From skepticism to fan. To experience low-code is to believe in low-code
In a typical work week, Mendify colleagues Cedric Eraly and Falco Janssens can be found in one of our Belgian offices or on site at one of our customers. A week or two ago, they briefly traded the office for a spot in front of the classroom. During the Tech&Trend Days of HOGENT, the Hogeschool van Gent, they introduced students to Mendix’s low-code technology. In this blog, Cedric shares how their interactive hands-on sessions has inspired a new generation.
Introduction to the technology industry
Hogeschool Gent, better known as HOGENT, organized Tech & Trend Days in mid-February. This three-day event allowed students in the final year of the Applied Computer Science bachelor’s program to meet companies in the technology industry. Falco and I got to lead two sessions of twenty students each on behalf of Mendify, in which we combined a bit of theory with a nice hands-on demonstration of Mendix’s low-code technology.
From skepticism to enthusiasm for low-code
HOGENT students have a background in high-code programming. After all, the focus of IT education is still primarily on more traditional development methods. It is also logical that the students began the session with skepticism. Expectations were not exactly high, quite the opposite. For us, a great opportunity to dispel preconceptions and show the potential of low-code.
Low-code as a bridge between business and IT
In each session, we highlighted both the theory and practice of low-code. I began with the theoretical framework, particularly emphasizing how low-code bridges the gap between business and IT. The business wants to see results quickly, something that traditional IT development cannot always meet. Low-code does make this rapid delivery possible. It is also no coincidence that Gartner predicts that 75 percent of all enterprise applications will be built with low-code by 2026. An impressive statistic that clearly captured the interest of the students.
Application in an hour and a half
In the first session, I demonstrated how to build a simple application for a fictional company within an hour and a half. This application included features from customer registration to purchasing, including automatic completion of customer data such as filling in the city based on the zip code entered.
Falco took care of the practical part of the second session. During the recent vacations, many of the students went on a ski trip with the sorority. Falco built an application that made it possible to arrange everything around such a ski trip, from registration to booking ski equipment. This perfectly matched the students’ perceptions.
Positive feedback
Following our interactive hands-on sessions, there was room for questions and discussion. We came with a mission: to show the potential of low-code. We left feeling satisfied: after the workshop, at least half of the students indicated that they were seriously considering a career in low-code. A complete turnaround in three hours.
Want to know more?
Are you curious about a career in low-code or want to learn more about how Mendify can help your organization innovate? Feel free to contact us for more information about the possibilities. Together, we are shaping the future of technology.