 12 innovation hubs putting it on the cutting edge of new IT and digital technologies and able to build quality connections with its ecosystem. Students at Epitech can thus create close bonds with the business world throughout their academic life.At the end of their 5 year course, Epitech students are independent, responsible IT experts who can easily adapt to the business world. They have excellent technical skills, the ability to design and pool ideas and technologies as well as surround themselves with the best partners to handle their projects. In an ever-changing world where innovation reigns supreme, they have everything they need to succeed.It will therefore come as no surprise that Epitech alumni include Alexandre Malsch, Meltygroup founder and Solomon Hyckes, Docker founder.

Nestled among more than 20,000 various types of vegetation across 8.5 acres, the new state-of-the-art research and development center is home to many of the top thought leaders in Silicon Valley. With more than 250 doctorate recipients from some of the best schools around the globe, the campus is a hotbed for creativity and innovation. Collaborating with respected universities such as Stanford, MIT and the University of California, Berkeley, boosts SRA’s recruitment efforts by enabling them to scout fresh prospects before they graduate.

This may make the new campus sound somewhat stuffy in terms of atmosphere, but this is far from accurate. The laid-back California vibe can typically be experienced throughout the entire campus. On any given day, it’s possible to see employees engaged in a friendly game of soccer on the Great Lawn, dogs roaming around the offices or colleagues enjoying lunch on the veranda just outside the cafeteria. These aspects of life on the Mountain View campus show why SRA is a leader in providing a collaborative work environment.

The campus also features a number of environmentally friendly touches. There are 48 electric vehicle charging stations on the campus—more than any other Samsung campus in the United States—which are in use close to 100 percent of normal business hours. Employees are also offered composting options, which helps SRA in its efforts to minimize its impact on the environment.

But to fully understand the role the new campus plays in SRA’s tale, one must understand research – the element that lies at the core of everything the campus strives to accomplish. The Mountain View campus serves as the SRA headquarters, but houses many employees from other Samsung groups such as Samsung Electronics America and the Global Innovation Center. The primary focus areas of employees here are software and design, but the group spans more than 15 research labs—each with different missions—from Silicon Valley to Dallas. The great successes of these labs benefit Samsung’s vast portfolio of mobile, visual display, home appliance, wearable and audio and stereo products.

All of this innovation begins at the new Mountain View campus—where advanced research is the key to the next generation of discovery.