Codefy: Tech jobs for underserved youth

In tech jobs, women are outnumbered 3:1, and in comparison to other industries, Black and Hispanic groups have 50% less representation, which leads to a wealth gap. 

Codefy works with underserved and underrepresented young adults ages 18-24, in partnership with nonprofits who provide wraparound support. We provide free software development training and help students find internships with industry partners that could lead to entry-level software jobs. 

We have partnerships with two nonprofits in Arizona, Hopi Foundation in the Hopi Nation, and Chicanos Por La Causa in the Greater Phoenix Area, and we are actively working to reach other underserved communities. We launched a pilot with five students on October 22nd, 2020.

We are working with industry partners who offer internships and invest in creating structural opportunities. With collaboration from industry and nonprofits, we can close the wealth gap and make the tech industry a truly equitable and diverse workplace.

Disconnected youth are youth who are not in school and not working. Youth disconnection has several negative social and economic consequences. According to the Measure of America report, before COVID-19, 1 in 9 youth were disconnected nationally, and among Native American communities, 1 in 4 youth were disconnected. Today, youth disconnection rates are soaring due to COVID-19's impact. According to Opportunity for Youth’s Disengaging Youth Brief, 1 in 4 youth are disconnected in the Greater Phoenix Area and 1 in 2 youth are disconnected in the Hopi Nation. This translates to 144,000 youth and 12,000 youth respectively in these two areas, who are cut off from opportunities and resources that would help them develop the skills and expertise needed to lift them out of poverty. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, technology occupations pay twice as much as other jobs and are projected to add about 500,000 new jobs. In addition, based on code.org's report, Arizona’s average demand rate for computing jobs is 2.8 times the demand in other industries. 

Given the need for disconnected youth to be actively engaged and skilled and the need in the software industry for trained labor, Codefy attempts to fill the gap.

Codefy, in partnership with non-profits, provides free workforce development training in software programming to under-served and underrepresented young adults. Everyone requires a culture of trust to thrive. By keeping class sizes small, we provide a caring learning environment and hands-on, personalized support. 

We teach the Java programming language, Agile methodology, HTML, basics of databases, soft skills, resilience, employability and workplace success skills. 

 By partnering with non-profits, we are able to provide the wrap-around services that students need such as housing, food, and counseling.

 We also partner with software industry companies to place students in internships upon completion of their training, and companies have the option to hire students at the end of their internships. This provides screened, trained and motivated entry level talent to companies that are looking to be inclusive and to increase the diversity of their workforce. It also addresses the shortage of local entry level talent in computing. 

In addition, the synchronous online modality allows students in rural areas to participate in the training. They can intern and work remotely as well. 

Computing jobs are highly paid, skills are in high demand, and having these skills creates opportunities and helps close the wealth gap. 

Our target population are disconnected young adults ages 18-24 in urban, rural and Native American reservations in Arizona who lack the opportunities, income, network and connections to pursue careers in technology fields.

We partner with nonprofits to recruit students who are in need, for wrap around support, to help students with for internet connections and computers, and to provide case management with regular check-ins with the students.

We provide free, high-quality synchronous online training in software development, soft skills and work place success skills which will result in a industry recognized credential. Industry recognized credentials build credibility in the job market.

We collaborate with workforce development boards to provide a hourly stipend during internships for financial support in the present and to help them believe in higher paying jobs in the future.

During our pilot, we provide several formal and informal opportunities for students to provide feedback on what is working well and what needs to be changed so we can constantly adapt to meet our students needs.

After the internships, employers will have the opportunity to hire students and continue to invest in their careers.

This would result in financial stability for students and economic development of their communities.

We can reduce youth disconnection when there is a community of people invested in our underserved and underrepresented youth. We can increase diversity in tech by providing the relevant training that would lead to credentials and create opportunities for underrepresented and underserved young adults. Talent is found everywhere, but opportunities and exposure to high demand careers are lacking. We bring nonprofits and industry partners together to be part of the village that care and support our young adults and provide high-quality, affordable learning, skill-building, and training opportunities for young adults entering the workforce, transitioning between jobs, or facing unemployment. 

