Cardano DevHub: Democratizing Tech Education and Bridging the Skills-to-Employment Gap

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Donald Isufi

[GENERAL] Email address of main applicant

donaldisufi9@gmail.com

Additional applicants

Burak Sen

buraksenb@gmail.com

Umut Guler

umtglr1121@gmail.com

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

6

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language.

No

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

No

[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.” .

No dependencies.

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

Yes

[GENERAL] If NO, please describe which outputs are not going to be open source. If YES, please write “Project will be fully open source.”

Project will be fully open source.

[METADATA] Category of proposal

Education

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

Our proposed solution is to create a unique educational platform called Cardano DevHub that aims to democratize access to technology education, equip learners with relevant tech skills, and bridge the gap between learning and employment. Cardano DevHub is designed to be an entirely free platform, accessible to anyone, providing high-quality instruction in a range of tech-related disciplines.

I. Objectives

Cardano DevHub is driven by four key objectives:

• Democratization of access: Regardless of their financial situation, anyone can access the offered courses and bootcamps, ensuring inclusivity in tech education.

• High-quality instruction: Experienced instructors will lead our courses, ensuring learners receive superior quality education.

• Interactive Learning: Learners actively participate in the learning process, enhancing their understanding and retention of concepts.

• Career-Oriented: The platform equips learners with industry-relevant skills, ultimately increasing their employability.

II. Educational Offerings

Cardano DevHub is planned to offer:

• Online Courses: These range from beginner to advanced levels, covering diverse tech-related topics such as web development, mobile app development, data science, and machine learning.

• Bootcamps: Intensive programs, sponsored by potential employers, that help learners rapidly acquire skills needed in the tech industry. Bootcamps will be designed based on the potential employers specific needs. Upon completion, learners are guaranteed an interview with the sponsoring company.

III. Bootcamp Process

The DevHub bootcamps are projected to be intensive, 5-week full-time programs. Here's the envisaged process:

1. Application: Candidates apply through the DevHub website, providing necessary personal, educational, and professional details.
2. Screening: The DevHub admissions team screens applications, shortlisted candidates are invited for a coding test and interview.
3. Acceptance: Successful candidates are accepted into the bootcamp.
4. Learning: The 5-week bootcamp kicks off, where learners acquire relevant tech skills.
5. Project-based Learning: Learners work on real-world projects to reinforce their skills.
6. Job Interviews: After the bootcamp, learners are guaranteed a job interview with a sponsor company.

IV. Community

Cardano DevHub aims to foster a strong community of learners and instructors, providing an avenue for discussion, help, and networking, facilitating the exchange of ideas and mutual learning.

V. Instruction Team

Cardano DevHub's instruction team comprises a mix of in-house and external instructors to balance consistency and flexibility.

Benefits of in-house instructors:

• Familiarity with the platform and its curriculum.
• Consistent instruction across courses and bootcamps.
• Involvement in developing new courses and bootcamps.

Benefits of external instructors:

• Access to instructors with specific expertise.
• Greater flexibility in scheduling.
• Cost savings on instructor salaries.

VI. Conclusion

The development and implementation of Cardano DevHub represents an innovative stride towards inclusive tech education, fostering a pool of industry-ready professionals. By democratising access to quality tech education, promoting interactive learning, and ensuring job-market relevance, Cardano DevHub can stand as a beacon of opportunity and learning in the technology industry.

[IMPACT] How does your proposed solution address the challenge and what benefits will this bring to the Cardano ecosystem?

The essence of our proposal tackles Cardano's challenge head-on - we aim to nurture the developer community, attracting individuals with a keen interest in the Cardano ecosystem. This model strengthens Cardano's position by providing a consistent stream of trained, passionate developers ready to create and innovate within the ecosystem.

Benefits to the Cardano Ecosystem:

• Talent Development: By educating people in tech skills and matching them with potential employers, we will be nurturing a pool of tech talent that can contribute to the Cardano ecosystem. This talent could potentially contribute to the development of new DApps, improvement of Cardano's infrastructure, and much more.

• Community Building: Cardano DevHub will not only be a learning platform but also a community. This fosters a sense of belonging among learners, instructors, and employers, strengthening the Cardano ecosystem as a whole.

• Promotion of the Cardano Brand: Offering such a comprehensive, high-quality educational platform can significantly boost Cardano's brand. It positions Cardano as a leader in both blockchain technology and tech education.

• Attracting More Users: The platform can attract more people to the Cardano ecosystem. Learners might become interested in Cardano's technology and start using its services, or employers might become more interested in using Cardano for their businesses after seeing the quality of tech talent produced by the DevHub.

