Flatiron School and NYC’s Department of Small Business Services (SBS) Address Income Gap, Offer $1.3M in Tech Education to NYC Residents

The NYC Web Development Fellowship will help upskill underserved New York City residents looking to build successful, lucrative tech careers

NEW YORK--()--Flatiron School, an education innovator teaching in-demand tech skills, today announced a $1.3 million partnership with The Department of Small Business Services (SBS) and the NYC Tech Talent Pipeline to help NYC residents break into the tech industry and achieve economic mobility. The NYC Web Development Fellowship at Flatiron School (WDF@FIS) will train 75 eligible New Yorkers in software engineering, held at its Brooklyn campus. In order to qualify, residents must not have any prior paid experience in web development or software engineering and be currently making under $50,000 annually.

In New York City, the income gap continues to grow. According to the 2018 Self-Sufficiency Standard Report, 2.5 million residents can’t afford basic necessities such as food, housing, health care and child care. And while there are more than 20,000 software engineering jobs available in the metro area, there are still significant barriers to entry for those aiming to reskill and increase their income.

This nineteen-week program will aim to prepare local residents for, and connect them to, those plentiful job opportunities. Not only will they gain the technical skills to become full-stack developers, they will also be taught valuable professional skills including how to work within a tech team, ace a technical interview, and communicate professionally, to ensure their long-term success in any workplace. After the program has concluded, participants will get a chance to test their learnings: they will work closely with Flatiron School’s Career Services department and be connected to employment opportunities with NYC-based tech companies.

“As New York City’s tech sector continues to grow, the NYC Web Development Fellowship ensures that participants harness their potential and receive the skills necessary to begin their profession in the tech industry,” said Gregg Bishop, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services. “These industry-informed trainings provide an opportunity for a lucrative career in an ever-evolving tech sector.”

“The cost of living in New York City continues to rise, and with nearly half of New York City households making less than $50,000 it is pivotal that we open pathways to education, like this fellowship, to help people achieve economic mobility,” said Adam Enbar, Co-Founder and CEO of Flatiron School. “At Flatiron School, we believe that education enables the pursuit of a better life, and we are thrilled that the City of New York chose to trust us with the incredible opportunity of empowering residents with the skills they need to advance their careers and their lives.”

Flatiron School has demonstrated strong results in placing graduates in tech jobs at leading companies, such as Spotify, IBM and Accenture. According to Flatiron School’s 2019 Jobs Report, students reported an average salary of $74,566 for full-time salaried roles for job-seeking on-campus (across all of our campuses) and online graduates including full-time salaried roles, full-time contract, internship, apprenticeship, and freelance roles, and part-time roles during the reporting period (see full Jobs Report here).

To learn more about the NYC Web Development Fellowship, ttp.nyc/web-development-fellowship.

About Flatiron School

Flatiron School is an education innovator teaching students in-demand tech skills like software engineering, data science, and UX/UI design. When it comes to landing a job, Flatiron School graduates have a proven track record of success thanks to expert instructors, dedicated career coaches, and a tuition back promise (see details at flatironschool.com/terms). Together with WeWork, our mission is to empower people to change things – their careers, their lives, and the future.

About NYC Small Business Services (SBS)

SBS helps unlock economic potential and create economic security for all New Yorkers by connecting New Yorkers to good jobs, creating stronger businesses, and building vibrant neighborhoods across the five boroughs. For more information on all SBS services, go to nyc.gov/sbs, call 311, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About the NYC Tech Talent Pipeline (TTP)

Launched by Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2014, the NYC Tech Talent Pipeline is the City's tech Industry Partnership, designed to support the inclusive growth of the NYC tech sector by delivering quality jobs for New Yorkers and qualified talent for the City’s businesses. The Tech Talent Pipeline works with 385 companies, 17 local colleges, and additional public and private partners to define employer needs, develop training and education models to meet these needs, and scale solutions throughout the City, delivering quality talent for the City's businesses and quality jobs for New Yorkers. The NYC Tech Talent Pipeline is a public-private partnership between the NYC Department of Small Business Services, the Workforce Funders, and JPMorgan Chase Foundation. techtalentpipeline.nyc/

Contacts

Bateman Group for Flatiron School
Puneet Sandhu, flatironschool@bateman-group.com

Contacts

Bateman Group for Flatiron School
Puneet Sandhu, flatironschool@bateman-group.com