Codefy full-time staff : 1

Codefy part-time staff : 1

We work closely with our two nonprofit partners - Hopi Foundation's Hopi Opportunity Youth Initiative and Chicanos Por La Causa - Workforce Solutions. We consider them part of our solution team. 

Hopi Foundation's Hopi Opportunity Youth Initiative staff : 4

Chicanos Por La Causa - Workforce Solutions staff : 6

The founder of Codefy is a woman of color and an immigrant, who is committed to bring diverse voices to build a diverse organization because it is not only the right thing to do, but also the smart thing to do as it would make us more innovative and productive. 

As we grow, we will ensure that there is transparency and accountability in our organization, so that there is equity.

We are intentional in building a culture of inclusivity. When there is a culture of inclusivity, students and employees are accepted and valued for who they are.  They bring their authentic selves, are willing to engage and be vulnerable. That is the test of inclusivity at Codefy.

COVID has disrupted our lives in so many ways, and has wreaked havoc on underserved communities. But what if we used this time to reimagine what training, internships and jobs looks like for underserved communities? A quote that stood out is from Arundhathi Roy’s the Pandemic Is a Portal piece where she says, “Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next. We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred ... behind us. Or we can walk through lightly, with little luggage, ready to imagine another world. And ready to fight for it.”

 Our solution reimagines how training and internships are done for workforce development. Instead of charging the students for the training, we charge the employers for the diverse talent we provide them. For our students who live in the First Nations, we are asking employers to consider virtual internships, and provide remote jobs. COVID has made virtual work more acceptable, and this innovative approach to training and internships should open more opportunities to students in rural areas. 

 We are also innovative in the way we utilize the Work Experience (WEX) funding provided by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act  (WIOA) through the City of Phoenix and Hopi Workforce development boards to pay an hourly internship stipend for our interns. This in turn reduces the cost to the employer. 

Activities

• Free, rigorous, short-term and individualized software development training for underserved youth leading to an industry recognized credential using an online modality

• Soft skills and workplace success skills training
  

• Building partnerships with employers for internships

• Building partnerships with economic development agencies

• Building partnerships with nonprofits who work with disconnected youth

• Hosting industry speakers in our virtual classroom who share skills and experiences

• Mandatory student service to community in teaching computer science to K-12 students

Outputs

• Underserved young adults gain competency in hard and soft skills

• Companies can access diverse and trained local talent

• Students are exposed to in-demand software industry careers and receive insight into what is currently valued in the tech industry

• Students in remote areas for whom opportunities were previously unavailable now have access to high quality training

• Early exposure to high demand skills among elementary-aged children in Codefy students’ communities 

Short-term Outcomes

• Take students from minimum-wage jobs to having the skills necessary to get high-paying jobs in a rapidly growing industry

• Create non-traditional pathways for entry into tech jobs

• Put underrepresented young adults in positions where their voices can be heard

• Place them on a path that leads them and their families out of poverty

• Increased collaboration between nonprofits, economic development agencies, and the industry

• Increased productivity and innovation in software industry due to increased diversity 

Long-term Outcomes

• Build a workplace where diversity is appreciated and valued

• Impact economic development of entire communities

• Create opportunities for the underrepresented to be in positions of influence where they can advocate for other minorities

• Unravel the poverty cycle and eliminate the wealth gap

Overall Impact

• Create a world where everyone’s unique contribution is valued

Our goal is to transform communities one person at a time. The approach is to invest in young adults, and give them the skill and tools they need to succeed in work and in life. This happens best in the context of small class sizes and within trusted relationships with case managers, instructors, industry mentors, etc. In short, it takes a village and it takes time and effort to build trust and create change within communities. 

Does it mean we cannot expand as fast as we possibly can? Yes. 

Is it worth it? Absolutely!

