Apple is opening a European development centre to teach children to code

Apple is going to open its first iOS development centre in Europe, with the aim of teaching children and young adults how to code.

In a press release announcing the centre, Apple touted the massive affect its operating system and software products have had on Europe, including supporting over 1.4 million jobs.

"Europe is home to some of the most creative developers in the world and we're thrilled to be helping the next generation of entrepreneurs in Italy get the skills they need for success," said Apple CEO Tim Cook. "The phenomenal success of the App Store...presents unlimited opportunities for people of all ages and businesses of all sizes across the continent."

The development centre will be located in Naples, a city with a population of 3 million in Western Italy.

Over 75,000 jobs in Italy come from the App Store alone, according to Apple, and the development centre aims to increase that number. European developers have earned more than €10.2 billion (£7.8 billion) from the App Store, according to Apple.

The centre will offer its own training but will support Italian schools, offering help with specialised curriculums aimed at creating the next generation of developers.

Apple said that it expects to expand the programme around the world, but did not give a timeline.