ST. LOUIS, MO -- LaunchCode, a nonprofit that places aspiring technologists in apprenticeships and jobs in technology, announced today it has been awarded support through 2020 as part of the U.S. Department of Labor grants in Seattle, WA and Portland, OR. These grants will provide LaunchCode and its partners with $7.8 million through the U.S. Department of Labor.

Click here to access a summary of grant recipients released by The White House.

Executive Director Brendan Lind said this funding will help LaunchCode expand upon its mission to ensure anyone who can do a job in tech is able to get a job in tech.

“Less than three years ago, LaunchCode started as an experiment to see if companies would take on talented job candidates typically overlooked by HR departments. Four hundred apprenticeships later, we have shown our model works, and with funding through Department of Labor TechHire grants, LaunchCode will be able to help more people in more communities reach their potential through education, apprenticeships, and jobs in technology,” said Lind.

"LaunchCode provides businesses access to tech talent they otherwise couldn't find, enabling them to grow and make positive impacts on communities and the national economy. Beyond a business's bottom line, LaunchCode is a scalable solution to some of the biggest economic challenges we’re facing as a country, including unemployment, underemployment, wage stagnation, and an under-skilled workforce,” said Jim McKelvey, founder of LaunchCode and co-founder of Square.

LaunchCode has placed more than 420 candidates in jobs in technology at companies in more than a dozen states. Click here to read a recent feature on LaunchCode in Fast Company.

Since announcing TechHire last year, the White House has profiled multiple LaunchCode candidates on blogs and through social media. LaunchCode alumnus Terrence Bowen was a featured speaker at the announcement of the TechHire grant competition in Baltimore in November and President Obama highlighted LaShana Lewis’ journey, from driving a bus in East St. Louis to working as a systems engineer at MasterCard, at the launch of TechHire last Spring.

LaunchCode is generously supported by partnerships with companies and communities across the country. For example, Accenture has provided more than $380,000 in cash awards and 5,000 hours of pro bono consulting support.

“Accenture has long been committed to preparing the next generation of technology innovators,” said Michael Gallagher, managing director and head of Accenture’s St. Louis office. “We are proud to support LaunchCode in their efforts to create pathways to employment in communities across the United States, and we congratulate them on this award.”

Accenture supports LaunchCode through its global corporate citizenship initiative, Skills to Succeed, which advances employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for individuals by using technology to drive impact at scale. Accenture’s efforts have focused on improving LaunchCode’s operations and ability to scale in preparation for national expansion through opportunities like Tech Hire.

About LaunchCode
LaunchCode is a nonprofit organization founded by Square co-founder Jim McKelvey that partners with over 500 companies nationwide to offer paid apprenticeships and jobs for aspiring developers and technologists. The organization currently operates offices in St. Louis, Kansas City, Mo, South Florida and Providence, Rhode Island. Learn more at www.launchcode.org.

ST. LOUIS, MO - LaunchCode, a startup nonprofit co-founded in St. Louis by Jim McKelvey, is announcing Summer of Code, a collection of four free 20-week coding courses designed to put people on a path towards a career in technology. LaunchCode will partner with local community organizations including Accenture, Harris Stowe University, the NAACP, and OPO Startups to facilitate the classes. Classes will be held at multiple times and locations in an effort to make this opportunity accessible to anyone interested in learning how to code. This also marks the first time LaunchCode will offer coding classes at a St. Charles County location.

“Summer of Code is a landmark event in the history of LaunchCode,” said Executive Director Brendan Lind. “By offering day and night time classes at multiple locations, we’re able to massively expand our commitment to free, high-quality education that can create pathways to economic opportunity and new careers in tech.”

The Summer of Code courses are facilitated through partnerships with Harris-Stowe State University, which will sponsor an evening class held at LaunchCode’s Mentor Center, Washington University’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, which is hosting a class on their Danforth campus, and OPO Startups, which will host the class in St. Charles. Accenture also provided LaunchCode with educational content and course management tools that will be used in Summer of Code. Students will be expected to spend six hours a week in class and a minimum of 10-15 hours outside of class. Students will also be granted free access to LaunchCode’s Mentor Center throughout the duration of the course.

