Degree
Master of Business Administration Executive
Faculty / School
School of Business Studies (SBS)
Year of Award
2024
Advisor/Supervisor
Dr. Nida Aslam Khan, Assistant Professor and Chairperson - Marketing Department, Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi
Project Type
MBA Executive Research Project
Access Type
Restricted Access
Keywords
Training, bootcamp, feasibility, expansion, codegirls
Executive Summary
The project was conducted to provide a comprehensive feasibility study for ConsulNet Corporation, outlining strategic recommendations for scaling the CodeGirls bootcamp while maintaining quality, enhancing ROI, and securing long-term sustainability through effective partnerships and bootcamp management. ConsulNet Corporation needed a 5-year feasibility study and plan to determine CodeGirls expansion roadmap in Pakistan. CodeGirls aims to expand the bootcamp’s impact by 25% each year in the following 5 years and extend its reach to more locations in Pakistan. ConsulNet Corporation, an IT training provider since the early 1990s, launched its flagship bootcamp, CodeGirls, in 2018. CodeGirls is a sponsored coding and business skills bootcamp designed for young women. Initially established in Karachi, Pakistan, the bootcamp expanded to Skardu, Pakistan in 2022 and Cape Town, South Africa in 2023, driven by feasibility studies conducted by its main sponsor, United Global Initiative. As the executive partner, ConsulNet Corporation supported these expansions. Over the past six years, CodeGirls has attracted numerous collaborators due to the goodwill it generates for partner brands. However, these collaborations have been informal, inconsistent, and lacking in strategic direction. It is essential for CodeGirls to establish a distinguished brand identity, remain relevant, and demonstrate improved ROI over the next five years. Our study included shortlisting suitable partners and then conducting meetings with them for pitching the CodeGirls bootcamp. Three types of partners were approached and assessed Organizational/knowledge Partners, Funding Partners, and Hiring Partners. The report concludes a feasible partnership and growth plan with realistic annual targets for the next five years and optimal accreditation potential for the bootcamp expansion. We conducted primary research through surveys and direct interviews with various stakeholders to assess the landscape and potential for the CodeGirls program. This included surveys with the HR managers of tech companies across the nation to understand their interest in hiring bootcamp graduates and to evaluate market absorption in different regions. We also administered surveys to gauge corporate interest in supporting skill development initiatives and held interviews with training and development departments of software houses to explore potential affiliate partnerships. Discussions with managers of existing bootcamps provided valuable insights and lessons learned. In parallel, secondary research involved a comprehensive review of existing literature on upskilling bootcamps, employability trends, and success factors. This informed our strategy to identify optimal accreditation prospects and enhance program effectiveness. Sampling methods were carefully selected to ensure robust representation. For determining optimal bootcamp target audience, we employed stratified random sampling to cover diverse types of bootcamps, while sample sizes were determined based on statistical significance and confidence levels. Purposive sampling was used to select HR managers from tech companies likely to hire bootcamp graduates, ensuring diversity across sectors and company sizes. Data analysis integrated both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Quantitative methods utilized statistical techniques to analyze survey data, uncovering trends and patterns critical for program expansion. Qualitative methods, including thematic analysis of interviews and focus groups, provided deeper contextual insights and perspectives from stakeholders. This mixed-methods approach facilitated a comprehensive understanding and enhanced the validity of our findings. Ethical considerations were paramount throughout the research process, ensuring participant confidentiality, informed consent for surveys and interviews, and adherence to ethical guidelines regarding corporate information. Research limitations included the context-specific nature of findings, variability in optimal strategies based on regional contexts, and constraints related to sample size and stakeholder representation. These factors were carefully considered to provide meaningful insights while acknowledging potential biases and methodological limitations. The findings of this study are intended for stakeholders including the ConsulNet Corporation COO and administration, the Executive Director of UGI, and the founders of the CodeGirls Program, aiming to inform strategic decisions and enhance the program's impact and scalability.
Pages
viii, 61
Recommended Citation
Ayoob, M., & Mehmood, S. (2024). Expanding the reach of Codegirls: A feasibility study for Consulnet Corporation to scale the Codegirls Bootcamp over the next 5 years and attain optimal accreditation (Unpublished graduate research project). Institute of Business Administration, Pakistan. Retrieved from https://ir.iba.edu.pk/research-projects-emba/675
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