Local nonprofit invites metro Atlanta community to apply for scholarship-funded cybersecurity and coding training
In January, Westside Atlanta-based nonprofit City of Refuge is set to welcome its latest cohort of trainees as part of its Tech Transformation Academy (T2 Academy), which offers fully-funded scholarships to individuals seeking to break into the tech industry. The next cybersecurity and web development classes will start in January and February, respectively.
T2 Academy was launched in 2021 after the organization was awarded a $5.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to invest in technology career pathways. The program has already reached 60% of its grant goal to recruit and train 280 individuals from minoritized, unemployed and underemployed demographics as of August. Students in the program receive training from instructors with Atlanta-based DigitalCrafts and the Carolina Cyber Center of Montreat College.
Beyond tech training, T2 Academy provides job placement assistance for individuals after graduating from the program. Upon completion and credentialing, graduates have the opportunity for job placement assistance as a Web Developer/Software Engineer or as a Cyber Security Analyst. Graduates have received internships, apprenticeships or full-time employment at salaries ranging from $50,000- $90,000. Some of the early graduates have now been promoted and earn in excess of $100,000.
“The support we’ve received from the Atlanta business community has been invaluable for T2 Academy and has contributed significantly to its success. When we kicked off the program in 2021, we hardly knew anyone in the corporate world, but today, we have recruiters from Atlanta’s biggest and most influential companies who want to work with us and source talent from our cohorts,” said Ron Cofield, instructor, mentor, placement Professional for the Tech Transformation Academy. “Leaders at these companies have come in to speak, provide mock interviews and advise students, giving them the skills they need to succeed in tech.”
Since the start of the program, City of Refuge has assisted with placing more than 60 graduates in tech-based careers at a variety of leading Atlanta-based corporations, including Intercontinental Exchange, Capgemini, Delta Airlines, Cox Enterprises, NCR, EY, Aaron’s, FastTek Global, Revel Systems, Computacenter, Quikrete, and Experient, among others.
“Our mission is to give aspiring tech professionals an opportunity to embark on a life-changing journey without the burden of financial and time constraints, so we try to make it a seamless experience from end-to-end,” said Jeannie Ross, Director Workforce Innovation Hub at City of Refuge. “There is no cost to enroll and we provide scholarships, free laptops and access to child- are and meals, so people are able to attend class and stay on track to graduate without obstacles.”
Cybersecurity students receive 9 months of training with a syllabus that includes IT Fundamentals (CompTIA ITF+ certification), PC and Operating Essentials, Network Basics (CompTIA Net + certification) Server Basics, Scripting, and Security (CompTIA Sec+ certification). Students in the 4-month Web Development program receive a certificate in full stack web development. Their curriculum includes Developer Fundamentals, Programming Fundamentals, Front End Development (HTML, CSS, Javascriot), Back End Development (node.js, Express, PostgreSQL) and Advanced Front-End Frameworks (React).
In addition to technical skills, the program also emphasizes soft skills training, with graduates emerging not only with technical proficiency, but with the ability to communicate effectively, work in teams and adapt to the dynamic demands of the tech world.
Applications are now open for the January and February class. To apply and learn more about T2 Academy, please visit www.cityofrefugeatl.org/tech-academy.
About City of Refuge
City of Refuge was founded in 1997 with the mission to transform the lives of individuals and communities in Atlanta and beyond. Today the organization resides in a warehouse that was graciously donated in the 30314 neighborhood, one of the poorest and most crime- ridden areas in the nation. Since inhabiting the warehouse, City of Refuge has served over 35,000. The organization has created several programs designed to impact housing, youth development, health & wellness, and vocation. The City of Refuge is a leader in social transformation and continuously works to empower and equip individuals with the tools to succeed.