• Economic Opportunity: By helping people gain employable tech skills, we are providing them with economic opportunities. This not only benefits the individuals but can also lead to economic growth in the Cardano ecosystem as more people earn and spend in the ecosystem.

[IMPACT] How do you intend to measure the success of your project?

Measuring the success of our project will involve multiple Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

• User Registration and Engagement: Monitor the number of registered users on the platform and their engagement level. This includes the number of courses taken, bootcamp applications, forum participation, and overall activity on the platform.

• Course Completion Rates: Track the number of users who complete their courses and bootcamps. High completion rates would indicate that the course content is engaging, manageable, and valuable to learners.

• Bootcamp Placement Rates: Measure the percentage of bootcamp graduates who receive job offers from the sponsor companies after their guaranteed interviews. A high placement rate would signify the platform's effectiveness in bridging the gap between learning and employment.

• User Satisfaction and Feedback: Regularly collect user feedback and conduct satisfaction surveys to gauge the quality of the educational content and the overall user experience. High satisfaction rates and positive feedback will indicate the success of the platform.

• Community Engagement: Analyze the activity and engagement within the community forum. Strong interaction among users and instructors would reflect a healthy and supportive learning environment.

• Repeat Users: The number of users returning to take additional courses or bootcamps can serve as a measure of the platform's ongoing value to learners.

[IMPACT] Please describe your plans to share the outputs and results of your project?

Our team is deeply committed to transparency, community engagement, and iterative development. Here's how we plan to share the outputs and results of our project:

• Early MVP Release: We will release an early Minimum Viable Product (MVP) of our platform to the public. This allows us to gather initial feedback and make improvements in real-time, ensuring that our platform meets the needs of our users from the very beginning.

• Open Source Code and Updates: All the code for our platform will be open source and available on a public GitHub repository. We will regularly update the repository as we develop and refine the platform. Each update will be accompanied by detailed commit messages and documentation, allowing anyone to review our progress, contribute to the code, or use it for their own projects.

• Community Engagement: As the project progresses and matures, we will increase our interaction with the community. This will include creating a community forum for discussions, feedback, and sharing of learning experiences. We will also actively engage with users on our GitHub repository, responding to issues, pull requests, and other contributions.

• Public Metrics: We will share key metrics about the platform's usage and impact, such as the number of active users, course completion rates and bootcamp placement rates. This data will be anonymized to protect user privacy.

• Case Studies and Success Stories: We will share case studies and success stories of users who have benefited from our platform. This could include stories of users who learned to code or build on Cardano through our courses.

By adopting this approach, we aim to foster a sense of community around our project, encourage feedback and contributions, and demonstrate our commitment to transparency and accountability.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability?

We are a group of ambitious developers, graduated from top-tier universities in Turkey. Our academic backgrounds have instilled in us a rigorous discipline, keen attention to detail, and unmatched ability for problem-solving. These qualities, along with our technical expertise in frontend, backend, and full-stack development, have proven crucial in delivering projects with the utmost trust and accountability.

Our capabilities include:

1. Technical Expertise: Our team is proficient in a range of programming languages and technologies, including Next.js, TypeScript, NestJS, and Go, which are crucial for the development of our platform.
2. Project Management: Our strong project management skills, coupled with a transparent approach where each milestone and its corresponding results are openly shared and discussed with stakeholders, ensure that our project stays on track and meets its milestones.
3. Scalability: Our previous experience with high-scale projects equips us to build a platform that can handle a large number of users and transactions, ensuring a smooth and responsive user experience.
4. Security: We understand the importance of security in software development, especially in a project that involves financial transactions. We will implement best practices for secure coding and conduct regular security audits to ensure the safety of our platform.
5. Community Engagement: We are committed to open-source principles and community engagement. We will maintain transparency in our development process and actively seek feedback and contributions from the community.

Each one of us recognizes the crucial role that trust plays in this digital age, particularly in a dynamic and volatile space like blockchain. We appreciate the magnitude of our responsibility and see every project not just as a contract, but as an investment in our futures.

In terms of trust and accountability, we will uphold these values by:

1. Responsiveness: We will actively engage with our users and the community, responding promptly to feedback, questions, and concerns.
2. Integrity: We will conduct our operations with integrity, ensuring that all transactions on our platform are handled securely and ethically.
3. Quality Assurance: We will implement rigorous testing and quality assurance processes to ensure that our platform is reliable and meets high standards of quality. This recognition motivates us to strive for excellence in every line of code we write, every solution we design, and every problem we solve.

With these capabilities and commitments, we are confident in our ability to deliver our project with high levels of trust and accountability.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What are the main goals for the project and how will you validate if your approach is feasible?

