Paf to create tech education scheme
The Nordic gaming operator Paf plans to run a tech education scheme to help train coders and developers.
Finland.- Paf, the Finnish gambling operator based on the Åland Islands, has announced plans to create an education programme for coding and tech development. Its grit:lab scheme will offer training to 50 students from 2022 under a government-backed programme that aims to answer a need for tech skills in the Nordic region.
The operator said the programme would be run from Paf’s head office on the Åland Islands and would include coding training on 01 Edu system. It will run on a self-learning basis with no teachers or classrooms, leaving students the responsibility for developing their skills.
Paf’s deputy CEO and CRO Daniela Johansson said: “We are convinced that this will be good and in the end grit:lab can help us find the tech talents we need. But the training is not only for Paf, it is for all IT companies.
“We hope that many companies want to become partner companies for the education programme so that we can both help and get help from the IT students.
“The foundation for the scheme began in France and there are now similar educations in 40 different countries around the world. No previous basic knowledge of coding or IT is needed, in order for prospective students to access the scheme.”
Annika Hambrudd, the Åland Islands’ minister of education, said: “This is an interesting and exciting educational concept, where students learn to learn for themselves. It will be an excellent complement to current education and I think that a learning process without regular classes can be good for many students.”
Applications via an online test are expected to open in late 2021 or early 2022, with the first cohort to begin study in August 2022.
Last month, Paf acquired Speedy and Speedy Originals, two no-registration gambling brands catering to the Swedish market, from Hero Gaming. In May, the operator reported a slight decline in revenue to €113m for the 12 months ending December 2020.
Despite an increase in online revenue, overall results were down due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on land-based revenue and the impact of Paf’s decision to reduce its loss limits for online gaming.