LaunchCode plans to enroll 300 students in education programs in St. Louis this summer. Registration is now open. Anyone interested in participating may also attend an information session on Monday, May 23rd from 6-7pm at the LaunchCode Mentor Center, 4811 Delmar Blvd.

“Accenture is passionate about initiatives that advance employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, such as LaunchCode here in St. Louis,” said Michael Gallagher, office managing director, St. Louis, Accenture. “We are proud to team with LaunchCode on a number of programs, including creating computer science and programming educational content and lesson plans, coaching women on approaching a career in technology and the Summer of Code initiative. We are dedicated to helping improve employment opportunities in our St. Louis community and look forward to our continued collaboration with LaunchCode to find new pathways that enable economic opportunity.”

To learn more about LaunchCode’s Summer of Code, visit Summer of Code.

KANSAS CITY, MO -- LaunchCode, a nonprofit organization that partners with companies to offer paid apprenticeships and jobs for aspiring developers and technologists, officially opened its third national hiring hub in Kansas City, MO. The office is located at the Sprint Accelerator in the Crossroads Arts District and staffed by Anna Welchman, Company Relations Manager, and Kathryn Golden, Candidate Recruitment Manager.

Executive Director Brendan Lind said the first phase of development will focus on building relationships with Kansas City-based companies looking to hire tech talent. LaunchCode has already signed on a handful of local companies, including UMB Financial, Blooom, EyeVerify and Venture360, since announcing plans to open a Kansas City office last year. The nonprofit will also begin offering computer education and skills training in the spring.

“People need pathways to good jobs, and companies need talented employees. LaunchCode can address both of these problems while supporting Kansas City businesses and strengthening the community,” said Lind. “We’ve already seen tremendous interest from local companies that are looking to fill tech jobs. Kansas City’s investment in building a tech ecosystem makes it a natural fit for LaunchCode.”

LaunchCode worked with local leaders to expand to its second city in the Show Me State.

“Not only will LaunchCode’s new office help fill the the talent pipeline needed to sustain Kansas City’s entrepreneurial momentum, but also it will reach underemployed people disconnected from tech-industry opportunities,” Mayor Sly James said. “LaunchCode has established a national model for accelerated technology employment and on-the-job training, and I am glad they are opening an office in Kansas City."

LaunchCode screens thousands of applicants with and without traditional credentials, such as a four-year degree, and matches qualified candidates with employers. Employers can hire LaunchCode candidates as direct hires or as paid apprentices on a trial basis. LaunchCode currently works with more than 300 companies, including MasterCard, Zumba and Panera, to place candidates. Based in St. Louis, MO, the organization currently operates offices in St. Louis and South Florida and will soon open a hub in Providence, Rhode Island.

LaunchCode’s Kansas City operation is generously supported by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the Hall Family Foundation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, MO, Accenture, and the Sprint Accelerator, in addition to a $250,000 grant from the Missouri Technology Corporation.

Companies looking to partner with LaunchCode to hire tech talent should contact Anna Welchman at [email protected]

ST. LOUIS, MO — The St. Louis-based startup nonprofit LaunchCode has partnered with Vocareum, an enterprise-grade cloud solution for management and assessment of computer science classes. In support of LaunchCode’s mission to provide accessible, high-quality tech education to students of all backgrounds, Vocareum is offering free access to their <codeLMS> Learning Management Platform for all students in LaunchCode education courses.

"LaunchCode is pleased to partner with Vocareum and use their <codeLMS> software to create a world-class learning experience for our students,” said Brendan Lind, LaunchCode Executive Director. “This partnership will allow us to streamline our class systems, and improve the way we engage with students in our CS50x course."

LaunchCode’s free CS50x class is based on Harvard University and edX’s popular introduction to computer science course, but adds classroom instruction and mentorship to provide an improved learning experience that prepares students with no prior CS background to pursue a technology career. The class has helped many of LaunchCode’s 300 apprentices land apprenticeships in technology, 90% of which end in full-time jobs.

"We are very pleased to provide our Vocareum platform and help scale LaunchCode's efforts to teach coding as a foundation for their paid apprenticeships,” said Sanjay Srivastava, CEO of Vocareum. "We are very inspired by LaunchCode’s mission to create pathways to economic opportunity and upward mobility.” The Vocareum platform will allow students to submit coding assignments, which are then graded automatically with grading scripts written by LaunchCode. LaunchCode instructors and teaching fellows can then review student code, and provide feedback on each student’s code design and style. The enhanced tracking will help LaunchCode refine its education offerings, and improve student outcomes at the end of the course.

