Scaling Online Courses to Boost STEM Workforce

The challenge we are addressing is the widespread lack of accessible, flexible pathways to high-demand tech careers, which disproportionately impacts underrepresented minorities and non-traditional learners. While the tech industry drives economic growth and offers high-paying jobs with upward mobility, its workforce remains starkly inequitable. Women, Black, and Hispanic individuals collectively represent less than 30% of the tech workforce, leaving vast pools of talent untapped and exacerbating systemic disparities in economic opportunity.

This issue is not just one of equity, it’s an economic imperative. Employers face a historically tight labor market, and diversifying the workforce provides a critical solution by unlocking access to underutilized talent. Expanding pathways to tech careers has the potential to uplift individuals, strengthen communities, and bolster the labor market.

Georgia Tech’s FlexStack credential addresses these barriers by offering a modular, accelerated program tailored to the needs of modern learners. Delivered online with live, hands-on instruction, FlexStack equips participants with industry-relevant skills and micro-credentials that open doors to new careers, career shifts, or advanced education. By focusing on accessibility and practical skill-building, the program empowers underrepresented groups to succeed in the tech workforce at scale, fostering both individual and collective prosperity. 

The Georgia Tech FlexStack credential is an innovative, modular program designed to provide accessible, rigorous and practical training in high-demand fields. Taught exclusively by Georgia Tech faculty, it combines the academic excellence of a top-ranked research university with the flexibility and affordability needed for today’s learners. 

Each FlexStack consists of three online certificates, each made up of three courses. Learners can customize their program to align with their career goals and complete it at their own pace—whether one course at a time or through an accelerated schedule. The program is competitively priced, costing thousands less than the average boot camp, and offers exceptional value by delivering a Georgia Tech credential. Courses are delivered online with live, expert-led instruction and supported by a high-touch team, including a dedicated advisor to guide learners throughout the program. 

Support from and partnership with Truist Foundation and MIT Solve will be essential in 1) providing scholarships to applicants with financial need to ensure that diverse underserved populations are fully engaged and 2) refining and implementing strategy and outreach with non-profit organizations, foundations, and industry partners who are inclined to help achieve our vision of addressing substantial inequities in the tech workforce. 

Our solution serves non-traditional learners, including underrepresented minorities, career changers, and those seeking to upskill or re-enter the workforce. No prior experience or degree is required to begin the program.  These individuals are often excluded from traditional pathways to high-demand tech careers due to financial, logistical, or systemic barriers. Many lack access to affordable, flexible, and high-quality training that aligns with the rapidly evolving demands of the job market.

The Georgia Tech FlexStack credential directly addresses these needs. By offering modular online certificates in fields like Python, SQL, data visualization, and artificial intelligence—where job demand is projected to grow 25%, 6%, 18%, and 12% respectively over the next two years—this program provides learners with essential skills for thriving in high-growth industries. Courses are priced competitively and designed for flexibility, making them accessible to learners balancing jobs, family, or other commitments.

This program empowers learners to gain market-ready skills and tangible work products while earning a prestigious Georgia Tech credential. By removing barriers to high-quality education and addressing workforce needs, the FlexStack creates new opportunities for economic mobility, career growth, and representation in the tech industry, ultimately improving lives and strengthening communities at scale.

Georgia Tech has a legacy of serving learners from diverse backgrounds, and the FlexStack credential builds on this commitment by addressing the specific needs of non-traditional learners, including underrepresented minorities, career changers, and those re-entering the workforce.  Our team is deeply committed to the communities we serve and uniquely positioned to deliver this solution. 

The design and implementation of FlexStack have been shaped through meaningful engagement with these communities. For example, surveys and focus groups involving over 500 learners revealed barriers such as affordability, lack of flexible scheduling, and uncertainty about training quality in the crowded market of Python and data science programs. Insights from these interactions informed the development of a modular program with online, live instruction, hands-on skill-building, and a prestigious Georgia Tech credential—features directly addressing the needs and preferences of our target audience. 

