Skillspire - The Coding School

Skillspire’s mission is to advance the careers and futures of underrepresented talent: women, immigrants, and people of color.  We envision a tech sector that better reflects the population it serves by training and supporting diverse, historically underrepresented communities in their journey to enter technical careers. We believe that every individual – and especially those from underrepresented communities – should have the opportunity to pursue their dreams in the tech sector.

Our growth has been driven by the mindful design of our educational experience and the fact that our community members are talented, hardworking, and eager to solve the labyrinth of navigating professional circles from which they have traditionally been excluded.

With ever tightening immigration rules, we see increased demand for local skilled talent. Many even come with prior tech backgrounds and degrees. Without pathways into our ecosystem, they end up in low-paying jobs: warehouses, airport, rideshares.

We are currently facing a global refugee crisis. As the UN High Commissioner of Refugees states clearly in its 2018 Global Compact on Refugees, enabling refugees to earn incomes is far better than giving them aid, as it creates self-reliance and choice. To enable this, we need not just social programs and services, but effective targeted programs to help push them to achieve more.

Skillspire exists because the tech sector’s current talent pipelines will likely never achieve the diversity that properly represents our communities without a hub for training and mentorship that specifically focuses on underrepresented communities. What started as a simple coding bootcamp is expanding into a dynamic, multi-layered community engagement, professional development, and training center that is changing lives.  Tech companies often outsource talent from various countries around the world. With ever tightening immigration rules, we see increased demand for local skilled talent. And these tech giants in Seattle’s backyard can shift the narrative for the whole industry and are looking for diverse talent. The Seattle region has the second largest foreign-born population in the country: over half a million. Many even come with prior tech backgrounds and degrees. 

The people and voices that are so crucially underrepresented in tech are here in spades. They’re industrious, ready to learn, eager to work, and loyal employees. Investing in them is a solid investment not only in one’s company, but in their collective contributions to our regional economy and community. 

We recruit hard-working, bright candidates who have the grit to succeed in the tech sector. Our focus and outreach efforts are reflected in our students, who represent our local Latinx, African American, immigrant and refugee populations and women. Over 90% of our students identify as non-white.

One of the biggest advantages for Skillspire is that the founder and CEO is female and a person of color. She, being an active community builder is able to reach communities of color and understand the struggles that the communities face. With her tech background and community activism, she is able to connect and offer mentorship and guidance to people who are not familiar with the tech sector.

Here is another video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUdWXqOR2ig

Skillspire's solution is to partner with community-based organizations to source diverse talent, and incorporate mentorship and professional training, to help students navigate networks and promote themselves in ways they often haven’t been exposed to. These people deliver back to their communities. By investing in underrepresented groups through community organizations, we know that we are disrupting the old system and creating pipelines for representation for the future. The courses that we offer currently are Full Stack Web development, Data Analytics, Java & Cloud Computing with AWS and Cyber Security. These are in-person as well as hybrid courses that are offered from 12-16 weeks, meeting twice a week.      

Our goal is for our local tech sector to look more like the populations it serves. We want to see gender parity in tech, and a much higher percentage of people of color in the local tech sector. We are excited about the opportunity to invest more deeply in the Seattle region’s diversity and beyond in the years to come. Through word of mouth recruitment, designing our courses with underrepresented populations in mind, and grassroots outreach to community-based organizations, Skillspire has already graduated over 130+ students across King County with one in four placed with local tech employers. That paired with our growing network of businesses and community partners committed to diversity and harnessing talent in the region have allowed us to begin building out employment and apprenticeship partnerships.

Skillspire’s approach is innovative because we are improving tech diversity by harnessing the diverse – but underutilized - talent that is already here. With their diverse backgrounds and daily challenges in mind, we provide affordable and accessible technical upskilling while coaching, mentoring and training on the soft skills to navigate our tech ecosystem. Our programs are:

• intentionally affordable at 1/5th the price of similar coding bootcamp programs;
• intentionally flexible, to allow community members supporting families to continue working full-time jobs; and
• taught by instructors who are working in industry, who our students can also relate to, as the instructors also come from underrepresented backgrounds.

The final step is apprenticeship, which will provide the needed real world experience that every company expects from a prospective employee. 

Skillspire’s approach is innovative because we are improving tech diversity by harnessing the diverse – but underutilized - talent that is already here. With their diverse backgrounds and daily challenges in mind, we provide affordable and accessible technical upskilling while coaching, mentoring and training on the soft skills to navigate our tech ecosystem. Our programs are:

• intentionally affordable at 1/5th the price of similar coding bootcamp programs;
• intentionally flexible, to allow community members supporting families to continue working full-time jobs; and
• taught by instructors who are working in industry, who our students can also relate to, as the instructors also come from underrepresented backgrounds.