The main goals of the Cardano DevHub project are:

1. Democratization of Access: Make tech education accessible to anyone, regardless of their financial situation.
2. High-Quality Instruction: Provide superior quality tech education led by experienced instructors.
3. Interactive Learning: Enhance learners' understanding and retention of concepts through active participation.
4. Career-Oriented: Equip learners with industry-relevant skills, increasing their employability.

To validate the feasibility of our approach, we can take several steps:

1. Market Research: Before launching, conduct extensive market research to understand the current landscape of tech education, identify key competitors, and define what makes Cardano DevHub unique. We can also carry out surveys or focus groups to gauge interest in the platform and the types of courses that would be most appealing.
2. Pilot Testing: Initially roll out a limited number of courses to test the platform's functionality and user response. Feedback from this pilot phase can inform improvements and adjustments before full launch.
3. Partnerships with Employers: Reach out to potential employers to assess their interest in sponsoring bootcamps and hiring graduates. Their commitment can validate the career-oriented approach and provide an early indication of potential success.
4. Feedback and Adjustments: Regularly gather user feedback to understand what's working and what's not. This can include surveys, user interviews, or data analysis of platform usage. It's important to remain flexible and willing to make adjustments based on this feedback.
5. Track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Regularly monitor KPIs, such as registration numbers, course completion rates, job placement rates, and user satisfaction, to evaluate whether the platform is meeting its goals.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed breakdown of your project’s milestones and each of the main tasks or activities to reach the milestone plus the expected timeline for the delivery.

Milestone 1: Platform Development (Months 1-2)

Task 1.1: Technical Analysis and Planning (Weeks 1-2)

• Define technical requirements and specifications for the platform.
• Outline the architectural design of the platform.

Task 1.2: Platform Coding and Development (Weeks 3-7)

• Develop main functionalities: user registration, course library, bootcamp applications, discussion forums, etc.
• Implement user accounts and authentication systems.

Task 1.3: Platform Testing and Debugging (Weeks 8-9)

• Conduct thorough testing of platform functionalities.
• Identify and fix bugs.

Milestone 2: Content Creation (Months 1-3)

Task 2.1: In-house Instructor Recruitment (Weeks 1-4)

• Advertise open positions and conduct interviews.
• Onboard and train in-house instructors.

Task 2.2: External Instructor Partnerships (Weeks 5-8)

• Identify potential external instructors with specific expertise.
• Establish partnership agreements.

Task 2.3: Course Content Development (Weeks 5-12)

• Identify key tech-related disciplines to offer.
• Develop course content for each discipline, from beginner to advanced levels.

Task 2.4: Bootcamp Development (Weeks 5-12)

• Collaborate with potential employers to understand specific skills needed.
• Develop bootcamp curriculums based on these needs.

Milestone 3: Platform Launch (Month 4)

Task 3.1: User Registration Opening (Weeks 13-14)

• Open platform for user registration and profile creation.

Task 3.2: Course and Bootcamp Commencement (Week 15)

• Start offering online courses and bootcamps.
• Start applications for the first bootcamp intake.

Milestone 4: Ongoing Operations and Improvements (Months 5-6)

Task 4.1: User Support and Community Management (Weeks 16-24)

• Provide continuous user support and manage the community of learners.

Task 4.2: Continuous Platform Improvement (Weeks 16-24)

• Regularly evaluate the platform's performance.
• Implement improvements and add new features as necessary.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please describe the deliverables, outputs and intended outcomes of each milestone.

Milestone 1: Platform Development:

Deliverables & Outputs: The primary deliverable of this milestone will be the fully functioning Cardano DevHub platform. It will include all key functionalities such as user account and authentication system, course library, bootcamp application system, and discussion forums. We will produce detailed technical documentation outlining the design, functionality, and use of the platform.

Intended Outcomes: By the end of this milestone, we aim to have a fully operational platform that is ready to be used by learners and instructors. The platform should be easy to navigate and secure to use, with a streamlined user experience that encourages active participation.

Tracking Progress: We will track our progress by monitoring the completion of each planned functionality. We'll use a project management tool to organize our tasks, set deadlines, and track completion. Code reviews and regular testing will also be crucial to ensure the functionality and reliability of the platform.

Milestone 2: Content Creation:

• Deliverables & Outputs: This milestone will deliver a library of online courses and bootcamp curriculums across a range of tech-related disciplines. We'll produce course materials such as video lectures, interactive exercises, quizzes, and projects. We will also have a roster of in-house instructors and external instructor partnerships.

• Intended Outcomes: By the end of this milestone, the platform should have a diverse and comprehensive catalog of courses and bootcamps available to learners. The instructors, both in-house and external, should be ready to provide high-quality instruction and engage actively with learners.