FlexStack also responds to the increasing demand for high-quality training in skills like Python, where job postings remain high, and occupations requiring Python and data science are growing above the national average. Unlike many of the 747 Python courses available on platforms like Coursera, FlexStack differentiates itself through rigorous, expert-led instruction designed to fit the schedules of working professionals. 

By offering practical, accessible, and industry-relevant training, FlexStack not only equips learners with market-ready skills but also ensures that their credentials are recognized and valued by employers. This community-driven approach ensures our program delivers tangible benefits to those it serves, helping to close opportunity gaps and foster economic mobility. 

We selected the Growth stage because the Georgia Tech FlexStack credential, launched successfully with its first cohort in Fall 2024, is ready for expansion. This program addresses the growing demand for accessible, high-quality training in fields like Python, SQL, and data visualization. In its inaugural run, the program 1) delivered instruction to dozens of learners through a well-established design, 2) integrated learner feedback to refine content delivery and hands-on activities, and 3) prepared for scaling in 2025 to support diverse learner populations. Participant feedback highlights the program's success in blending rigorous, hands-on training with the flexibility required by non-traditional learners.

The high-touch support model, including dedicated advisors and a robust learner success team, has been tested and proven effective in addressing barriers to completion and equipping learners with market-ready skills. Georgia Tech’s seven years of experience delivering large-scale online education, including traditional bootcamp courses, has established the infrastructure and expertise needed to support FlexStack's scalability. This innovative program builds on a strong foundation to efficiently expand its reach, empowering more individuals and communities with skills to thrive in high-demand industries. FlexStack is primed to create lasting impact and address workforce needs on a larger scale.

https://pe.gatech.edu/programs...

Unlike traditional boot camps, the Georgia Tech FlexStack is a modular program designed to provide accelerated, hands-on training and skill building in high-demand fields, all supported by a high-touch team dedicated to learner success.  Our goal was to facilitate a structured learning environment that fosters accelerated skill acquisition.  We created a very intentional and interactive program format that provides direct access to the subject matter experts, delivered through a rhythm of learning and practicing.” 

In addition to the practical approach to instruction, a key innovation lies in the short, flexible scheduling of the offerings.  Each FlexStack consists of three online certificates, each made up of three courses. Learners can customize their program to align with their career goals and complete it at their own pace—whether one course at a time or through an accelerated schedule. The program is competitively priced, costing thousands less than the average boot camp, and offers exceptional value by delivering a Georgia Tech credential.  

Summary of Impact Goals 

Demographic distribution of learners and graduates in the FlexStack that is significantly more diverse than in the existing tech workforce 

Graduates of FlexStack report improved job opportunities (new positions or promotion) after program completion 

Achieve high learner satisfaction in academic program and skills learned 

Graduates report improved ability to meet personal goals or goals they have for family or larger community as a result of engagement in the program 

Improved learner confidence in technical skills as a result of engagement in the program 

Solution will be executed by personnel in Georgia Tech Professional Education which is a unit within the College of Lifetime Learning.  The College of Lifetime Learning include 400+ employees.  The solution team directly engaged in the FlexStack solution consists of 4 FTE that spend all or part of their time on the solution.  

Full-Time Staff (3.5 FTEs):  

Instructors: 1.0 FTE 

Academic Advisor: 1.0 FTE 

Career Services Manager: 0.5 

Program Manager: 0.25 

IT Support: 0.5 FTE 

Marketing and Communications: 0.25 FTE 

Part-Time Staff (0.5 FTEs) 

Instructors: 0.5 FTE 

Contractors (0 FTEs) 

Other (0 FTEs) 

Total: 4 FTEs 

Summary of Time Working on Solution 

Seven (7) years of valuable experience in offering multiple traditional bootcamp courses which led to creation of the innovative FlexStack solution. 

1.5 years of Development work for Flex Stack 

Analysis of market need with Professional Education team and external consultants 

Development of learner roadmap to ensure success 

Development of learner and IT applications and Salesforce integrations 

Development and rollout of marketing 

Hiring and training of new staff 

Six (months) of instruction since first cohort served in Fall 2024 

The FlexStack Working Group embodies a diverse set of individuals committed to expanding access to traditionally underrepresented populations.   63% of the team members are women and 37% of the team members are either Black or Hispanic. 

