Grok Academy online education platform available for free for all schools and students across Australia and New Zealand
MEDIA RELEASE - WiseTech Global (ASX:WTC), Australia’s largest ASX-listed technology company, is helping K-12 school students to learn coding skills through an AUD $8.7 million sponsorship over three years of KIK Innovation.
The commitment will enable KIK Innovation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to breaking educational barriers, to continue offering the world class Grok Academy online learning platform, free to every school, teacher, and student across Australia and New Zealand.
Acquired by KIK Innovation in November 2024, Grok Academy is an engaging, gamified platform that guides and supports students as they build knowledge and confidence in coding, digital technologies and digital literacy. It also equips teachers with ready-to-use classroom resources that make learning digital technologies accessible and fun. The platform’s expansive courses, resources, and competitions span software development skills (including Python, JavaScript, HTML and CSS), cyber security, and industry skills such as design thinking, UI/UX, and computational thinking.
Louise Nobes, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, KIK Innovation and new Head of Education at WiseTech Global explained: “This extraordinary support from WiseTech Global marks a major milestone in our mission to remove barriers to education and opportunity for young people. Coding and digital literacy are no longer niche skills - they are foundations for the future workforce. Since KIK acquired Grok Academy in late 2024, we’ve already seen a 35% growth in the number of educators and learners using the platform. With this sponsorship, we’re poised to reach even more schools and continue expanding opportunities for students across Australia and New Zealand.
“Close collaboration with industry is essential for social impact organizations to deliver truly meaningful outcomes. WiseTech is a major tech employer who shares KIK’s focus on early engagement in schools as a pathway to drive more interest and job-ready skills for tech careers. Working together, we aim to attract and inspire a larger, more diverse pipeline of Australia’s next generation of technologists,” she added.
Zubin Appoo, Chief Executive Officer, WiseTech Global said: “We’re proud to support KIK Innovation to help more students across Australia and New Zealand learn coding and technology skills. Introducing students to the creative world of coding in a fun and enjoyable way will help spark an interest in further learning and career choices. This early engagement breaks down stereotypes and cultural perceptions of what career a student can pursue, exposing them to opportunities their families and communities might not consider. This not only benefits individual learners, it also helps build Australia’s future software engineering workforce.
“WiseTech’s DNA is to focus on solving the root cause of complex and important industry problems. Our education initiatives apply this thinking to boost Australia’s technology talent pipeline by encouraging and enabling more students to embark on software engineering careers. We support education programs that help equip the next generation with the skills they will need to succeed in a rapidly evolving world of work, from igniting curiosity in coding at school via Grok Academy and the WiseTech Programming Competition, to helping year 12 school leavers embark on their tech career via WiseTech’s innovative Earn & Learn program that combines university study with real-world experience at one of Australia’s most successful tech companies. Working with KIK Innovation, we aim to make long term and real positive impact by helping to build Australia’s pipeline of future technologists.”