ST. LOUIS — St. Louis nonprofit LaunchCode is training people for new careers in the technology industry.
LaunchCode connects program graduates with employers as paid apprentices, so they can mold them into the exact skill set a company needs.
A LaunchCode education comes at no cost to students, and graduates can expect to make $55,000 to $60,000 dollars a year for jobs in St. Louis. As a result, it is very competitive.
The program gets hundreds of applications for a very small class, and some people apply several times before they get accepted.
Recent LaunchCode graduate Brooke Brown said, “I had zero, like no technical background. The first day I was like, 'What is happening here?'”
Brown laughs, now. But it was pretty intimidating, at first. When she first came to LaunchCode, she had a little college and a lot of retail experience. Now, she has a new career in coding.
“The changes that have happened for me in the past year because of LaunchCode have been insane,” Brown said. “I would not be the person I am right now if I hadn’t applied.”
At a November LaunchCode graduation ceremony, held at their north St. Louis facility, an administrator told those in attendance, “Today, we are recognizing 43 people. At LaunchCode, we are building the tech workforce of the future by changing the way companies look at hiring tech folks.”
The nonprofit founded in St. Louis 10 years ago is creating pathways into the tech industry for people who are often shut out of it. LaunchCode has trained more than 12,000 students free of charge.
Vice President Leah Freeman said, “Most of our students are what we call career changers. They probably have a degree in another industry.”
Current student Shanika Stovall said the program is difficult.
“But we also can reach out to any team lead,” Stovall said. “They have hours for you every week, and any time you have a problem, especially for my team lead, I can text and tell her, 'Hey, I’m stuck on something.' Even when it’s not her assigned time, she definitely reaches back out and assists me when I need her help.”
Ten years is a long time, particularly in the world of technology.
“Unlike a lot of traditional colleges and universities,” Freeman said, “we’re able to listen to our company partners and what they need now and in the future. And then we create the curriculum to meet their exact needs.”
Freeman said LaunchCode is seeking more connections with companies, urging employers to evolve from outdated or rigid hiring techniques.
“What we say is focus on skills-based hiring,” Freeman said. “Look at skills and experience over credentials. Good talent does not necessarily need a four-year degree or 10 years of experience in the industry to start adding value to your company.”
LaunchCode is taking applications now for a part-time web development class. The upcoming January session is six months long. Class meets two nights a week, plus students are expected to work 15-20 hours a week outside of class.
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