• Tracking Progress: Progress will be tracked by the number and variety of courses and bootcamps developed, as well as the recruitment and readiness of instructors. We'll gather feedback from a select group of beta testers to validate the quality of the content and instruction.

Milestone 3: Platform Launch

• Deliverables & Outputs: This milestone will deliver a live, publicly accessible platform. User registration will be open, and learners can start enrolling in courses and bootcamps.

• Intended Outcomes: By the end of this milestone, we hope to have an active platform with a growing community of learners. The courses and bootcamps should be underway, with learners actively participating and interacting.

• Tracking Progress: We will track progress by the number of registered users, course enrollments, and bootcamp applications. User feedback on the registration and enrollment processes will be crucial in identifying any issues and improving the user experience.

Milestone 4: Ongoing Operations and Improvements:

• Deliverables & Outputs: This milestone will involve ongoing deliverables such as user support, community management, platform improvements, and regular updates.

• Intended Outcomes: The long-term outcome of this milestone is to have a thriving platform with an engaged community of learners, instructors, and employers. The platform should be continuously improving, staying up-to-date with current industry needs, and providing valuable learning experiences and career opportunities to learners.

• Tracking Progress: We'll track progress by the platform's activity and engagement levels, user satisfaction, course completion rates, job placement rates, and feedback received. We'll also track the implementation of platform improvements and new features.

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

Here is a budget breakdown for the proposed work of the DevHub project:

Platform Development (₳100,000): This includes the costs associated with the technical analysis and planning, platform coding and development, and platform testing and debugging. It takes into account the salaries of the developers, potential outsourcing or additional resources needed, and the costs related to platform testing and debugging.

• Technical Analysis and Planning: ₳16,667
• Platform Coding and Development: ₳66,667
• Platform Testing and Debugging: ₳16,667

Content Creation (₳66,667): These costs are associated with the recruitment and training of in-house instructors, the establishment of partnerships with external instructors, and the development of course and bootcamp content.

• In-house Instructor Recruitment: ₳16,667
• External Instructor Partnerships: ₳16,667
• Course and Bootcamp Content Development: ₳33,333

Platform Launch (₳33,333): This covers the costs of setting up and maintaining the server infrastructure, website hosting, user registration systems, and platform security measures.

• Server Setup and Maintenance: ₳16,667
• Security Measures: ₳16,667

Ongoing Operations and Improvements (₳50,000): This includes the costs of user support and community management, continuous platform improvement, and other miscellaneous costs.

• User Support and Community Management: ₳23,333
• Continuous Platform Improvement: ₳26,667

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

The cost of the project represents value for money for the Cardano ecosystem in several ways:

• Developer Engagement and Growth: The project provides a structured pathway for developers to engage with the Cardano ecosystem, enhancing their skills and increasing their chances of successful job placements. The allocated budget ensures the development of a high-quality training program and an engaging platform for developers to connect with startups.

• Efficient Startup Hiring: By streamlining the screening and recommendation process, startups in the Cardano ecosystem can efficiently find and onboard skilled developers. The cost of the project represents an investment in reducing the time and effort required for startups to hire the right talent, thereby increasing their chances of success.

• Community Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing: The engagement platform, including the forum and free programming courses, promotes knowledge sharing and collaboration among developers within the Cardano ecosystem. The allocated budget ensures the development and maintenance of these resources, fostering a supportive and collaborative environment.

• Long-Term Impact on the Ecosystem: The cost of the project enables the creation of a sustainable infrastructure for developer onboarding and engagement within the Cardano ecosystem. The training program, successful job placements, and open collaboration opportunities contribute to the long-term growth and development of the ecosystem.

In terms of the costs, they have been determined based on industry standards, the complexity of the project, and the expertise required to execute it.

• Development Expenses: The average hourly rate for software developers in the United States varies from $30 to $70. However, since our team is located in Turkey, where the hourly rates for developers range from $15/hr for junior developers to $70/hr for senior developers, it gives our team a cost benefit. Given that the development phase is vital to our project and will consume a significant portion of the timeline, this allocation is reasonable.

• Instructor Costs: These are based on average rates for software instructors and the time required to create a specific and engaging course or bootcamp.

• Marketing and Promotion: The budget for marketing and promotion is critical for the adoption and success of the platform. The cost is determined based on industry standards for digital marketing and influencer collaborations.

• Third-Party Services: These costs are based on standard rates for server hosting, software licenses, and professional services (legal, accounting).

While the project represents a significant investment, we believe that the potential returns in terms of community growth, ecosystem development, and real-world adoption of Cardano far outweigh the costs.

[IMPORTANT NOTE] The Applicant agreed to Fund10 rules and also that data in the Submission Form and other data provided by the project team during the course of the project will be publicly available.

I Accept