Extending the promise of Career Connected Learning is one of the commitments that serve as a pillar of Oregon’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) State Plan. Through this plan, Oregon received a grant from the US Department of Education to create pathways for high school students to prepare for potential careers in the technology industry. Central to the grant, Oregon Pathways to Apprenticeships in Computer Science (OrPACS) is providing high school students with training in the skills needed to be successful in a technology career.
Partnering with Code Fellows, allows ODE to gain access to cutting-edge curriculum designed to meet the needs of today’s learners and ensure they have the skills they need to succeed. We are leading the way in building, refining, and adapting curriculum to ensure we are keeping up with the demands of the industry and preparing graduates for the rigorous expectations of a career in tech.
At Code Fellows, we have been crafting technical curriculum since 2013. We have thousands of graduates now working in rewarding new careers in more than 800 companies in markets around the globe. We’ve been able to tailor our curriculum to fit learning styles, exceeding partner expectations and industry standards and setting a high bar of excellence.
Our passion for education is only outshone by our passion for providing access to it. This is why we love to partner with school districts and organizations like the ODE ensuring all individuals within our communities have a chance to succeed.
According to the World Bank, the evidence clearly shows that markets focused on technical education, innovation, policy, and financial investment thrive. However, the biggest challenge to economic growth is the lack of skill-based education to meet the demands of the market.
Education changes lives and our partners at ODE care about empowering students with access to the knowledge and skills that will propel them into thriving and rewarding careers.
The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) has chosen to focus its OrPACS grant proposal on building capacity in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics education, also known as STEAM education. The specific focus on computer science recognizes the essential role that STEAM education plays in building cross-cutting knowledge and skills, bolstering student engagement, and building a skilled workforce.
“I believe wholeheartedly in the power of STEAM education, and hands-on learning. It provides a pathway for more students to graduate high school, and obtain career-ready skills critical to their lifelong success.” - Oregon’s Governor Kate Brown
When communities don’t invest in relevant skill-based education, not only does the economy suffer but so do individuals who make up that market. There are typically large segments of the local population in these communities that are left out and left behind. In order to ensure stable and thriving economies, we must invest in education that provides the skills necessary to ensure the individuals within every economy obtain careers that provide living wages. This not only improves the overall infrastructure of the community it ensures all individuals who make up the local economy have the opportunity to both contribute to that growth and benefit from it.
When historically depressed markets invest in education, they begin to experience sustained growth. When people have an opportunity to learn and are given the skills to succeed, economic change follows. Immersive education brings this opportunity, shifting the paradigm of historically oppressed and depressed economies.
We believe that in order to accomplish our goals of ensuring every student has an opportunity to succeed we need to forge strong partnerships with like-minded organizations that share the same values. Partnering together allows us to leverage our collective strengths and ensure we create lasting change. ODE and Code Fellows share the same vision and through collaboration, we can focus on our individual parts that ensure the whole is complete.
We believe the immersive education model works when passionate instructors, teaching assistants, and support staff recognize education’s ability to change students’ lives. Giving students a firm foundation and growth in STEM can dramatically improve their education and access to career opportunities previously closed to them.
We are more than honored to be a part of the work that ODE is doing throughout the state of Oregon and are looking forward to helping students from all backgrounds gain the skills that lead to rewarding careers where they can thrive and help bring about positive change to their families and communities! ODE has the infrastructure, community and resources to ensure that students from all backgrounds have an opportunity to gain access to our high-quality curriculum so that each of them has a chance to succeed.
Are you interested in helping your schools and communities get access to relevant technical training? Let’s partner together to produce change. When it comes to tech education, we’ve done the hard part. Since 2013, we’ve been building, refining, and adapting our curriculum so that graduates are prepared for the rigorous demands and high expectations of the ever-changing tech industry.
