Apple is set to launch the 2024 Swift Student Challenge on February 5, continuing its tradition of fostering coding and app development skills among students. This challenge is not just a competition; it’s an opportunity for students to showcase their creativity, innovation, and coding abilities using Swift, Apple’s powerful and intuitive programming language.
The Swift Student Challenge has been a platform for thousands of students globally since its inception, allowing them to develop and demonstrate real-world skills. Participants have used this opportunity to create apps that address various issues, from mental health resources to sustainability efforts on campuses.
For the 2024 challenge, Apple introduces a new category to recognise 50 Distinguished Winners. These standout participants will be invited to Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino for a three-day experience during the summer. This is in addition to the 350 overall winners who will be selected. All winners will receive a one-year membership in the Apple Developer Program, enabling them to submit apps to the App Store and access support from Apple.
Participation in the challenge involves submitting app playgrounds, which are essentially interactive Swift coding environments. These playgrounds enable students to build and experiment with code in a more engaging and hands-on way. The challenge is open for a three-week window starting February 5, and students can sign up at developer.apple.com to be notified when the challenge opens.
To support students and educators in this endeavor, Apple has released new coding resources, including the “Everyone Can Code” projects. These projects provide step-by-step guidance for students to develop essential skills while creating apps. Some of the projects include designing a simple app, building with stacks and shapes, creating custom shapes, and designing an app icon. These projects are available on the Apple Education Community website and are integrated into Swift Playgrounds, making it easier for anyone to learn and teach coding, app design, and development.
Apple’s commitment to coding education is evident in its work with educators worldwide and through the Community Education Initiative in 99 countries. This initiative includes collaboration with organisations like the National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3), which prepares instructors to teach app development with Swift.
The Swift Student Challenge is more than a competition; it’s a stepping stone for young talent, providing a pathway to success in the tech industry and beyond. It encourages creativity, resilience, and problem-solving, skills that are valuable in any career path.
