About CodeWarriors
CodeWarriors Code Camps began in Winter 2025 when Phil and Simon decided to pass on their skills — and their passion for creating software — to a new generation of programmers.
It all started when Simon went looking for a school holiday camp to help his Year 11 daughter strengthen her Python skills. There were plenty of options, but most were aimed at primary school students and focused on block coding or robotics. Teenagers ready to tackle real coding seemed to have fewer choices — and in more rural areas, little access to face-to-face or in-person development and collaboration opportunities.
At the same time, AI is rapidly changing the landscape of software development. It’s never been easier to let an AI agent “write the code”. But that convenience can come at a cost. When curiosity meets automation too soon, young coders risk missing the foundations that transform interest into mastery. Phil and Simon founded CodeWarriors to make sure curiosity isn’t replaced by shortcuts — but strengthened by real understanding.
What We Do#
CodeWarriors Code Camps give high-school and upper-primary students a place to learn, create, and grow their coding confidence. Our camps focus on real programming languages — like Python, Godot (for game development), and web technologies — and we teach through hands-on projects rather than worksheets or block code.
Game development is at the heart of many of our camps. It’s motivating, creative, and a brilliant way to introduce real-world programming concepts in a way that’s fun and accessible. Along the way, campers learn logic, problem-solving, design thinking, and collaboration — and they go home having built something they can be proud of.
Who We’re For#
We’re not the biggest code camp around — and that’s by design. We don’t use Lego or drag-and-drop code. Those are cool, and there are plenty of great camps that focus on them.
Instead, we focus on real software development for curious minds — kids who want to understand how technology works and are ready to put in the effort to build something awesome from the ground up.
It takes commitment to sit at a computer for hours crafting a game rather than playing one (or being played by one!), but for those with that spark, CodeWarriors is a place to grow it.
The founders#
Philip Senger is a passionate educator and seasoned Lead Software Engineer based in Sydney with over 26 years of experience in software development. He teaches web development, Python, and JavaScript, drawing on a broad industry background including finance, healthcare, and utilities. Philip has led multi-disciplinary teams, delivered cloud-based applications, and worked closely with business stakeholders to deliver real-world solutions. He is committed to mentoring developers, promoting industry best practices, and encouraging hands-on, pragmatic learning. A strong advocate for open-source software, Philip has written and published numerous libraries, with a wide collection available on GitHub. His full-stack expertise and approachable teaching style help learners build responsive, modern applications with confidence.
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Simon Forwood has been a passionate programmer since C was just a letter, not a language family. Over the years, he has worked as both a lead developer and development manager at companies including Infomedia, Department of Fire and Emergency Services, Macquarie Bank, and Shopify. Most recently, he founded and led the development of LaudWords — a newly launched startup built by a small, talented team of developers from around the globe, debuted in July. Simon holds degrees in Computer Science and Teaching and has experience teaching in both primary and secondary classrooms in Australia, India, and Nepal.
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