From coworking spaces to innovation labs to startup accelerators, leaders of tech communities are looking for ways to help people in their communities learn how to write excellent code.
That’s where Powered by Code Fellows comes in.
By licensing our curriculum, established organizations can bring short-term, high-return training to their communities quickly.
One of our partner schools, DeltaV Code School in Cedar Rapids, IA, has witnessed incredible change in their students’ lives since joining our Powered by network last year. I sat down with Aaron Horn, the Chief Operating Officer at NewBoCo, the nonprofit that operates DeltaV Code School, to hear about the transformations they’ve seen after a year as a Powered by Code Fellows school.
What were your reasons for becoming a Powered by Code Fellows Partner?
One of the major reasons DeltaV Code School became a Powered by Code Fellows partner was because of the impressive curriculum. Code Fellows has a strong reputation of being an industry leader in the tech education space. We were excited to bring that level of education to Iowa. And Code Fellows helped us get our operations and marketing off the ground through training and support for our team during and after launching DeltaV.
How has it impacted your local market?
There is a real talent gap problem in Iowa. One way we are addressing it is by teaching career changers how to code. Iowan employers are struggling to fill their open developer jobs and we’re trying to help build the available talent pool. In our first year of operation, 100 percent of DeltaV Code 401 graduates got a job in Cedar Rapids within 60 days, with an average starting salary of over $58K. These students were starting a brand new career and already making above Cedar Rapids’ average household income.
Tell us about a student whose life has been changed through the program.
We’ve had a number of success stories through our DeltaV Code School since its launch last year. The first story that comes to mind is Jason, a veteran and call center representative for GoDaddy. He tried out a traditional two-year computer science degree but sensed the program was too slow. DeltaV felt like a better option for him, and now, 20 weeks later, Jason is a full-stack developer for a major insurance company based in Cedar Rapids.
Dustin is another one of our graduates with a remarkable career transformation. He was an electrical apprentice, and before that was a cook at Hy-Vee Grocery.
After graduating DeltaV Code School, Dustin more than doubled his earnings. He was hired at United Fire Group and has already been promoted in his role, now training new junior developers.
Dustin also continues to be involved with the current cohort of students in DeltaV. He consistently volunteers to help our Code 101 courses and provides constant encouragement, and offers valuable feedback on project presentations for students.
We’re extremely proud of the hard work and time that our students—like Dustin and Jason—dedicated to better their future. We’ve laid a lot of the groundwork necessary to help our region develop a sustainable, world-class innovation community and it’s so exciting to see our code school already make a meaningful and measurable difference.
How is DeltaV involved in the Cedar Rapids startup community?
When instructors at DeltaV aren’t teaching, they’re helping startups build software. NewBoCo, DeltaV’s parent nonprofit, also runs the Iowa Startup Accelerator. We are connected to many startups that need software developers. In fact, DeltaV is a Related Technical Instruction provider for U.S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeships, and NewBoCo has hired an apprentice that will help startups write code once he graduates from DeltaV!
What would you tell others who are considering becoming Powered by Code Fellows partners?
As the tech education market becomes more and more competitive, you have to look for ways to set yourself apart. Being a Powered by Code Fellows Partner is a great way to offer access to a great tech education that not only provides a talent pipeline for our local businesses but also encourages people in our community to consider launching into a rewarding new career.
Any final thoughts?
We really appreciate all of the support that Code Fellows provides us here at NewBoCo with our DeltaV Code School, and we look forward to expanding and welcoming even more students next year!
Thanks for sharing about the success at DeltaV, Aaron!
If you’d like to learn more about bring our curriculum to your community, get in touch!
