BeCode profile information

Organization’s Full Legal Name / BeCode
Legal Status / Non for profit association
Organization Address / Cantersteen 10-12, 1000 Brussels
Head of Organization (or authorized signatory) / CEO: Karen Boers, , +32473 76 42 49
Primary contact person / CEO: Karen Boers, , +32473 76 42 49
Financial contact person / CFO: Sarah Unger, , +32476 85 93 02
Organization Mission Statement / BeCode wishes to bridge the gap between the companies desperately looking for digital talent and the “untapped” potential talent of the job market through web development training programs for anyone with true motivation – with a specific focus on NEET youngsters, long-term unemployed, immigrants and women in tech.
Organization Profile / BeCode was created in 2016 and kicked off its activities early 2017. The disruptive training center has already delivered 29 graduates (60% of whom were employed by the end of their internship -with the aim of employing at least 80% within 6 months) and currently has 125 students in training across 5 classes in 2 cities.
The BeCode training is now certified byBruxelles Formation (Brussels region - French speaking training), VDAB (Brussels & Flemish region - Dutch speaking training), Forem (Walloon region) and acquired the QFor Quality Label. This means all students can be assured that they can continue to receive unemployment benefits as well as support for expenses such as travel & child care.
BeCode students have been venturing out as part of their "learn by teaching" methodology and proved to be great ambassadors for the program in 20+ workshops and code initiations provided to partner programs and organisations. BeCode also contributes to the evangelisation on digital skills in general, through active support for and organisation of:
1.Press conference to launch the Digital Belgium Skills Fund with Deputy Prima-Minister Alexander De Croo, 9 May 2017)
2.Digital Skills Fair (19 May 2017): BeCode’s managing director Karen Boers and Digital Champion Saskia Van Uffelen co-organised a meetup for all digital skills related projects in Belgium with 50+ projects being presented & speed dating on site (at BeCentral).
3.MeetUp Disruptive Education (14 June 2017), co-organised with the Global Shapers Brussels (part of the World Economic Forum)
4.Code ’n Play (July 2017): hosting & co-promotion of a 1-week code initiation for English speaking children
5.BeCentral Grand Opening (4 October 2017): with King Filip visiting the classrooms and a big "Code Your Coffee" booth in the Central Station
Press uptake has been massive with >150 articles in (national).
The recruiting campaigns have been proven very successful in attracting the target audience:
2017-04 BRU / 2017-09 BRU / 2017-11 BRU / 2017-12 CRL / 2018-05 BRU / Total
% women / 23,26% / 22,14% / 19,64% / 21,26% / 22,81% / 21,82%
% < 26 / 18,60% / 27,31% / 39,29% / 29,92% / 31,58% / 30,11%
% job seekers / 72,09% / 66,05% / 76,79% / 79,53% / 73,10% / 72,10%
% max secondary education / 46,51% / 59,41% / 65,18% / 72,44% / 59,06% / 61,74%
% no secondary education / 11,63% / 22,88% / 27,68% / 40,94% / 26,32% / 26,93%
Employees (Full-time Equivalent) / 12 full-tile employees
2 part-time employees
Main Activities / BeCode provides web development training to people from less privileged backgrounds, focusing both on the technical and soft skills they require to join the digital work force.
Key Partners / Affiliates / Sponsoring & strategy: Telenet, Orange, 4Wings Foundation, Degroof-petercam Foundation
Public financing: Digital Belgium Skills Fund
Certification: VDAB, Bruxelles Formation, Forem
Methodology: Simplon.co
Infrastructure: Close the Gap Foundation
Recruiting partners: local “intermediaries” such as Mission Locale de Scaerbeek, Saint Josse, Molenbeek – Ateliers de Futur – social housing project Foyer Lakenois, Muntpunt, etc
Go-to-work partners: Startups.be, Agoria, Feweb, etc
Founding Date / 10/19/2016
Organization Budget / 2016: 387.995,90 Euro
2017: 784.000,00 Euro
2018: 1.065.000,00 Euro
Organization Support (Top Funders) / Telenet: 100.000 Euro/year (2017-2018-2019)
Orange: 100.000 Euro/year (2017-2018-2019)
4Wings Foundation: 100.000 Euro/year (2017-2018-2019)
Degroof-Petercam Foundation: 50.000 Euro/year (2017-2018-2019)
Digital Belgium Skills Fund: 500.000 Euro in 2017 and 450.000 Euro in 2018
Website Address /
Total Impact Since Inception / BeCode was created in 2016 and kicked off its activities early 2017. The disruptive training center has already delivered 29 graduates, 75% of whom were employed within 3 months of their internship -with the aim of employing at least 80% within 6 months.
Currently we have 50 more students in internships and 125 students in training across 5 classes in 2 cities.
BeCodealso has indirect social impact as the students have been venturing out as part of their "learn by teaching" methodology and proved to be great ambassadors for the program in 20+ workshops and code initiations provided to partner programs and organisations. BeCode also contributes to the evangelisation on digital skills in general, through active support for and organisation of:
1.Press conference to launch the Digital Belgium Skills Fund with Deputy Prima-Minister Alexander De Croo, 9 May 2017)
2.Digital Skills Fair (19 May 2017): BeCode’s managing director Karen Boers and Digital Champion Saskia Van Uffelen co-organised a meetup for all digital skills related projects in Belgium with 50+ projects being presented & speed dating on site (at BeCentral).
3.MeetUp Disruptive Education (14 June 2017), co-organised with the Global Shapers Brussels (part of the World Economic Forum)
4.Code ’n Play (July 2017): hosting & co-promotion of a 1-week code initiation for English speaking children
5.BeCentral Grand Opening (4 October 2017): with King Filip visiting the classrooms and a big "Code Your Coffee" booth in the Central Station
Press uptake has been massive with >150 articles in (national) – leading to considerable evangelisation on the subject of digital skills development.

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