Every day we talk to people who tell us how they immigrated here with a degree in IT, Engineering etc. and how life challenges could not let them pursue the career of their choice. They end up taking low-paying jobs and continue living pay check to pay check without ever meeting or networking with people who can provide them other options. 

At Skillspire, our diverse team, is focused on our mission every step of the way. We take the time to listen to the stories of each student and mentor them, taking into account their holistic experience and educational background and guide them to the courses of their choice. 

And most importantly, the job search assistance that we provide into apprenticeships or entry level jobs play a huge role. Keeping in mind the lack of network that our students face, we become their ally.

As an immigrant, a minority woman in tech, a community activist, I know firsthand the challenges faced by the under-represented communities.
Skillspire was born out of the need to bridge the opportunity divide that exists in the workforce of the future. As AI is dramatically transforming the digital literacy skills required of the global workforce—and the very nature of work, this creates challenges and opportunities. We see the racial bias that exists in some of the AI-powered technology around us. Minorities and people of color are targeted innocently. And the companies that are building the AI-powered robotics need the diverse employee population, who can design the products keeping in mind the population that they are trying to reach. At Skillspire, we are training these diverse population so that they will be the innovators of these AI-powered technologies. The break down of our students are as follows: 34% women, 66% Men. African descent 42%, Asian 25%, White 17%, Other 15%, 2% Latino. 

Here is a post from our alumni who was successful: Immigrated to USA with 1000$ in my pocket, lived in the car, on the street with no work for a half a year, finally started first good-enough job in manufacturing, helped to move my friend here, get a better job a year after, went to a great programming bootcamp, landed a awesome job in a great company. 

Shoutout to Skillspire bootcamp that helped me to achieve my dreams and get a job in IT.

Our target customers are persons from diverse backgrounds including women and minorities, who are passionate and committed to entering the booming tech sector. Our customers include persons who may or may not have prior experience with technology, those who are changing careers/field and wanting to reinvent themselves professionally and those who are working full time at jobs that do not offer as many pathways for advancement. Skillspire, through its many contacts and social relationships, source customers (students) from these various groups.

The target customer segment are as follows:
 students ages 18 or higher, who have completed high school and seeking
technical training with the goal of immediate employment
 students who could not afford 2 year or 4-year degree
 blue collar workers who are motivated to see employment in the IT industry.

We have served over 120+ till now. Currently there are 23 students enrolled in Full Stack Web Development, Java and Cloud Computing and Data Analytics. For 2020, in a very conservative projection, we will serve 65 students. We have already enrolled 33% of the students till now and getting to our projected number of 65, should be very possible. We have increased the number of classes and also working to offer courses in Dallas, TX. 

In five years, by 2024, (again a conservative estimate) we would have graduated 650+ students. This is again a modest estimate and I am confident that we would do much better! With offering training in different markets, the impact and numbers can only get better.

What started as a simple coding bootcamp is expanding into a dynamic, multi-layered community engagement, professional development, and training center that is changing lives. By the end of 2020, we want to have branches opened in Dallas, TX and Los Angeles, CA. These are hubs for immigrant population and we feel that there is a huge opportunity to tap into the diverse population. 

In addition, we are also looking to expand internationally into Africa. More than 90% of our students are People of Color and the energy, grit and passion they bring with themselves is very heart-warming. With six of the ten fastest growing economies in the world and over one billion consumers, Africa is poised to play a pivotal role in the global economy. Just like companies look to skilled talent in China, India or Eastern Europe, we want to put Africa on the map for skilled talent. According to McKinsey report, "there an abundant source of talent in Africa. It’s the youngest population in the world; the average age of an African is 19.5 [years old], compared with 46 or 47 in Germany and Japan. And [the people are] hungry; they’re willing to learn—all they need is an opportunity." 

From the students that we have interacted in the past 3 years, I can confidently say that Africa is definitely the next place for us to be!