The is consistent with the fact that diversity is one of Georgia Tech's greatest strengths and one of the major priorities identified in our twenty-five-year strategic plan: 

"We will recruit, develop, retain, and engage a diverse cadre of students, faculty, and staff with a wide variety of background, perspectives, interests, and talents, creating a campus community that exemplifies the best in all of us—in our intellectual pursuits, our diversity of thought, our personal integrity, and our inclusive excellence." — Georgia Tech Strategic Plan 

At Tech, we embrace and leverage diversity in all its manifestations. We are proud that we are one of the most diverse universities in the world with students who represent every state in the nation and more than 100 countries. In the years ahead, our goal is to continue to build a campus culture of collegiality, close collaboration, global perspective, intercultural sensitivity, respect, and thoughtful interaction among a diverse community of students, employees, and alumni. 

We realize that, in order to achieve our vision for Georgia Tech as a leader in influencing the major technological, social, and policy decisions in the twenty-first century, we must recruit and retain faculty, staff, and students from a wide array of backgrounds, perspectives, interests, and talents. 

The Georgia Tech FlexStack program has been created as a result of significant internal investment in personnel, content development, technology and application integrations.  Long term, the program will be funded based on revenue from learners and corporations seeking training for their employees. 

The services and skills provided to learners are significant.  The FlexStack credential offers a modular, accelerated program tailored to the needs of modern learners. Delivered online with live, hands-on instruction, FlexStack equips participants with industry-relevant skills and micro-credentials that open doors to new careers, career shifts, or advanced education. By focusing on accessibility and practical skill-building, the program empowers underrepresented groups to succeed in the tech workforce at scale, fostering both individual and collective prosperity. 

Corporations and employers are also beneficiaries of our solution.  Employers face a historically tight labor market, and diversifying the workforce provides a critical solution by unlocking access to underutilized talent. Expanding pathways to tech careers has the potential to uplift individuals, strengthen communities, and bolster the labor market. 

The FlexStack program has been created as a result of significant internal investment in personnel, content development, technology, and application integrations. Georgia Tech Professional Education (GTPE) has a wealth of experience in developing and delivering quality educational programs. Based on this experience, a financial projection was created which shows a likely break-even point for the program (given initial investment) of 2-3 years of operation. After that, the program will be funded completely by revenue from learners and corporations looking to provide training for their employees. 

GTPE also has experience in utilizing external support from industry or foundations to launch new programs. For example, initial support from AT&T was essential in the development of Georgia Tech’s highly affordable Online Master of Science program, which has grown to over 17,000 students and become a national model for high-quality, accessible education. Building on this successful model, we have secured corporate support for the FlexStack program and plan to continue this approach by offering FlexStack to corporations for their employees on a scalable pay model. This strategy not only provides additional funding but also extends the program's reach to working professionals seeking to enhance their skills. 

The FlexStack program has been created as a result of significant internal investment by a GTPE with a wealth of experience in developing new programs.  Support from and partnership with Truist Foundation and MIT Solve will be essential in 1) providing scholarships to applicants with financial need to ensure that diverse underserved populations are fully engaged and 2) refining and implementing strategy and outreach with non-profit organizations, foundations, and industry partners who are inclined to help achieve our vision of addressing substantial inequities in the tech workforce. 

The challenge we are addressing is the widespread lack of accessible, flexible pathways to high-demand tech careers, which disproportionately impacts underrepresented minorities and non-traditional learners. While the tech industry drives economic growth and offers high-paying jobs with upward mobility, its workforce remains starkly inequitable.  Graduates of the FlexStack emerge with practical, market-ready skills and tangible work products to enhance their resumes. This program offers a unique opportunity for learners to gain a prestigious Georgia Tech credential while advancing their careers in a rapidly evolving job market. The Georgia Tech FlexStack credential is an innovative, modular program designed to provide accessible, rigorous and practical training in high-demand fields.