No teachers, no lectures, just project work: the 42 Heilbronn coding school is training the programmers of tomorrow. Two students and their managing director share their experiences.
Some arrive at eight in the morning, while others prefer to tinker at night: at the 42 Heilbronn coding school, students tackle practical tasks at their own pace. At the same time, mutual support is required, and there is a strong sense of solidarity among peers. That’s because here, programming is learned from each other as a team. Two students and the CEO describe what it’s like to study at 42 Heilbronn – and why it’s all about learning how to learn.
Kerstin Becker, who graduated from high school in 1997, is a mother of two and has worked as an IT specialist for years. Having decided it was time to learn something new, she applied to 42 Heilbronn.
“I had spoken to students at an information booth for 42 Heilbronn. Afterwards, I said to my husband: ‘If a learning concept like this had existed earlier, I would have signed up immediately.’ He asked why I didn’t try it now – and so I did. I passed the logic games and then spent 26 days at the school on campus. I took vacation and compensatory time-off for this four-week entrance exam, called ‘Piscine’. After that, I knew for sure: this is how I’ve always wanted to learn!
42 Heilbronn is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can manage your time freely and work on the PCs at any time. This flexibility suits me because I’ve kept my job and balance my studies, family and career. The learning concept is brilliant because it’s so practical. I have always had to educate myself, since digital tools are constantly changing. I don’t miss having a teacher; I don’t have one at work either. That’s what my fellow students are for. You’re given tasks, and you have to achieve goals, just like in real life. My employer was surprised by my decision, but supports me. In the age of AI, you have to stand out from the crowd. I just want to be prepared for the future.”
Ömer Bilican particularly appreciates the contacts to the business world available at 42 Heilbronn. Here, he is already gaining practical experience during his studies.
“During my studies in management and sales, I quickly realized that theory wasn’t for me. I did an internship, worked odd jobs and tried a change of scenery. At some point, I saw an ad for 42 Heilbronn on Instagram. That’s when I knew what I wanted to do! On my first attempt at the ‘Piscine’ entrance exam, I wasn’t accepted. However, I discovered a passion for programming in my free time. I got into 42 Heilbronn on my second attempt. That gave my life new meaning. The best thing is the freedom to organize yourself. You also gain practical experience, are able to network and can easily make friends.
I find the contacts in the corporate world particularly attractive. Recently, I was invited with a group from 42 Heilbronn to a hackathon (editor’s note: a problem-solving event) at a car manufacturer in Prague. We were tasked with filtering out people with specific programming skills from an Excel spreadsheet with 24,000 rows and recommending further training for them. Together, we developed good solutions and were able to present the results to company employees. Everyone wanted to offer a solid product at the end of the project. I was surprised by how much the common goal motivated all group members to pull together. That’s the advantage of practical relevance, which I often missed during group work at university.”
Moritz Carthaus is CEO of 42 Heilbronn. He is impressed by the students’ courage in tackling problems and developing solutions.
“When I’m asked what makes 42 Heilbronn special, I always answer: ‘The most important thing is to learn how to learn.’ Taking responsibility for your own development – that’s what you learn here. The students know what tasks they have to complete. But how they learn, when, and with whom is entirely up to them. By having their assignments evaluated by three different students, they gain a wealth of life skills. You learn very early on how to give and receive feedback. We need that later in our jobs, too; that’s the only way co-creation works. Creating something together – that’s the future of learning.
Everyone gets a chance here; you can even start without a high school diploma. Most of the people who study here have the right mindset, and I’m impressed by their courage and motivation. They tackle problems head-on and aren’t afraid of them. Our students don’t end up with a recognized degree, but many companies don’t care. They know that we produce really great people.”
Around 400 students are currently learning programming at the 42 Heilbronn coding school, which was founded by the Dieter Schwarz Foundation in 2021. School-leaving qualifications and prior knowledge are irrelevant in this peer-to-peer education model, which originated in France. Those wishing to be admitted must pass two digital tests and prove their logic, motivation and perseverance in a four-week trial period – called “Piscine” (from the French for “swimming pool”). Afterward, project-based learning replaces traditional teaching and lectures. Students typically work on around 15 projects over a two-year period.
Help is available from peers, but otherwise independent learning is required. Students have to acquire the necessary programming knowledge themselves. They are a diverse group: from all over the world, from young to old, from high school graduates to experienced IT professionals. After completing the tuition-free program, their prospects for a good job increase. Many partner companies see the graduates as highly attractive specialists.
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