1. Any change we want to bring about on a large scale, needs partnerships with the right entities. Be it tech or community partners we want to forge strategic collaborations to help achieve our mission of closing the opportunity divide. A strong team that focuses on Marketing to the different populations is essential. For this, we need financial resources. Thus far, growth has been organic.To take it to the next level, we need to invest in a agile marketing team.  
2. Challenge with apprenticeships/placing students. Though about 1 in 4 Skillspire grads have found new tech roles, it continues to be a challenge to help place our graduates into jobs. There is an inherent mindset that bootcamp grads do not have the technical depth. Companies that are looking to hire entry-level employees pretty much always go to colleges and universities to hire them.
3. Advocacy. Tech jobs have never been an option for CBO clients. We need to amplify our voice to showcase the amazing changes happening in the lives of ordinary people. This involves media attention to focus on the effects of not just our work but the work of all our partners. As stated before, we are very focused about our mission and how this can bridge the opportunity gap that exists in the tech sector. Imagine a tech sector that truly represents the diverse population it serves. Imagine a world where every hard-working, committed individual is given a chance to excel, not by the connections and the resources they have. 

1. Add staff to support expansion in Marketing and career readiness services. Currently with the limited resources, we have done some great work. But we are creating an aggressive marketing plan to reach more people in the coming years. 
2. Expand employer relationships with Skillspire and with students. In 2020, we have hired a manager whose goal is to establish partner relations with companies. By offering Career days with speaker panels and open houses, our goal is to demystify the tech sector and provide networking opportunities. This would include 1-1 career coaching and workshops on linked in, resume writing, and specific tips for navigating the tech sector such as recruiter interactions, github, salary negotiation and more; Speed mentoring and interview tips panels. We also want to engage with companies who are focused on volunteerism from those already working in tech who have similar backgrounds. This in turn will spur priority hiring and apprenticeships. 
3. Strengthen and formalize partnerships with community-based organizations to ensure this work is sustainable and student- and community-led. This will be by institutionalizing our existing programmatic work and partnerships, igniting an interest and passion, student-driven, and deeper and more sustainable impact

Skillspire is different from other coding bootcamps in that we are intentionally mindful about underrepresented communities from start to finish in the student experience. Thus, our services, mentorship, and course offerings distinct from those offered by other tech schools that are predominantly attended by white men or affluent young professionals. The main population with whom Skillspire hopes to work and bring on as students encounter tough barriers, such as lack of financial resources, time, support or understanding from family and friends, and a well-connected network. And despite their prior training, education, resourcefulness, and community skills, many assertively and strategically  pursue well-paying, professional jobs in our local information or tech sector economies.  

A we are focused on developing our students, by first understanding the background and history of the person taking our courses. In our two locations in Bellevue and Renton, we focus on community-based organizations to source diverse talent and are incorporating mentorship and professional training into the curriculum, to help students navigate networks and promote themselves in a way that they may not have been exposed to before. Depending on their prior experience, their interests and available time commitment, we suggest the best course for them, thus providing guidance even before joining the course. Once the student is enrolled, the instructors (who themselves have pivoted from a different field) provide motivation and encouragement to hustle in this field, sharing their own stories and bringing in community members and recent graduates who are finding success in local tech. 

We are looking to expand into the Dallas Fortworth area and Los Angeles this year. Both these markets have a huge influx of immigrant population and minorities. We have already conducted an initial marketing survey at these markets. The results have been very encouraging. We are working on the licensing process for and intend to start offering training in the summer of 2020 in Dallas, TX and in the Fall in Los Angeles area. 

With huge influx of diverse populations, both markets are ideal for an affordable, flexible, coding bootcamp that can help bridge the gap that exists in the industry. 

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We have been operating very lean for the past four years. Right now we have 1 full time staff, which is the CEO, 2 part time staff for marketing and Operations. and 1 part time staff for Business Relations. 

In addition, we have 8 Instructors who work as Contractors with us to teach the courses that we offer. 

Finally, we had a partner join us in August 2019. His role is more of a mentor and consultant. 

We also have a Board of Advisers team of 6 people from various industries who advise us on various issues as needed.

The Founder and CEO, Yasmin Ali, being a minority woman from an under-represented community is able to connect and understand the background of the people that Skillspire targets. Being a community activist for over 12 years, she sees firsthand the challenges that the under-represented communities face. Without the right network, mentorship, and financial resources, they are stuck in a vicious cycle not being able to get into a career of their choice. She has been able to establish relationships with several CBOs, affinity and religious orgs. Her ability to connect with every student has helped in the growth. Please check out - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUdWXqOR2ig&list=PLcnK74EfSdzbHfADK3S-QTpoliH3B67l1

In addition, all our instructors are from diverse backgrounds, who themselves have gone through switching career fields and from non-traditional backgrounds. This helps the students to see themselves in the Instructor. 

