Code to Win is a competition for students to showcase their coding skills. Sponsored by the Waterloo-based public-private innovation hub Communitech, its Windsor iteration is hosted by the School of Computer Science in collaboration with the Co-operative Education and Workplace Partnerships office.

The top students will be accepted to the finals where they will have a chance to win $5,000, network with sponsor companies, and explore the Waterloo Region tech community.

The virtual challenge runs from Sept. 9 to Oct. 31; the University of Windsor will host a live challenge at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 27, which will give competitors two hours to show their coding skills, along with learning about the Developer Student Club program, and enjoying a free pizza lunch.

Students from the University of Windsor and St. Clair College are invited to participate regardless of program or skill level.

The sort of problems students will see at Code to Win include questions that are algorithmic in nature. An attempt has been made to find ones that resemble the sorts of coding challenges faced by real-world developers but it is safe to say these are largely artificial and academic.

Students will code using the HackerRank’s system, which accepts around 30 languages. One can use a different language for each case question. Most common modern languages are accepted: C, Java, JavaScript, Lua, Python, Ruby, Scala, Haskell, Common Lisp, even cobol-84; there’s a bunch. Swift is likely not supported, nor newer ones such as go or rust. Only standard libraries are included, no additional frameworks or libraries are permitted.

“This is a huge event for both the University of Windsor and the School of Computer Science,” says Noah Campbell, a fourth-year computer science student and an organizer of the event. “It puts us on the map, and helps us be recognized as a leader in tech talent.”

Events like Code to Win allow our UWindsor students to apply what they have learned in the classroom or on their work term in a way that today’s employers are looking for, says Kristen Morris, manager of Co-op and Workplace Partnerships.

“Organizations crave more than a resumé and a transcript when making hiring decisions,” she says. “They are also looking to see how the student can translate and articulate the skills they have gained from being an engaged participant in their learning process. This competition allows the students to do exactly that.”

Students may register anytime through Eventbrite, but should be sure to register for the “University of Windsor” ticket type if they plan on attending the in-person challenge.