NPower Missouri Executive Director Ben Kesler and Fall 2019 Tech Fundamentals alumnus Dematrius Kirkwood appeared on Great Day St. Louis to talk about the power of NPower.
Watch the full interview here:
NPower Missouri on Great Day St. Louis KMOV
AT&T Launches Community-Based Digital Navigators
NPower is excited to partner with AT&T to launch Community Helpdesks in St. Louis and Dallas this summer. We are committed to serving these communities to bridge the digital divide. This is so important to us as according to a 2020 survey conducted by Deutsche Bank, 76% of Black respondents and 62% of Hispanic respondents feel unprepared for jobs that require digital skills. This could stem from not having reliable access to the Internet, owning faulty tools or hardware, or not knowing enough to troubleshoot errors. The solution we’re providing is training a select group of our NPower students to become Digital Navigators and mobilizing them to serve their respective communities to get everyone connected!
Read more from AT&T here
From Trailer Park to App Development – NPower Michigan success story from alum Dezmond Blair
From Trailer Park to App Development | NPower Michigan Alum Dezmond Blair | Detroit Free Press
Carol Cain of the Detroit Free Press interviewed Dezmond Blair, Fall 2022 alum from NPower Michigan, about his journey from growing up in a trailer park and getting his first computer at age 12 by building it from spare parts to graduating from the Tech Fundamentals program at age 21 and getting into the Apple Developer Academy.
Growing up was definitely not easy as both his parents had him very young as high school dropouts. They both worked very hard to raise Dezmond and his brother, but they bounced around a few mobile home parks along the way.
““I struggled with my own identity a long time. I never really knew what I’d like to do growing up and even teachers told me to ‘be realistic’ when I talked about my future.”
He knew he wanted to pursue a degree, but he couldn’t afford his bachelor’s. So after getting an associate’s in computer programming, Dezmond found NPower to supplement his training. Through the Tech Fundamentals program, he not only completed 3 CompTIA Certifications, but he also completed Google Project Management Certificate and practiced app coding. In fact, one of the projects Dezmond had developed is an app that helps Alzheimer’s patients remember their families by mimicking TikTok’s scrolling UI and pairing pictures and videos of loved ones with names and music that can trigger memories. So naturally, his next step was entering the Apple Developer Academy and a month-long iOS bootcamp so he can further develop his burgeoning portfolio of work.
“What I love about NPower is that it’s great for connecting with others. NPower is the only reason that I got into the Apple Developer Academy, especially as the recruiter was also an NPower alum! I’m looking forward to hopefully working at Apple as I go through the academy and bootcamp.”
See full article below and link to the story:
NPower Michigan Gets $250K Grant from Rocket Community Fund
The leading free tech training nonprofit, NPower Michigan, has announced it received a $250,000 2-Year grant from Rocket Community Fund that will provide free tech training to young adults and veterans from under-resourced communities in and around Detroit.
The grant from the Rocket Community Fund will support two NPower Michigan programs: the free, flagship NPower Tech Fundamentals job training program and a new Community Help Desk to assist Detroiters with digital literacy and access.
Laura Grannemann, Executive Director of the Rocket Community Fund, said NPower Michigan was given the grant because of the nonprofit’s steadfast leadership and consistent track record of supporting veterans and young adults.
“Digital connectivity is a critical part of today’s world,” said Grannemann. “Too many Michigan residents are caught in the digital divide, excluding them from opportunities for education, employment, and community. Every family deserves access to the internet and digital resources, and this grant to NPower Michigan is an important step towards that goal.”
The Rocket Community Fund has invested $2.8 million in partnerships to support Connect 313, an effort aimed at closing the digital divide in Detroit. NPower Michigan is actively involved with Connect 313, with representatives serving as Vice Chairs and members of the group’s community-led committees.
Under the grant, NPower Michigan will provide technical skills training, professional development, and job placement to veterans from under-resourced communities, their spouses and young adult Detroiters. The nonprofit has run the program in Detroit since 2020.
José Reyes, Executive Director of NPower Michigan, said the Detroit region is full of IT and tech jobs that are going unfilled because of the lack of digital access.
“IT occupations grew by 12 percent and are expected to grow by another 4 percent this year,” said Reyes. “We are in a unique position as an alternative pathway for young people to enter the tech job market. And with over 50,000 tech jobs in Detroit as of 2022 according to CompTIA, we at NPower are more than capable of training Detroit youth for future success in the tech world to fill those jobs.”
The Detroit Regional Chamber reported in their State of Education that, in Detroit, 53 percent of high school grads are deferring enrollment in postsecondary education. Consequently, this is leading to an ever-widening talent gap.
Trainees that graduate from NPower Michigan report an average starting salary of $36,164, representing a 234 percent increase over pre-program income.
Community Helpdesk
NPower Michigan is collaborating with Human-I-T on the design and implementation of a Community Help Desk and Hotline for Detroit residents having difficulty connecting with the digital community. The goal of the Community Helpdesk is to address the digital divide throughout Detroit and ensure that all residents have the digital expertise needed to access the internet with their devices. NPower alumni will support the program as Helpdesk Agents, utilizing their training with hands-on applications and problem solving.
A portion of the Rocket Community Fund will provide the training and free community digital support to residents throughout Detroit.
NPower Missouri & St. Louis Community College Partnership
St. Louis Community College has announced students enrolled in the technology training program, NPower Missouri, can now receive academic credit for their hands-on training and paid internships.
Continue readingNPower Texas Announces 2023 Expansion into San Antonio, Creating New Tech Opportunities for Military Veterans and Youth
NPower Texas has announced it is expanding its free tech training program into San Antonio, bringing new career opportunities to veterans and young adults looking to launch tech careers.
4 nonprofits fostering diversity and career advancement in IT
Nonprofit orgs dedicated to diversifying the IT talent pipeline, changing the landscape of tech leadership, and empowering underrepresented tech workers are helping reshape the IT workforce.
Globant and NPower Grow Partnership to Support Veterans and Other Underrepresented Groups in Technology Nationwide
Cybersecurity Association of Maryland has Awarded its Cybersecurity Diversity Trailblazer Award to the National Free Tech Training Nonprofit, NPower
Gerald Charles Jr. Joins NPower Board of Directors
Capital One’s Vice President and Head of Product for Omni Customer Servicing joins the national free tech training non-profit board.
