50 over 50: Ignite Senior Talent with Code

Our previous report introduced the Data +50 pilot model and its overall results: 1,836 applications to participate in the pilot, 35 participants selected, 29 graduates, and 86% average academic performance. This time, we want to share what those figures alone can't capture: how participants actually experienced the process, and where the program is headed next. 

At the end of this training process, we applied the Net Promoter Score methodology and reached a score of  94 out of 100, reflecting participants' satisfaction with the technical competencies and human quality of the training team. Beyond that number, the pilot's systematization documented clear shifts in participants' confidence and digital autonomy. As one graduate put it: 

"The Bootcamp opened up dreams for many of us. Some of us came in with fairly flat lives. You could say it rejuvenated us in a way." 

At participants' own request — and as a special adjustment to the pilot’s original fully virtual format — two in-person gatherings were held in the cities of Bogotá and Medellín, positioning themselves among the most valued moments of the entire process. The pilot closed with a Demo Day where graduates presented three final data analysis projects to potential employers, covering cargo transport logistics, waterquality in Colombia, and victims of displacement and violence. 

In the job-placement phase, 17 ofthe 29 graduates began one-on-one mentoring to strengthen their résumés for the IT sector, LinkedIn profiles, and interview readiness. We also established job - placement partnerships with companies across sectors such as banking, retail, manufacturing, and technology consulting to open doors in their hiring processes for our alumni and senior talent in general. 

Building on these lessons, Corporación Makaia and its partners are taking the first steps toward the program's next phase: continuing to offer tailored-training experiences for seniors, building an active alumni community and designing differentiated employability pathways based on the characteristics of seniors as well as each person's goals — such as formal employment, consulting, or entrepreneurship — so our model can be replicated to more seniors across Colombia.