HN user
That quote was part of a longer conversation, it was asking why we saw the need for this. The idea of even students studying CS not having access and opportunities point out the opportunity to open this up to other people in these communities
There are CS majors that learn foundational skills but don't learn practical frameworks that companies are looking for. Also, there many other adults from other backgrounds that never have a chance to learn iOS or ruby or code. We want to provide those opportunities and build a new pipeline of technical talent, particularly for underserved communities.
The program is fully scholarship oriented, we intend to serve low income communities so that adults can all backgrounds can enter the tech industry. Our students were from 18-37, most were not in college at the time and didn't know how to code. We also believe it's not just about working at a tech company, we want to empower those through the course to be tech entrepreneurs. Those that aren't working are pursuing their own projects and launching new ventures. The income mobility statistic shows potential for what coding can do to raise income and improve peoples lives, but it's important for us to increase opportunity for people to create their own startups and apps.
Hi, I'm the founder of the organization. 85% of the class had never written a line of code before. We believe that there are people in Queens and other underserved communities who can learn to code and also pursue tech entrepreneurship.