NEW
YORK, July 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NPower,
a leading, national tech training nonprofit focused on increasing
economic mobility for young people and military-connected
individuals through tech jobs, has been awarded a $4 million Apprenticeship Building America, Round
2 (ABA2) grant from the US Department of Labor (DOL) Employment and
Training Administration (ETA).
The grant will support NPower in expanding its existing program
to tech train an additional 8,656 low-income and unemployed young
adults (ages 18-26), veterans and other military-connected
individuals, through its Tech Fundamentals program. To date, NPower
has supported over 10,000 students in 13 cities in receiving tech
training in IT, cyber, software engineering, AI fundamentals and
other vital tech skills.
Over the next four years, the grant will support NPower in
bolstering partnerships with apprenticeship intermediaries and
minority-serving institutions to increase the number of students
from underrepresented backgrounds participating in its Tech
Fundamentals training program, a strategy that helps move students
from unemployment and underemployment to prosperity by launching
careers in tech.
Specifically, with the support of the new grant, Tech
Fundamentals students will receive:
- Stackable certifications - Students have an opportunity
to complete CompTIA ITF+, CompTIA A+, Google IT Support and Google
Project Management Certificates.
- Wraparound social services - By utilizing a
trauma-informed framework, NPower will be able to meet students
where they are at, both personally and professionally, to best
support them in their training.
- Job or Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) placement
assistance - NPower aims to have 85 percent of graduates be
placed in an RAP, enrolled in post-secondary or credential-based
education or hired directly into a full-time job in tech within six
months of graduation.
"As the tech sector continues to expand and evolve into areas
such as AI, and with cyber workers and software engineers in high
demand, we're ensuring our students have the skills, training and
support to participate in these dynamic, high-growth
opportunities," said Bertina
Ceccarelli, CEO, NPower. "We're honored that the US
Dept. of Labor has recognized NPower's work and impact in helping
non-pedigreed, underrepresented individuals and military-connected
individuals receive IT skills, the foundational training they'll
need to step into entry level tech jobs, and to add additional
skills for a range of middle-income, in-demand areas, such as
cybersecurity."
NPower is one of 52 grantees across the country recognized by
the current administration as part of the Investing in America
agenda, with a goal of rebuilding the middle class and increasing
opportunity for underrepresented populations to enter in-demand
occupations and careers that offer family-supporting wages. The
Department of Labor has invested over $244
million to help modernize, diversify and expand registered
apprenticeships in growing U.S. industries, such as tech.
To learn more about NPower's Tech Fundamentals program,
visit: https://www.npower.org/apply/tech-fundamentals/
About NPower
NPower is a national nonprofit that
provides free tech training, support services, and job placement
assistance to young adults, military-connected individuals, and
women from under-resourced communities. Since their founding in
2000, they've offered tech fundamentals and advanced career
training opportunities to over 10,000 students in 13 cities.
NPower's unique approach combines rigorous training, and
trauma-informed support services, addressing the academic, social,
and emotional needs of our students. Their strength is seeing
students of non-traditional backgrounds through pivotal life
transitions. The organization empowers students to drive change in
their own lives and communities. As NPower expands to serve 15,000
students annually by 2030, they're ensuring they create a tech
workforce that mirrors the world around us. To learn more about
NPower, visit http://www.npower.org.
Contact:
Hillary Ovalle
hillary.ovalle@finnpartners.com
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SOURCE NPower