By providing mentorship, networking and job support, we aim to bridge the skill gap and opportunity divide in the tech sector. By training students locally, we aim to source skilled talent locally so that tech companies don’t have to outsource or offshore, all while creating increased diversity in the tech companies.
We have had some coverage in the local media about Skillspire: 

https://www.geekwire.com/2018/...
BuiltinSeattle.com - https://www.builtinseattle.com...
Female Founders Alliance - https://www.femalefounders.org...
Newsweek - https://www.newsweek.com/insig...
https://425business.com/inclus...

Skillspire works directly with CBOs (community based orgs), religious orgs and
advocacy groups to market to all segments of the population. We are also working with local government agencies like Workforce Development Council and Worksource. We are licensed by the WA Training and Education Board. Thus we are on the Career Bridge, where anyone looking for training or upskilling can find us. 

We also recently got approved for Veteran training benefits. Now we are forging partnerships with several entities that work directly with Veterans and active military. 

Some of the CBO's that we work with are: Trac Associates, King County Workforce Development Council, Neighborhood House, Veterans Affairs, Seattle Jobs Initiative, Partner in Employment, Welcome Back Center, YearUp and more.

Our work to build national partnerships with community-based organizations will help strengthen current relationships in Seattle, but also help open doors to new ones. Our work with some these groups is in the pilot phases and we hope to see a deeper partnership develop in the next year.

Skillspire’s goal is to address 3 problems in the marketplace.

1. Individuals from under-represented communities (e.g. low-income households, refugees, etc), women and minorities do not have an opportunity to apply and get jobs and vocations suitable for the skill sets they have. Also, these individuals often lack access and motivation to get trained in technology (e.g. cloud, mobile etc.), and this can result from lack of professional network and financial resources.
2. There is a huge demand for skilled talent in the tech sector. The skill sets of the tech sector not only demand traditional IT skills (e.g. experience with Oracle, Microsoft etc.) but also emerging technologies such as cloud, mobile, artificial intelligence, NoSQL databases, etc.
3. There is a broad lack of diversity and inclusion in the tech companies, and there is shortage of talent when looking at the typical talent pools. Being able to percolate the hidden skill set of individuals by intentionally identifying, developing, and promoting under-represented communities is needed to meet the growing demands of tech talent, but also to be more intentional about diversity and inclusion in its broadest and most
comprehensive way. 

Skillspire mission is to be at the intersection of these problems by providing affordable technical training that is tailored to the needs of these communities.

First and foremost, our funding model is through tuition. Although the tuition is kept at an affordable price, this is the major source of revenue. From 2017 to 2018, our growth in revenue was 250%. From 2018 to 2019, our growth has been 51%. The reduction in growth is because we are investing in a team to scale the business gradually. We are already financially sustainable. Now we need to focus on scaling our operations.

Secondly, we had a partner join Skillspire in August of 2019 with an investment of $150K. He strongly believes in the mission of Skillspire and invested capital, which has helped scale our business in the last 6 months. He also brings in years of experience in building companies and marketing.

The Founder believes in growing the business slowly but gradually before going for any venture fund capital. Once a business is able to sustain itself, then to accelerate growth additional resources in terms of finance, mentorship, strategic partnerships are essential. Being a minority woman the resources that are available are limited. This particular challenge seems very much in line with our mission of increasing opportunities for people who are marginalized. 

With ServiceNow's market reach and exposure, Skillspire can grow immensely with mentorship and media opportunities. Our hope in applying for this challenge is to amplify our voice that the challenge of bridging the opportunity divide is real. Its a much bigger than Skillspire's mission. This is something every company has to make a priority for us to grow as a community.

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There are several local and national organizations that we want to partner with. But some of the main ones are below: 

1. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - In their annual letter, Bill and Melinda talk about focusing on education going forward. And also on women's entrepreneurship. 
2. Skoll Foundation - drives large-scale change by investing in, connecting, and celebrating social entrepreneurs and the innovators who help them solve the world’s most pressing problems. The problem that we are trying to solve is much bigger. With orgs like Skoll, we can help achieve this.
3. African Leadership Academy - Recently, one of our goal is to take this training to Africa, to places where there is so much young talent and energy. In working with a lot of people of African descent, I see the potential. My vision is to to create a skilled talent hub in Africa, just like we look at India, China and Eastern Europe.

Finally, as I am browsing through some of the applicants to this challenge, there are quite a few that are proposing solutions to untapped talent in different parts of the world. It would be great to partner with these serious applicants from different countries, whose companies have shown results and figure out a way to collaborate and achieve the workforce challenges that we are individually trying to solve!