WordPress launches new education programmes to bridge tech skills gap for students
On the podcast today we have Destiny Kanno, Isotta Peira and Anand Upadhyay.
Destiny is the head of Community Education at Automattic. Isotta is the leader of the WordPress credits initiative for students. Anand is the founder of WordPress Campus Connect.
This episode is all about how WordPress is not only powering websites but also empowering the next generation of learners and creators. You'll hear about the growing movement of education-focused WordPress events happening worldwide, from hands-on workshops on university campuses in India, to student clubs designed to keep the momentum going after introductory events.
Anand shares how WP Campus Connect is bringing WordPress directly to students, reducing barriers to entry and helping bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world tech skills. We also explore the challenges of organising these events, from convincing institutions of the value of open source, to fostering genuine community involvement among both students and educators.
Isotta then introduces us to the WordPress Credits program, an initiative that lets students turn their contributions to the WordPress ecosystem into recognised academic credit at universities like Pisa in Italy. It's a win-win: students gain practical, resume-worthy experience, while educational institutions get a transferable, skills-focused, program that prepares learners for the jobs of the future.
Whether you're an educator, a WordPress enthusiast, or just someone who cares about open source and community, this episode is packed with actionable insights. The guests share how flexible and resilient these education initiatives are, how you can get involved, and why engaging the next generation is not just important, but essential for the continued growth and sustainability of the WordPress community.
It's a truly inspiring episode, and is at the intersection of so many areas of profound importance.
If you're curious about how to bring WordPress into your local school, university, or community, or if you just want to hear how WordPress is making a difference far beyond the web, this episode is for you.
Useful links
WordPress Credits Program
WordPress Credits: A bridge to open-source technology
WordPress Campus Connect
Learn WordPress
WordPress Student Clubs
Introducing WordPress Credits: A New Contribution Internship Program for University Students
Biographies
Destiny Kanno
Destiny Fox Kanno, sponsored contributor at Automattic with a focus on education within the WordPress community. Currently focusing on growing, enabling and amplifying the WordPress Campus Connect and Student Club initiatives.
Isotta Peira
Isotta joined the WordPress Community in 2022 as a full-time contributor to the Community Team, sponsored by Automattic. With a background in translation, sales, training, and community management, she also ran a culinary events business. She values making informed decisions by integrating data analysis into her work and believes sharing knowledge is key to fighting inequality. Isotta is currently leading the WordPress Credits program, an initiative that connects open-source contributions with academic curricula worldwide.
Anand Upadhyay
Anand Upadhyay is the founder of WPVibes, a WordPress plugin development company. He has been working with WordPress since 2010 and contributes to several Make WordPress teams, including Core, Docs, Polyglots, and Community. He also serves as an organizer for WordCamp Asia, one of the flagship events in the WordPress ecosystem.In addition to building plugins, Anand is deeply passionate about teaching and education. He co-organizes the Ajmer WordPress Meetup and is currently contributing to the global expansion of WordPress Campus Connect, a program he initiated as a pilot in 2024 to introduce students to WordPress and open source. Through these efforts, he focuses on helping new learners and contributors discover opportunities to learn, grow, and find their place in the WordPress community.
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