About LaunchCode
LaunchCode is a nonprofit organization partnering with over 300 companies nationwide to offer paid apprenticeships for aspiring developers and technologists. LaunchCode currently has offices in St. Louis and South Florida and places apprentices in 10 different states. As part of the TechHire initiative in St Louis, LaunchCode placed 265 apprentices in tech jobs with over 90% converted to permanent hires within 90 days.

About Vocareum
Vocareum <codeLMS> is an LMS built specifically for coding classes. By leveraging cloud computing resources, we deliver capabilities like auto-grading, plagiarism detection, Git integration and learning analytics that are missing in horizontal LMS offerings. We support Java, C++, C, Python, Hadoop, OCamL, SQL and more. Learn more at Vocareum.

Baltimore, MD — Brendan Lind, executive director of LaunchCode, a startup nonprofit that places nontraditional job seekers on accelerated pathways into apprenticeships and jobs in tech, joined community leaders, organizations and government leaders from across the United States at the White House TechHire gathering. LaunchCode alumnus Terrence Bowen was a featured speaker at the event.

“Two years ago, LaunchCode started as an experiment to see if companies would take on talented job candidates typically overlooked by HR departments,” said Lind. “Three hundred apprentices placed and 300 company partners later, we’ve proven our hiring model works.”

“An investor’s dream is finding a scalable solution to a massive problem. LaunchCode is a scalable solution to some of the biggest economic challenges we’re facing as a country, including unemployment, underemployment, wage stagnation, and an under-skilled workforce,” said Jim McKelvey, founder of LaunchCode and co-founder of Square. “We’re honored to be a part of the White House TechHire initiative and look forward to working with communities across the country to build on the success we’ve had in St. Louis and Miami.”

Lind attended the event in Baltimore, MD, along with LaunchCode alumnus Terrence Bowen. Bowen never graduated from college, but taught himself computer programing while working a full-time job. Bowen came to LaunchCode after reading about the program in a newspaper article. After working with him to strengthen his skills, LaunchCode facilitated a paid apprenticeship for Terrence at Clearent, a St. Louis credit card processing company. The company went on to hire him as a full-time employee.

“I knew I had the skills and ambition to be a programmer, but I didn’t have a college degree or a typical resume, so I was locked out of most tech jobs. LaunchCode set me up with an apprenticeship so I could prove to my future employer that I had what it took to be successful,” said Bowen, who was a featured speaker at the event. “My story doesn’t have to be unique.” You can learn more about Terrence’s story here.

ST. LOUIS, MO — The St. Louis-based startup nonprofit LaunchCode has partnered with Vocareum, an enterprise-grade cloud solution for management and assessment of computer science classes. In support of LaunchCode’s mission to provide accessible, high-quality tech education to students of all backgrounds, Vocareum is offering free access to their Learning Management Platform for all students in LaunchCode education courses.

"LaunchCode is pleased to partner with Vocareum and use their software to create a world-class learning experience for our students,” said Brendan Lind, LaunchCode Executive Director. “This partnership will allow us to streamline our class systems, and improve the way we engage with students in our CS50x course."

LaunchCode’s free CS50x class is based on Harvard University and edX’s popular introduction to computer science course, but adds classroom instruction and mentorship to provide an improved learning experience that prepares students with no prior CS background to pursue a technology career. The class has helped many of LaunchCode’s 300 apprentices land apprenticeships in technology, 90% of which end in full-time jobs.

"We are very pleased to provide our Vocareum platform and help scale LaunchCode's efforts to teach coding as a foundation for their paid apprenticeships,” said Sanjay Srivastava, CEO of Vocareum. "We are very inspired by LaunchCode’s mission to create pathways to economic opportunity and upward mobility.” The Vocareum platform will allow students to submit coding assignments, which are then graded automatically with grading scripts written by LaunchCode. LaunchCode instructors and teaching fellows can then review student code, and provide feedback on each student’s code design and style. The enhanced tracking will help LaunchCode refine its education offerings, and improve student outcomes at the end of the course.

