PI 515: Building an Inclusive tech pipeline

Pi515 provides solutions that address Iowa’s workforce shortage in STEM-related fields by cultivating home grown talent to fill in-demand professions. We engage with high schools and middle school students from diverse backgrounds under-represented in the tech industry – including women, immigrants, refugees, and people of color from low-income families – and connect them with business professionals who teach them STEM and soft skills that prepare them for higher education and career success. We provide them with opportunities that empower them to finish high school, go on to college, and enter the workforce in careers will help life their families out of poverty and enrich Iowa’s workforce with skilled workers who are motivated to achieve success.

America has a systemic lack of diversity in STEM-related fields. Iowa has a workforce shortage for STEM-related jobs. Des Moines has a growing population of immigrant and refugee families with parents who have limited access to education. Their children need to be guided towards a future that can help lift their families out of poverty and set them up for ongoing success. Pi515 is taking on the inequity in STEM-related careers by directly addressing the pipeline. Each year, we embrace 100 students (particularly girls) from diverse backgrounds. We introduce them to teachers and companies with employees who are in STEM, providing role models that inspire them. We provide – at no cost – essential skills in coding and robotics, augmented by soft-skills training for a well-rounded education and workforce preparedness. Over 80% of our students are the first in their families to finish high school and go on to college. We also hire high school students to teach STEM in to undeserved students in middle schools.  

Low-Income, refugee, and immigrant students are often pushed towards programs to help them academically without getting their buy-in. Pi515 understands challenges they face and works with them and their families to address these challenges and get them invested in what they can achieve. We not only help them understand the value of an education; we empower them to imagine a better future that includes higher education and a successful career. Pi515 successfully creates a safe space where students from a wide array of backgrounds, socio-economic and social status, and nationalities come together to learn from our program and each other. Individually, they learn to build skills and self-confidence. Together, they learn to build community – and the community is part of what keeps them invested in being part of the program. We provide the program at no cost to their families and give them a laptop when they graduate.

Although Iowa schools have embraced teaching STEM skills, some students face challenges that schools alone cannot effectively address. Students from low-income families do not have access to technology at home, making it difficult for them to continue learning beyond the classroom. Immigrant and refugee students face language, racial, and cultural barriers that can negatively impact their learning experiences. Girls continue to face systemic discrimination that discourages them from pursuing STEM-related learning and careers. Pi515 focuses its work of the students who are being left behind in STEM learning. We understand their challenges and embrace them as individuals, empowering them to not only learn, but also to reinforce their knowledge by passing on what they learn to younger students. By partnering with professionals in the business community to develop and deliver curricula, we ensure that our programs keep pace with changing technologies and align with the needs of employers.

Our Approach: 

Middle School students: We hire high school students to teach in our middle STEM classes. 

High School Students: Our high school curriculum is taught by tech professionals. Kids learn a teach skill, job shadow at the company, present final project at the company and earn a laptop to keep. This kids also get to tour other companies to see how the industry works. This give companies the opportunity to groom local talent to fill a much needed pipeline. It also inspires students to follow in that career path. 

We are working with a team to create an innovative AI curriculum engaging underserved populations to bring skills sets from class to industry helping address the inequality and bias in AI. 

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Historically, Pi515 has had a small annual budget. We have leveraged considerable in-kind support from the community which has allowed us to make an impact on our students’ lives. Our use of collaboration, community engagement, and strategic use of limited funding, makes us an excellent candidate to tackle this project. Our pilot program has proven our method and we know we can expand our approach to impact more students. By hiring more staff, establishing consistent locations for classes, and providing more tech to students, we will provide a pipeline of prepared STEM-educated students to enter workforce or pursue further education.

United Way of Central Iowa and Polk County government grants have help provide meals, transportation cost and operational support. We have also received support from companies including Wells Fargo, John Deere ISG, Facebook Data Center, and AT & T, as well as private donations from individuals who believe in our mission. Coca Cola provided funding this year to launch our middle school project and provide compensation to our high school student teachers. Dwolla and Hatchlings held a worldwide fundraiser that helped launched our building the tech pipeline initiative. We also receive in-kind support from Zion Lutheran Church (who provides office space), and Des Moines Public Schools (which provides classroom space in middle and high schools). We have collaborated with professionals from companies including American Equity, Aureon, Central College, and NCMIC who help deliver the high school program and provide opportunities for students to tour their campuses and explore future opportunities.