Data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that employment in occupations related to STEM is projected to grow to more than 9 million by 2022. This represents more than 1 million more jobs than 2019 levels. The IT and STEM sector will hold a wealth of opportunities for those with trade certifications and college degrees. Despite this promising growth, the percentage of male minorities in STEM remains low. African-American & minority males represent only 2.2 percent of those working in STEM occupations. The goal of this Coding Academy is to ignite the passions of the students to pursue a career in STEM. Through hands on learning and mentorship by technology professionals, students will be introduced to concepts that can be used to further their STEM education and lead them down a technology related career path. The Academy aligns with the Mission and Vision of the BEAM Foundation, Inc. to provide service to the young men of the community.
For more information email us at info@Beamfoundationclt.org
Coding Academy Outline
The Coding Academy is a 10-week summer program designed to teach the elements of coding and development. The Academy is designed for African-America middle school males (Ages 11-13) with particular focus on individuals in the LMI population. The cost for the program will be $75 per student for the entire 10-week academy. Those with hardships will be offered stipends to defray the cost. The Academy will be a virtual event using Microsoft Teams for delivery. The Academy will meet each Saturday from 11:00 am – 12:30 pm and on Tuesdays from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm. Saturday sessions will be used to introduce new concepts and the Tuesday sessions will be for follow up and project work. Each Saturday session will also include a life skills component with specific focus placed on Financial Literacy Technology professionals from local corporations to serve as presenters and mentors to the students during the academy.
The curriculum for the Academy is designed to teach the entire Software Development Life Cycle. This will provide the students with applicable experience necessary to solve a real-world problem and deliver a final project that takes advantage of the accumulated learnings of the Academy.
