Ecole 42: Learning how to learn

By Daniel Shin

Ecole 42 is unlike any other school in France. When it first started, people laughed about it. Ecole 42 now has more than 15,000 students in over 25 countries with 42 campuses. It is ranked as one of the top coding schools in the world. Ecole 42 operates as a tuition-free, non-profit computer coding school.

Applicants aged between 18 and 30 get admitted through a competitive entry process as only four out of 100 applicants are admitted. It could take two to four years to complete the program. However, most of Ecole 42's students can't finish the program because they land a job before they reach the end. Good quality developers that employers really need are in short supply and there is a huge digital skill gap that Ecole 42 tries to address.

Ecole 42 aims to inspire and educate the future digital generation with an innovative, accessible and affordable learning experience. Ecole 42 is motivational and entertaining for people who have an appetite to learn. The learner's reaction has been very positive. Now, it operates globally and tries to keep up with the same level of quality all across the world.

Ecole 42 has no teachers, no scheduled classes, no books and no tuition. There is a team that carefully designs the curriculum to be gamified and with an effective pedagogical plan. The curriculum is deeply rooted in project-based learning that is best suited in a collaborative peer-to-peer learning environment.

Ecole 42 encourages people to learn how to learn. It means developing skills to stay relevant and curious about challenging questions in our generation. Learning how to learn helps learners build up confidence and brain muscle for any challenge coming their way. Curriculum is fun to follow as long as learners are willing to tackle quest after quest.

Learners get points when they complete projects in the curriculum. It gives a sense of achievement and also unlocks more projects in the specialization tracks. That way, they can master different skills quickly and build their portfolios as tangible achievements to show to potential recruiters. Learners can also figure out where they stand by comparing their levels in the cohort.

Once admitted, there is a mandatory experience that you have to participate in, called "Piscine" (French for "swimming pool"), even if you can start anytime. It helps learners dive into coding and learn how to swim out of deep water with help from peers. Piscine is like a four-week-long boot camp.

During this period, learners will discover the basics of coding from scratch, but it also filters out those unwilling to progress. Piscine is an intensive process and, therefore, it is not possible for learners to engage or spend time on other commitments or jobs simultaneously. No prerequisites of any kind are required. No degrees or prior coding training are needed. There is no fixed limit of applicants. So, if you make it, you make it.

Xavier Niel, the man behind Ecole 42, is a French entrepreneur and self-made billionaire. He is the partner of Delphine Arnault, the daughter of Europe's richest man, Bernard Arnault, the chairman and CEO of LVMH. Niel also spearheaded the creation of Station F, the world's largest startup incubator at La Halle Freyssinet, an old rail freight depot, apart from his founding work and major ownership of Free, the second-largest internet service provider and third-largest mobile operator in France.

Niel also owns significant shares of Le Monde and sits on the board of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URM). His middle-class upbringing was the inspiration behind his education venture, Ecole 42. He has emphasized the need for a school that allows everyone to start out on equal footing. He believed that anyone could become a great coder if they possess only two things: logical thinking and their will to pull through.

In the creative economy, a diploma is not something that you can thoroughly judge someone on, particularly whether they can do a job or not. A diploma is evidence showing that those who have earned it have followed the rules well. In contrast, entrepreneurs are rule breakers, as entrepreneurs are always trying to find ways of doing things differently and they often say that the conventional rules shouldn't apply to them.

Pedigree has no meaning in today's technocratic spheres. Engineers and advocates of the lowest-ranked castes from India, for example, say that tech industries don't care about caste and haven't discriminated against anyone as long as they are capable of delivering results. Ecole 42 also breaks all the rules for educating software engineers.

Thirst for an exciting and lucrative career is a powerful motivator. Career aspiration drives the market for education of many types, from competitive kindergartens to elite universities. It is simple and enriching to hear, "If you are in, you'll be a success." Ecole 42 sounds like a compelling and alternative route to become a successful software developer. Although, coding is not a job. The requirements among employers vary and individual positions require different skills. Employers still value conventional credentials.

They may call for sophisticated or specialized skills like advanced mathematics or the entire life-cycle of software development, with specific and proprietary tools that can be rigorously obtained in higher education. Partner companies could apply for real-life challenges to be included into the curriculum but knowledge foundation and archives created or accumulated by leading institutions are crucial ingredients for a holistic learning experience, too.

Quite recently, I am thrilled to engage with a new education venture in Wales much inspired by Ecole 42. Wales is a country in the United Kingdom that has a distinctive culture including its own language, customs, politics, festivals and music. Its rich history, culture and heritage can be combined with the latest digital technologies, as they can be enjoyed by a broader audience with no limits. Welsh culture is full of interesting traditions and legends.

In Wales, heritage is something that refuses to stay contained in museums or dusty books. Wherever we turn, we will appreciate a rich and complex history from the remains of grand estates built by aristocrats and industrialists. Wales was the powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution and many great modern inventions were created there.

Wales has adopted many new cultural artifacts, but it is like a well-kept secret, with its identity and many local traditions that can be a cradle for the powerful new creative economy. Innovative education can bring in talents and opportunities to this beautiful country. We must invest in education, as education can solve complex puzzles and inspire positive social change.

Daniel Shin is a venture capitalist and senior luxury fashion executive, overseeing corporate development at MCM, a German luxury brand. He also teaches at Korea University.