Morehouse College is partnering with tech industry talent developers Opportunity Hub (OHUB) and Momentum to offer the institution’s first coding bootcamp and continuing technology education program, Momentum@Morehouse, for career starters and career changers who want to thrive as software developers.
The 12-week coding bootcamp, one of a few such programs at a historically black college or university (HBCU), supports Morehouse’s focus on creating pathways to lucrative careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) for under-represented minority groups. Momentum@Morehouse students will receive hands-on programming instruction from tech experts using a curriculum based in proven methodology that provides the technical knowledge and soft skills necessary for success in the workplace. Graduates will also receive access to career coaching and networking opportunities, as well as classes in the culture of work in tech and startup skills for entrepreneurs.
The bootcamp begins in May 2020 and is supported by a partnership with experts at the Raleigh-Durham, N.C.-based Momentum, innovators at OHUB, a national ecosystem building platform that cultivates and places diverse talent, entrepreneurs and investors in high growth tech careers and corporate innovation opportunities, and Morehouse College’s Division of Experiential Learning and Interdisciplinary Studies. It is open to professionals in Atlanta and beyond who want to build new programming skills or change careers. Four of the top five occupations on Glassdoor’s “Best Jobs in America in 2020” list are tech jobs, with salaries ranging from nearly $84,000 to $107,000.
“African Americans are scarce in tech, the field ranked nationally as having among the highest starting salaries and the most opportunity for future growth. Momentum@Morehouse recognizes this missed opportunity and is dedicated to bringing much-needed diversity to the computing landscape,” said Dr. Kinnis Gosha, Division Chair and the Hortenius I. Chenault Endowed Associate Professor for Experiential Learning and Interdisciplinary Studies. “With our accelerated coding program, students will learn how to write code, design software, and develop the tools necessary to be competitive for jobs in STEM.
“For blacks, who rank at the bottom of the national household income scale, a job in the tech space could be the key to beginning to build family wealth,” Gosha said.
“Automation and the commercialization of edge technologies are predicted to disrupt 4.5 million jobs currently occupied by black Americans in the next decade,” said OHUB Chairman and CEO Rodney Sampson, a Nonresident Senior Fellow with The Brookings Institution. “Opportunity Hub’s partnership with Morehouse College and Momentum is a definitive and scalable solution to close the skills gap for the future of work.”
The Momentum@Morehouse coursework was designed to meet the specific needs of the top technology companies in the greater Atlanta market. Students will learn to build code and interact with the market’s most in-demand software and web applications, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Python, Django, Git and more. Those interested in the program can register at momentum.morehouse.edu. Momentum will screen candidates.
“We are thrilled to partner with such a prestigious university to provide relevant training for students that meets the needs of the new economy,” said Jessica Mitsch, CEO and Co-Founder of Momentum. “Today, the only constant is change, and lifelong learning will become the norm for tomorrow’s professionals. The curriculum is continuously adapted to ensure students skills are aligned with current market needs. Our goal is to ensure the greatest chance of long-term career success following the completion of their coursework.”