About LaunchCode
LaunchCode is a nonprofit organization partnering with over 300 companies nationwide to offer paid apprenticeships for aspiring developers and technologists. LaunchCode currently has offices in St. Louis and South Florida and places apprentices in 10 different states. As part of the TechHire initiative in St Louis, LaunchCode placed 265 apprentices in tech jobs with over 90% converted to permanent hires within 90 days.

About Vocareum
Vocareum is an LMS built specifically for coding classes. By leveraging cloud computing resources, we deliver capabilities like auto-grading, plagiarism detection, Git integration and learning analytics that are missing in horizontal LMS offerings. We support Java, C++, C, Python, Hadoop, OCamL, SQL and more. Learn more at Vocareum

St. Louis, MO (Nov. 2, 2015) — Jim McKelvey, co-founder of Square and founder of LaunchCode, a startup nonprofit that partners with over 300 companies nationwide to offer paid apprenticeships for aspiring developers and technologists, released the following statement regarding The White House proclamation declaring National Apprenticeship Week:

"The apprenticeship model works for everyone. It works for job candidates who lack traditional educational credentials because it helps them get a foot in the door, for companies that need talent but don’t know where to find it, and for communities that are looking for ways to revitalize their local economies," said McKelvey. "The hiring landscape looks totally different than it did 10 or even 5 years ago. Companies that don’t integrate apprenticeships into their hiring strategies are only holding themselves back."

About LaunchCode
LaunchCode places tech apprentices at more than 300 companies nationwide. The average salary increase for a previously-employed LaunchCode apprentice is 235%. President Obama highlighted LaunchCode’s innovative apprenticeship and job-placement program as a national model for bridging the talent gap as part of the White House TechHire initiative. Megan Smith, the nation’s first Chief Technology Officer, flew to St. Louis to announce the opening of the LaunchCode Mentor Center this summer.

Kansas City, MO (Sept. 9, 2015) — Today the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation announced its $150,000 investment in LaunchCode, a St. Louis-based nonprofit revolutionizing how local economies develop a skilled workforce. The Kauffman Foundation’s gift will support LaunchCode’s expansion to Kansas City in 2016 and help develop educational programming and resources.

“The Kauffman Foundation is a key partner in our mission to provide Kansas City with a 21st Century workforce, and to boost economic opportunity in the region,” says Brendan Lind, LaunchCod executive director. “The Kauffman Foundation’s support will be especially critical in developing our education programs, which equip job-seekers with the skills they need to be successful.”

Co-founded in 2013 by Square co-founder Jim McKelvey, LaunchCode provides pathways to upward mobility through paid apprenticeships and job placement in technology. LaunchCode has placed 250 people in jobs with companies ranging from Fortune 500 companies to innovative startups and local businesses. Nearly half of LaunchCode’s placements were unemployed prior to joining the program, and span a variety of ages, backgrounds, and education levels — 84% do not have a computer science degree, and 90% had no professional programming experience before starting the program.

“LaunchCode is an excellent fit for the Foundation’s mission of fostering economic independence by advancing education and entrepreneurship,” said Wendy Guillies, president and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation. “We’ve seen firsthand how the right education can unlock Kansas City’s untapped talent. This program can do just that while also strengthening the metro’s technology ecosystem. We invite other community leaders to join us in supporting this promising initiative.”

“There are thousands of jobs open today with tech companies in the KC region,” said Ryan Weber, president of KCnext, The Technology Council of Greater Kansas City. “Programs like LaunchCode give companies access to talent at a reduced risk, and candidates get access to training that could lead to a career in technology. This is a win-win for the KC tech community.”

The Kauffman Foundation’s support of LaunchCode is paired with gifts from the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Mo., the Hall Family Foundation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and the Missouri Technology Corporation. LaunchCode is still seeking supporters interested in bringing innovative workforce development and scalable economic opportunity solutions to the community. The nonprofit is also connecting with Kansas City companies looking to bring new technology talent to their team in 2016.

