We are a not-for-profit organization founded in June 2016, dedicated to the vision of a talent-fueled pipeline for our region’s software sector. To build this pipeline, we work with employers, educators, and community organizations to identify, train, and advocate employment of people with the skills to work in software and IT jobs.

The goal is to remove the economic and cultural barriers to working in technology. We want our region to have an inclusive, vibrant, and expert pipeline of technologists. Part of that mission involves changing mindset in our region about who can be a technologist, and how to evaluate candidates for technology jobs.

The goal is to remove the economic and cultural barriers to working in technology. We want our region to have an inclusive, vibrant, and expert pipeline of technologists.

Workforce courses are designed to spot and skill up non-traditional talent for careers in software, data, IT , interactive marketing, and technology in general. Because in our region, a ‘traditional’ candidate has a computer science degree, we strive to place folks without that degree – or any degree – into the tech businesses that are growing our region.

In Spring 2017 we began a practice of having students in two courses – Front End Web Development and Back End Web Development – work together to create websites and web apps for local initiatives. The PinDrop Project, with project sponsor Leet Cyber Security, was the first: a fully searchable map-based web interface to find cybersecurity events all across the northeast united states.

The Fall 2017 students are working on four projects:

• a mobile interface and website for Jazzy Sun Birthdays, an all-volunteer project run by Fazana Saleem-Ismail  has been bringing birthday parties to kids in homeless shelters since 2011. Jazzy Sun not only treats the underprivileged celebrants to a real celebration, but builds connections between kids from diverse economic backgrounds;
• a more robust website, with content management, for 4th Family, an Albany-based non-profit run by Jahkeen Hoke that uses youth interest in basketball, football, and environmental issues to engage inner city high schoolers in STEM research and development projects with RPI students and faculty;
• a demo site for a searchable app – brainchild of Army veteran and RPI MBA student Jason leBrecht – that lets veterans find local businesses offering discounts to them, as a way to thank them for their service; and
• a starter website for CyberHub, a peer learning and community outreach project of Leet Cyber Security founder Tyler Wrightson, which will invite local youth to get involved in developing cyber security skills.

Thes portfolio projects not only give our non-traditional students hands-on, practical experience, but align with our mission of building bridges, and raising tech IQ, across all social and economic classes in our region.

MomUp! is our way of giving every Cap Region mother the mindset and vocabulary to empower the children they love to develop the skills that 21st century jobs require. It’s a 2-hour workshop to map the universe of computing and careers that reward coding skills; moms also get hands-on experience with free resources to get themselves and their kids into the mindset and habits that all coders need.

Digital Literacy is a course created as a bridge for students to our workforce computer programming classes, as well as to assist other students in gaining the computer skills necessary for a wide range of jobs.  Digital Literacy relies on differentiated instruction to meet students where they are and help them to reach their own personal goals.

The class begins with basic computer skills, such as using a mouse, file structures, word processing and spreadsheet software, email, typing, and web browsing. Students who master these skills will be able to move on to introductory HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to prepare them to enter our Front End Web Development classes.

We offer Digital Literacy in partnership with community based organizations, and can scale the curriculum to meet a variety of different formats, including six-week, ten-week, and twelve-week programs. If you are interested in partnering with AlbanyCanCode to offer a Digital Literacy class through your organization, please contact us at info@albanycancode.org.

Starting in 2020, students will be able to enroll in a twelve-week Digital Literacy class offered alongside our workforce computer programming classes.