Get started coding with RailsBridge!
RailsBridge workshops are a free and fun way to get started or level up with Rails, Ruby, and other web technologies. Our events focus on increasing diversity in tech, so that people of all backgrounds can feel welcome and comfortable in our industry.
RailsBridge Workshops are free courses targeted at groups of people that are underrepresented in tech. The courses cover an introduction to programming concepts, the available tools, Rails, Ruby, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
A RailsBridge workshop is for you if you want to:
- learn some practical skills and start learning to code,
- level up your skills,
- connect with our volunteer team of experienced and enthusiastic developers.
Read more at our Is this workshop for you?.
You should be comfortable using a computer, but no programming experience or hardware expertise is required. You should have your own laptop to bring along. Mac, Windows, and Linux machines are all welcome.
Impact Statistics
Since July 2013 we've run 24 workshops in various places and helped more than 350 people start learning Ruby, Rails, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Our Workshops
Our list of courses lives at docs.railsbridgecapetown.org. Here are the things we can help you start learning.
- HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create a web page about yourself with our Front-end course. HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are the building blocks of the web: they handle the content, the presentation, and the behaviour of every web page.
- Ruby and Rails to build and publish a web application with our Intro to Rails course. Ruby is a free, open source programming language with a focus on simplicity and productivity. Ruby on Rails is a web application framework: a reusable set of shortcuts that help you build dynamic web sites.
- more about Ruby and Rails and stretch your skills with our Job Board or Message Board courses.
- and more! :)
Each event is an all-day, informal, workshop on a Saturday. We provide breakfast and lunch. You'll work through the documentation at your own pace, asking questions and getting answer from yourself, the other attendees, and from teachers who are close by in case you would like some help. If you need it for the course, we'll help you set up your computer with the software you’ll need.
You’ll be given sufficient background and confidence to continue developing your skills independently.
Why
We want to push for all kinds of diversity in the Cape Town tech community: gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, ability, and class. Women were the first population that RailsBridge focused on, but aren't the last.
We believe that the people making technology should accurately reflect the diversity of those using it. Research shows that diverse teams produce better results, and are more creative and innovative.
We want to show how programming skills can be useful, empowering, and fun, particularly when applied to the web.
We want to bring more people into the local Ruby community, and encourage more user groups to think about diversity and outreach.
We want to provide people new to programming with access to a diverse network of smart, capable programmers.
When & Where
Past Events
We try to run events every three months. We've run our regular events since July 2013 and special events for GirlHype (at the Bandwidth Barn), Herschel school, and the Women in Computer Science group at UCT. We also try and write up short reviews (with photos!) of each event.
Documentation
All the documentation is online at docs.railsbridgecapetown.org. The Intro to Rails course that we run most often is at docs.railsbridgecapetown.org/intro-to-rails. Our Resources page at docs.railsbridgecapetown.org/workshop/resources has lots of links for learning about Ruby, Rails, and being a developer.
Contact
Want to get in touch? Message us on meetup!
Railsbridge.org
RailsBridge is working to make tech more diverse and welcoming by teaching programming, connecting human beings, and listening to people's needs.
RailsBridge needs your help! You could:
- Attend a workshop.
- Tell a woman you know about RailsBridge, and encourage her to attend a workshop.
- Teach at a workshop.
- Contribute to the curriculum or InstallFest instructions on GitHub.
- Speak up for diversity in tech in your office or community.
- Join us!