Media Contacts
The Kauffman Foundation: Peggy Landon, [email protected], 816-932-1256
LaunchCode: Samantha Williams, [email protected]

About LaunchCode
LaunchCode is a nonprofit organization partnering with over 300 companies nationwide to offer paid apprenticeships for aspiring developers and technologists. LaunchCode currently has offices in St. Louis and South Florida and places apprentices in 10 different states. Learn more at www.launchcode.org

About the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a private, nonpartisan foundation that aims to foster economic independence by advancing educational achievement and entrepreneurial success. Founded by late entrepreneur and philanthropist Ewing Marion Kauffman, the Foundation is based in Kansas City, Mo., and has approximately $2 billion in assets. For more information, visit www.kauffman.org, and follow the Foundation on Twitter and Facebook.

Miami, FL (July 24, 2015) — Florida International University’s School of Computing and Information Sciences (SCIS), one of the nation’s largest producers of computing talent, and LaunchCode, a national nonprofit creating pathways to economic opportunity through apprenticeships in technology, announcementd their partnership today. The "LaunchCode @ FIU" program will help FIU students working full-time secure careers in technology.

According to the 2014 edition of American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Profiles of Engineering & Engineering Technology Colleges, SCIS ranks 7th in awarding computing professional bachelor’s degrees (inside Colleges of Engineering) in the United States. Many of the School’s students work to obtain valuable job experience before graduation. However, some of these jobs are not tech related, which minimizes the value of the experience for a student pursuing a computing career. With the current student population expected to increase by 36% in the year 2020, SCIS students need more local opportunities to obtain tech experience and address their financial needs.

“SCIS is committed to educating the next generation of computing professionals and helping them launch successful careers,” said Dr. Iyengar, SCIS Director and Ryder Professor. “In partnering with LaunchCode, we hope to help many of our current students start those careers while completing their degree.”

The SCIS Student Advising Center, funded in part by the Florida Board of Governor’s Targeted Educational Attainment (TEAm) grant, and through its Academic Success Initiative, will identify students for the LaunchCode @ FIU program with the goal of helping 50 students transition to tech careers in the first year.

The program will support individuals like Porfirio Bonet, a former SCIS student and current LaunchCode apprentice who worked full-time while pursuing a degree. “I wish a program like LaunchCode @ FIU had been around when I was studying at SCIS,” said Bonet, a Junior Developer apprentice at Bass Underwriters. “I feel like what I was doing in school, and what I am doing now line up very well. But, it would have been nice to start a little sooner. Every day, I am learning so much and growing as a developer.”

SCIS will host LaunchCode @ FIU Day on September 14, 2015 to promote the program to potential participants and reach out to local employers looking to hire talented, motivated apprentices. LaunchCode representatives will be on hand to talk to students about the LaunchCode program, and discuss high-demand technology skills in the South Florida job market.

“A LaunchCode apprenticeship is a pathway to an upwardly mobile career in technology,” said Brendan Lind, LaunchCo Executive Director. “By working in one of our partnering companies, while also pursuing a degree at SCIS, these FIU students are showing they have the drive it takes to turn their dream of a rewarding, well-paid career into a reality. And LaunchCode is here to help them.”

Media contacts:
Samantha Williams, [email protected], 314-387-0554
Mario Eraso, [email protected], 305-348-7985

About LaunchCode
Founded in St. Louis, MO in 2013, LaunchCode is a nonprofit revolutionizing how local economies develop homegrown technology talent, create upwardly mobile careers, and create a 21st century workforce. LaunchCode partners with over 300 employers nationwide to place job seekers in paid technology apprenticeships and jobs. LaunchCode currently has offices in St. Louis and South Florida and places apprentices in 10 different states. Over 90% of LaunchCode apprentices are converted to permanent hires within 90 days. Learn more about LaunchCode at www.launchcode.org.

About FIU and FIU’s School of Computing and Information Sciences
Florida International University (FIU), founded in 1965, is a public research state University in Greater Miami, Florida. FIU is the largest University in South Florida, the second largest in Florida, and the fourth largest in the United States, with over 54,000 students enrolled. The University offers 191 programs of study with more than 280 majors in 23 Colleges and Schools. FIU is first in the nation in awarding bachelor’s and master’s degrees to Hispanic students.
FIU's School of Computing and Information Sciences, created in 1987, offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral computer science degree programs, and bachelor’s and master’s information technology degree programs, with over 2,200 students enrolled. The State University System ranked FIU first among universities for the percentage of IT-related graduates employed in Florida in their first year after graduation. According to the American Society for Engineering Education, the School is the seventh largest engineering-college-based computer science degree awarding program in the US.
Visit www.cis.fiu.edu for more information about FIU’s research and instructional programs.

