Black and Hispanic Scholarship

Over the last few years, the conversation of equity has become front and center for many institutions, Code Platoon included. As a Coding Bootcamp tailored to serve Veterans and military spouses, Code Platoon attracts people from all walks of life. It is dedicated to providing a unique programming education with viable financial options to bring students closer to their next profession as software developers.

Thanks to the generosity of donors and corporate sponsors, Code Platoon has provided generous scholarships to many students, creating an affordable and attainable opportunity. Code Platoon will be offering a Black and Hispanic Scholarship to enrolled students to further diversity in the technology field.

Stack Overflow, a site for professional programmers to ask and share insights on the industry of programming conducted a global survey in 2019 to gauge who made up the field and what issues workers faced. In terms of demographics only, 3.6% of respondents stated their ethnicity as Black or of African descent. Those who responded coming from a Hispanic or Latin background was at 7.1%. 

Currently, unemployment numbers are difficult to pin down due to the uncertainty in the job market caused by the Coronavirus. However, in a recent study done the VA found that minority Veterans have a 44 percent higher risk of unemployment than non-minority Veterans. We know that our minority students face these challenges, and we believe that our Coding Bootcamp can help overcome these odds as 81% of our graduates find Full-Time employment as developers six months after completing the program. 

Given the unique experiences that the military can provide, employers have begun to recognize the Veterans’ values in the workforce. Ability to adapt, exposure to leadership, and a strong work ethic are just a few of the reasons Vets make great employees, and that mindset should be extended to the minority Veteran population, and chances are it will be embraced more over time as the service branches, and the country as a whole, become more diverse.

“Code Platoon has always been a mission-driven nonprofit, with a goal to help Veterans and spouses. Within this population, we know there is a greater need to support Black and Hispanic students, who are underrepresented in technology. This scholarship will help with access, equity, and creating more opportunities for those that need them the most.” says Rod Levy, ED and Founder of Code Platoon. 

While Code Platoon is a small Coding Bootcamp creating this scholarship is aimed at making an impact and continuing to diversify the programming field while also empowering Veterans and military spouses into sustainable careers. 

To apply for this scholarship, interested students will just indicate on their application and the admissions team will follow up with them. This financial assistance could not be made possible without the aid of donors and supporters of Code Platoon. As a nonprofit, Code Platoon is fortunate to have stakeholders who believe in our mission and are invested in diversifying technology jobs. 

Amanda Michelle Gordon is one of Code Platoon’s summer interns, serving in the Content and Marketing department. She is a U.S. Air Force Veteran and a student of SUNY New Paltz for Journalism and Sociology. In her free time, Amanda enjoys reading, the outdoors, and turning coffee into copy. You can find Amanda on LinkedIn and Twitter.