Tech industry professionals are working to expand diversity, equity, and inclusion through a newly formed nonprofit organization focused on software development training, coding, and developing a professional community.
The goal is to provide a path for underrepresented minorities to start a career in tech, whether a person is unemployed, underemployed or unemployed.
Reskill Americans’ first 130-person bootcamp cohort graduates in October 2021. They received mentorship from tech industry experts, learned from 40 instructors, technical advisors, and project managers, and built 16 full stack projects.
First person view
Jalen Harris was part of the program’s inaugural team.
Technology, Harris says, “wasn’t always my special interest…but, once I realized how valuable it was in terms of opportunities and potential growth, I became more interested.”
He enrolled at Bowling Green State University to study information technology, but decided to take a break from school to focus on work. When things shut down due to the pandemic, Harris got into coding, wanting to learn something new.
Around the same time, he saw an invitation to the founding team of Reskill’s Americans. He decided to apply and was accepted. Harris described the overall experience as positive.
“You learn how to work in a team, you learn to collaborate, to work through difficult times. … Sometimes things don’t make sense, so it takes discipline to do the research and get the answers you need,” Harris said.
“But as long as Reskill was helpful, he was there, too,” he continued. “We had a lot of tutors, one-on-one sessions, live sessions. People in the program did everything they could to help them succeed. Basically, no one was left behind.”
A sense of community and camaraderie developed within the group as well.
“Some people were learning to code, some people were new to coding, but those with a little more experience helped those who didn’t. So basically what I really liked was getting people on the same page,” Harris said.
Harris is now a software engineer in the global technology division for McDonald’s. Harris applies new technologies to existing systems – things like kiosks and drive-through technology.
The experience with Reskill Americans and the opportunity with McDonald’s inspired Harris to continue his career development and education. He is currently working towards his AWS Cloud Practitioner certification.
How will you participate and what will you learn?
Reskill Americans is a 100% virtual program. Through the generosity and support of donors and partner organizations, it is a tuition-free initiative.
Content is delivered asynchronously and concurrently over a seven-month long program.
To apply for Reskill Americans, you must meet four eligibility criteria. You must:
- You are at least 18 years old and identify as a historically underrepresented minority. The program focuses on people who are Black, Hispanic, American, Alaska Native, Pacific Islander, or Southeast Asian.
- Be eligible to work in the United States
- Have a computer with internet access
- Have a LinkedIn profile with a photo of yourself
Participants can focus on one of two learning tracks: full-fledged web development or UI/UX product designer.
With a full-stack web track, you’ll learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
“By the end of the program, you’ll be able to develop websites and applications on your own,” Reskill Americas said on its website. Applications are submitted online.
Those taking the UI/UX Product Designer track will learn how to gather user requirements, conduct customer research, and design product solutions.
You’ll also learn to use Figma, an industry-standard tool, to share your designs with other technologists and project stakeholders.
In addition to technical skills and education, the program provides comprehensive support in the form of community and professional connections.
This includes opportunities to network with industry professionals and guidance on creating an effective resume and LinkedIn profile. The job-preparation portion of the training also includes mock job interviews with experienced technologists.
In the world of technology, time is often everything, says Femi Akinde, founder of the program. In 2020, the time felt right. Throughout his career, he has seen the tech industry struggle to recruit diverse talent, Akinde said.
In the beginning, he said, he played a prudent role in promoting technological diversity. But when the social justice issues of 2020 came up, “I decided to be proactive,” Akinde said. So Reskill started The Americans.
A nine-person advisory board made up of technology experts helps guide the organization.
At the time of the outbreak, Akinde said, almost everyone was more comfortable and familiar with virtual learning and working. As virtual learning became more mainstream, Akinde felt the time was right.
Reskill Americans, Akinde, said it could be a good opportunity for those who want to enter technology and those who do not have entry-level technology skills and are unable to leave their jobs.
Achieving greater diversity, equity and inclusion in the professional tech world remains a challenge. According to one report, 68 percent of business leaders believe there is a lack of diversity in the technology workforce. And 51% said they struggle to hire diverse entry-level tech talent.
Those problems can be unwittingly self-imposed, Akinde said, because of the sometimes idiosyncratic culture of the tech industry.
“Traditionally, the tech industry targets companies and schools that recruit them,” Akinde said.
If you have a degree from a reputable university or are known to the hiring manager or have worked at a reputable company, you will have a huge advantage in getting the attention of employers.
Harris said his experience at Reskill Americans inspired him to make continuing education a part of his professional development.
“I highly recommend it to people out there… whether you get the job or finish the cohort, to keep learning. [Employers] It pays to know.”
Akinde said the next priority is “getting our second team off the ground.” For the first group, “We’ve got participants from 42 states in the union. We want to reach every state in the union.”
Reskill said the Americans plan to announce enrollment information for the next group soon.