Miami, July 23, 2015 — Due to high demand, The Idea Center at Miami Dade College, in partnership with LaunchCode, a nonprofit organization revolutionizing technology education and job placement, will expand its CS50x Miami program to more underserved communities in the South Florida area. Classes will be taught at additional locations, including Homestead and Northern Miami-Dade County, allowing CS50x Miami to bring its mission of upwardly-mobile technology jobs to the South Florida public. Registration is now open at https://www.launchcode.org/cs50x

The 20-week class provides students with a foundational understanding of computer science principles, with six weeks highlighting web and mobile application training. Classes begin August 31st. The $299 course fee covers all materials and expenses.

LaunchCode and The Idea Center will offer three free information sessions at each of the CS50x Miami locations:

• Friday, July 31, 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. at The Idea Center @MDC
• Monday, August 10, 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. at MDC Homestead Campus
• Tuesday, August 11, 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. at MDC North Campus

“We’re making better jobs accessible through world-class education,” says Leandro Finol, Executive Director of The Idea Center at MDC. “Now, with three locations and extended supplemental tracks, CS50x Miami is poised to offer even more expertise and support to students pursuing technology careers.”

CS50x Miami graduate Iván Corchado-Ruiz, now working at Zendo, a Ft. Lauderdale based home automation startup, can attest to the program’s ability to open doors.

“I heard about CS50 and couldn't believe I was so lucky to be at the right place at the right time, I wanted to become a developer, but hadn’t found a way to make it happen, CS50x Miami gave me an amazing education and the courage to stop daydreaming,” said Corchado-Ruiz.

Registering for CS50X Miami can help other students enjoy similar success.

“The ability to work in an in-demand, upwardly mobile career is empowering, and LaunchCode is committed to offering this opportunity to as many Miamians as possible,” said Matt Mawhinney, LaunchCode South Florida Community Manager. “Stories like Iván’s show that CS50x Miami equips students to pursue their dream job in technology - we’re very excited to offer this opportunity to a broader range of Miami communities than ever before.”

For more information and to register, please visit https://www.launchcode.org/cs50x

About LaunchCode
LaunchCode is a non-profit organization creating pathways to economic opportunity and upward mobility through paid apprenticeships and job placement in technology. LaunchCode partners with over 300 companies nationally, 100 in South Florida, to place job seekers from non-traditional educational backgrounds in paid apprenticeships in technology jobs.

About The Idea Center at Miami Dade College
The Idea Center @ MDC, an entrepreneurship hub that serves as a co-curricular engine of innovation and idea development for all MDC students across all disciplines, includes a venture incubator called CREATE to nurture and turn suitable student business projects into a reality. It is housed at the downtown Wolfson Campus but with college-wide programs.

About edX and CS50
EdX offers computer courses from a variety of the world’s finest educational institutions. From the fundamentals of programming to advanced concepts in computer science, edx allows programmers to access the tools and resources needed to develop their skills and specialities. CS50 is an introduction to computer science offered online through edX and HarvardX.

MDC Media-only contacts: Juan Mendieta, MDC director of communications, 305-237-7611, [email protected]; Hessy Fernandez, director of media relations, 305-237-3949, [email protected]; Sue Arrowsmith, 305-237-3710, [email protected] or Allison Horton, 305-237-3359, [email protected]

St. Louis, MO — LaunchCode, the fast-growing St. Louis-based technology employment nonprofit, has received a $250,000 Missouri Building Entrepreneurial Capacity Program award from the Missouri Technology Corporation to support its efforts to expand to Kansas City. While LaunchCode is actively seeking additional funders, the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, MO and JPMorgan Chase & Co. have already joined the Missouri Technology Corporation as key partners in bringing LaunchCode to the region.

“The state is dedicated to advancing entrepreneurship, especially as it pertains to creating good-paying, in-demand jobs in science and technology,” said Mike Downing, director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development. “LaunchCode has been an important partner in this mission and we’re proud to support innovation and employment opportunities.”