Some goals for the next year: 

1. Increase our reach to the First Nations

2. Work with young adults who are in the criminal justice system

3. Make more partnerships with employers, nonprofits, economic development agencies

4. Build a set of best practices for students and employers to make virtual internships and remote jobs successful

5. Fund raise more effectively

5 Year goals:

1. Replicate model in several countries 

- Partner with First Nations in Canada

- Partner with organizations in India that are working to rehabilitate        trafficked women.

- Partner with organizations in Sri Lanka that are working to rehabilitate  communities affected by ethnic violence and civil war.

2. Encourage entrepreneurism and self-sustaining model among graduates of Codefy

Key outcomes we plan to collect are student retention in program, measurable skill gains, placement of students in internships, conversion to software industry jobs, median earnings, increase in earnings, employer satisfaction and employment retention measured over a period of 18 months.

Sabina Rajasundaram has a Master’s degree in Computer Science, and has worked in several software engineering and leadership roles and is a Certified Scrum Master. She has successfully taught workforce development programs in software engineering to underserved and underrepresented young adults who were part of the Year Up program in Phoenix, many of whom are employed in companies such as American Express and Nationwide. She specializes in holistic, personalized training and have a passion to help vulnerable students succeed in life. She has faced situations in which she has been discriminated and retaliated against for speaking out against discrimination of herself and others. She is an advocate for underserved youth, and she bring the perspective of an immigrant and a woman of color.

Athavan Rajasundaram is a licensed architect in Phoenix, Arizona. At Codefy, he leads the segments in student leadership and workplace success skills training. He has a master’s degree in building science from Arizona State University (ASU). He taught sustainability as an industry expert for a semester at Del E. Webb School of Construction at ASU and remains active by participating in graduate student orientation events and the ASU Alumni Leadership Institute. He currently serves as the scholarship committee chair for the Central Arizona Society for Healthcare Engineering. Athavan's father was a Srilankan doctor and social worker who gave his life by taking a stand to serve immigrant indentured workers. His father's life and sacrifice has a big impact on him. 

We have signed Memorandums of Understanding with two nonprofits in Arizona, the Hopi Foundation in the Hopi Nation, and Chicanos Por La Causa in the Greater Phoenix Area. Our nonprofit partners help us recruit students from their communities who have talent but have not had the opportunities to grow into and build their talents and abilities. Nonprofit partners also help students who need computers and supplies for the program, and assist with case management and support.

We charge employers $15,000 per intern to fund our work. We find students from underrepresented and underserved communities, train them at no cost to the student and charge the employer a service fee for skilled, local and trained talent.

We also seek grants from foundations and organizations who wish to support our mission.

We have not raised any funds for our solution. We are self-financed currently.

Expenses are $550,812 to support the entire program for 12 months. Budget includes personnel 60%, teaching and learning tools 13%, stipends 18%, fundraising 3%, and administrative 6% costs. 

Underserved and underrepresented young adults have the ability, grit, life experiences and perspectives that are valuable, but they also have barriers that may seem insurmountable to them. Many have not had the exposure required to pursue high growth and in-demand technology jobs. When young adults don’t have friends or family pursuing higher education, they don’t see it as an option for themselves. Many have not learned how to study independently, how to choose resources, how to navigate systems and to advocate for themselves – these are skills that come naturally for those who are raised with privilege.

To unravel systemic and structural injustices we need to create systemic and structural opportunities.

When we create opportunities, show our underserved young adults that all these skills are within their reach, and believe in them when they don’t believe in themselves, they reach for the stars. 

To create systemic change, we need to collaborate, come together, reexamine the way things are done and reimagine a new reality. It takes a village, and we request you to be a part of ours.

We would like to partner with employers who have a strong DEI focus and who are willing to try alternative solutions to hiring for entry-level software engineering/application support positions.

We would like to partner with organizations like JFF, Lumina Labs, Strada Education Network and New Profit for thought partnership. 

We would like to partner with organizations and foundations like Google.org, Walmart Foundation who can provide grants and funding.

We would like to partner with economic development agencies like Arizona Commerce Authority, Greater Phoenix Economic Council to help us network and make connections with employers in Arizona.