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Free mentorship · UK & Nigeria · Cohort 1

From first project to first tech job.

Rootline pairs people breaking into digital tech with professionals already doing the work. Ten weeks, one mentor, one real project to show employers. It's run by volunteers and it's free.

Apply as a mentee Become a mentor

Mentee applications open 20 November 2026 and close 30 November.

Why Rootline

Courses teach tools. People get you hired.

Our mission is to give trainees a structured path from first project to first tech job, guided by people already doing the work.

Entry-level tech roles are hard to break into. Plenty of free courses teach the tools, but most people starting out still lack three things: someone to guide them, real project experience, and a route to employers.

Rootline gives you all three. You follow a track in your discipline, meet a working professional every fortnight, build a capstone project you can show, and get first look at junior roles on our free jobs board.

How it works

Four steps, ten weeks

  1. Apply

    Fill in a short form between 20 and 30 November. Tell us your track, your goals and the time you can give.

  2. Do a small task

    Complete a short screening task, about an hour. It shows us you're ready and gives your mentor a starting point.

  3. Get matched

    We match you by hand with a mentor in your field, based on your goals, availability and time zone.

  4. Build and graduate

    Fortnightly 1:1 calls, a group chat for questions, and a capstone project you present at our online demo day.

Tracks

Pick your discipline

Every track follows the same shape: foundations, core tools, guided practice, then a capstone. The learning material is the best free content we can find, chosen by our mentors.

Track

Data

Data engineering · analytics
  • SQL and data modelling
  • Python for data
  • Pipelines and cloud basics
  • Dashboards and storytelling

Capstone: a working data pipeline or analysis, published on GitHub.

Track

Software engineering

Web · backend
  • Git and the command line
  • Web fundamentals
  • Building and testing an API
  • Deploying your app

Capstone: a deployed web app with its code on GitHub.

Track

Product & design

Product management · UX/UI
  • User research and problem framing
  • Prioritisation and roadmaps
  • Wireframes and prototypes
  • Testing with real users

Capstone: a product case study or prototype on a portfolio page.

More tracks, such as cloud, cyber security and AI, will open as mentors join.

Timeline

Cohort 1 dates

  1. Applications open
    Mentee and mentor forms go live.
  2. Applications close
    Midnight UK time (1am in Lagos). Screening tasks due the same day.
  3. Places offered
    Everyone who applied hears back by email.
  4. Weeks 1–2 · Foundations
    Meet your mentor and set your goals.
  5. Christmas break
    No sessions. Rest, or catch up if you want to.
  6. Weeks 3–4 · Core tools and skills
  7. Weeks 5–6 · Applied practice
    A guided exercise in your track.
  8. Weeks 7–10 · Capstone project
  9. Online demo day
    Mentees present their projects. This is graduation.
Join cohort 1

Apply or volunteer

Apply as a mentee

Who can apply

  • You're 18 or over and live in the UK or Nigeria
  • You're a recent graduate or switching careers into tech
  • You've started learning already: a course, a tutorial, a small project

What you commit to

  • About 5 hours a week for 10 weeks
  • A 1:1 call with your mentor every two weeks
  • A capstone project, shown at demo day on 26 Feb
Apply as a mentee

Applications open 20 November. There are 10 places, and it's free.

Become a mentor

Who we're looking for

  • You work in data, software, product or design
  • You remember how hard the first role was to get
  • You're based anywhere, as long as UK or Nigeria hours suit you

What you give

  • About 1 hour a week: a fortnightly call with each of your 2 mentees
  • Quick answers in the group chat when you can
  • Feedback on capstone projects
Become a mentor

Mentoring is voluntary and unpaid. You'll get a one-page mentor guide before you start.

Jobs board

Junior tech roles in the UK and Nigeria

Hand-picked entry-level and graduate roles. We check every listing and link straight to the employer. Free to browse, free to list.

Hiring? Email us a link to the role and we'll list it for free.
Questions

Good to know

Does it really cost nothing?

Yes. Rootline is run by volunteers, nobody is paid, and the programme, the learning material and the jobs board are all free. We'll never ask you for money.

Can I be in Nigeria and have a UK mentor, or the other way round?

Yes. We match across both countries. London and Lagos are only one hour apart, so calls are easy to arrange.

What if my internet connection is unreliable?

Rootline is async-first. Calls can be recorded, and most work happens in your own time, so you won't miss out if a call drops.

I'm a complete beginner. Can I apply?

Cohort 1 suits people who've already started learning, even a little. If you haven't started yet, pick one of the free courses we list for your track and apply for cohort 2.

What happens to my data?

We only use your application to run the programme. Our privacy policy explains what we collect, how long we keep it and how to ask us to delete it.

Contact

Get in touch

Questions about applying, mentoring, listing a job or partnering with us? Email us and a volunteer will reply within a few days.