“Given our commitment to educating and employing our residents, it is critical that the city can rely on partners such as LaunchCode to facilitate synergy in our technology community as we work to equip residents for available technology related jobs,” said Kansas City Mayor Sly James. “I applaud the Missouri Technology Corporation’s support of Launch Code, and encourage other organizations to support LaunchCode and similar programs in Kansas City.”

“MTC’s support will be instrumental in allowing us to serve Missouri communities” said Brendan Lind, LaunchCode Executive Director. “MTC’s commitment has deepened our dedication to the state, and affirmed our desire to make Missouri the model for how LaunchCode expands to other states.”

Drew Solomon of the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, MO added “Our corporate community has a strong demand for talented IT professionals, and our city has a strong desire to fill and accommodate that growth with local individuals. We are proud to support LaunchCode.”

LaunchCode has secured commitments to match MTC’s support, but will source an additional $850,000 to fully realize its Kansas City hub and explore opportunities for expansion to other Missouri cities.

On July 15th, LaunchCode will host a public forum to discuss its Kansas City expansion with regional community leaders, employers, workforce agencies, educators, and the public.

Event: LaunchCode Public Forum
Date/Time: Wednesday, July 15th from 9:30 to 11:00 AM
Location: Union Station Board Room, 30 West Pershing Road Kansas City, MO 64108

LaunchCode is a nonprofit organization creating pathways to economic opportunity and upward mobility through paid apprenticeships and job placement in technology. LaunchCode partners with over 300 employers nationwide to place job seekers from non-traditional educational backgrounds in paid apprenticeships in technology jobs. LaunchCode currently has offices in St. Louis and South Florida and places apprentices in 10 different states. As part of the TechHire initiative in St Louis, LaunchCode has placed 205 apprentices in tech jobs with over 90% converted to permanent hires within 90 days. For more information, visit www.launchcode.org.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — LaunchCode, an organization that creates pathways to economic opportunity and upward mobility through apprenticeships and job placement in technology, was recognized today by President Obama as part of the White House TechHire initiative.

Jim McKelvey, co-founder of LaunchCode, and Brendan Lind, executive director of LaunchCode, attended the launch. The White House also invited LaunchCode candidate LaShana Lewis as a special guest. Lewis grew up in East St. Louis and worked as a bus driver before finding LaunchCode in 2014. By introducing her to relevant education platforms and facilitating an apprenticeship with MasterCard, LaunchCode provided Lewis with the tools and the platform to demonstrate her qualifications on the job. Lewis is now a full-time employee at MasterCard. You can learn more about her story here.

“LaunchCode is an opportunity to prove yourself. I always had the drive and ambition, but LaunchCode provided the pathway for me to go from working as a bus driver in East St. Louis to a full-time job at one of the biggest companies in the world in three months,” said Lewis. “LaunchCode gave me an opportunity to change my life, and I know they’re going to do the same for a lot more people like me.”

The TechHire Initiative is a bold, multi-sector initiative launched by President Obama in partnership with 20 cities across the US to get more Americans rapidly trained and into well-paying technology jobs. The US Dept. of Labor projects that 1 million jobs in programming alone will go unfilled by 2020. President Obama highlighted LaunchCode’s innovative apprenticeship and job-placement program as a national model for bridging this talent gap.

LaunchCode partners with over 300 employers nationwide to place job seekers from non-traditional educational backgrounds in paid apprenticeships in technology jobs. LaunchCode currently has offices in St. Louis and South Florida and places apprentices in 10 different states with a goal of operating in all 50 states by the end of 2015. Over 90% of LaunchCode apprentices are converted to permanent hires within 90 days.

“Our nation’s most pressing problems also present our biggest opportunities. With LaunchCode we have created a pathway to upward mobility for people in pursuit of a better life,” said Lind. “The reason we’re growing as fast as we are--we have applicants and corporate partners from across the US--is because there’s tremendous demand for what we do.”

“An investor’s dream is finding a scalable solution to a massive problem. LaunchCode is a scalable solution to some of the biggest economic challenges we’re facing as a country, including unemployment, underemployment, wage stagnation and an under-skilled workforce,” said McKelvey. “We are honored that President Obama included LaunchCode as a model for how we can give Americans, especially lower and middle-class Americans, access to job training resources while addressing a nationwide need that threatens American competitiveness.”