A COMPUTER expert from Bolton hopes to help others from working-class backgrounds get into the lucrative computer coding industry.

Dismayed by the barriers and the high cost of training, Kirsty Devlin is offering places on her free course to those on a low income.

“I’m from humble beginnings in Bolton and I've worked in the tech sector for the past five years and it’s really elitist,”she said. “The amount you have to pay to get into the industry is quite high, so there is a financial barrier which we need to change.

“The vision is to get more people from working class communities, refugees and more women into the industry.”

Through her not-for-profit business Recode, she plans to run three-month courses in the town centre. By the completion, students will be fully competent as junior software developers.

Coding is the building blocks to build software. It is a language that computers can interpret to create something or action something.

An information session will be held at 5.30pm to 8pm on Thursday at Bring Digital in Spa Road, Bolton.

Miss Devlin, who grew up in Westhoughton, said:”We are receiving support from the Job Centre and people receiving benefit will still be able to attend.

“There’s so much opportunity in the industry and I don’t want Bolton to get left behind. There's a skills shortage to be filled."”

For details email: Kirsty@recode.org.uk