Code Ninjas is a key example of how an incompetent HQ can make even the best-run franchises falter, not that I personally consider the franchise management here to be amazing either. In my experience, there have been a couple of problems working at Code Ninjas MK.
Headquarters often have outdated curriculums, with their clear purpose and intended outcomes being very unclear; centres are left to speculate in regards to what kids should be taking away from a membership here. In this franchise, the owner comes from a career background of Object Oriented Programming, and seems to force its way into the curriculum, despite very little mention of it, and it often being used as a buzzword at most by head office in marketing material.
Additionally, code is more force-fed to kids then it is introduced, often with a ‘copy and paste’ or ‘one size fits all’ approach, as any solution other then the one designed by HQ is often discredited or ineligible for allowing the student to progress. Even with considerable programming experience, you will have to often consult the teacher guide, which is marginally convenient at best, with the solution often being unpractical, inefficient, or baring no noticeable difference. In the scenario that new curriculum is released, the quality control is egregious, with steps and concepts being ineffective, confusing, or blatantly dysfunctional.
Onboarding is also an inefficient process, with the main way of staff onboarding and learning being yet again up to the franchise. At this centre, this relies almost solely on existing programming experience, which is not very well compensated for considering the level of programming literacy that management seeks, at a starting rate of £8/hour.
Additionally, some days are poorly managed, often with only 2 staff members in amongst 10-18 children, in addition to new prospects / trial sessions which will often require a staff member’s undivided attention.
The owner also often seems to be under the understanding that there cannot be a compromise between creativity and problem solving, with him often intervening when children try to customise their games by painting, directing them to get back to working and stating that it is not an arts class.
In conclusion, Code Ninjas MK exemplifies how both corporate and franchise-level failures can collectively hinder its potential, as both a place of work / teaching, and as a hobby club / place to learn.
