When the world comes out on the other side of the devastating coronavirus pandemic, it will no longer be business as usual. According to Opportunity Hub (OHUB) founder Rodney Sampson, the businesses that survive the COVID-19 shutdown “will operate more efficiently through purchasing and investing in edge technology, robots and software.” That’s why OHUB is partnering with Morehouse College and Momentum Learning to launch a new coding school, according to a recent press release.
Dubbed Momentum@Morehouse, the program is a full-time, 12-week bootcamp that Sampson said has an “immersive curriculum (that) not only preps you for real life as a developer, but also empowers you with the networking skills and opportunities to break down barriers.”
Slated to begin May 25, the first cohort will be virtual in response to social distancing and stay-at-home mandates. A fall cohort will follow beginning August 21.
“African Americans are scarce in tech, the field ranked nationally as having among the highest starting salaries and the most opportunity for future growth. Momentum@Morehouse recognizes this missed opportunity and is dedicated to bringing much-needed diversity to the computing landscape,” said Dr. Kinnis Gosha, Division Chair and the Hortenius I. Chenault Endowed Associate Professor for Experiential Learning and Interdisciplinary Studies at Morehouse. “With our accelerated coding program, students will learn how to write code, design software, and develop the tools necessary to be competitive for jobs in STEM.
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A pioneering name in economic opportunity for Black tech, Rodney Sampson is the founder of HBCU@SXSW and the Atlanta-based Opportunity Hub. In this episode, Rodney discusses investing in Atlanta blockchain startups Storj and Patientory, and the importance of connecting HBCU endowments to Black tech.
In an email, Sampson said they created the program to combat the downward career trajectory for Black men predicted by a recent report.
“McKinsey reported that Black America is slated to lose 4.5 million jobs in the next decade because of automation. Black men will be impacted the most,” Sampson wrote. “Opportunity Hub’s partnership with Morehouse College and Momentum is a definitive and scalable solution to close the skills gap for the future of work.”
The program is the latest in a series of initiatives OHUB has created in effort to close the racial wealth gap. The organization also works heavily with HBCUs, runs #BlackAndHired, is also working to give $1 million a year in scholarships to coders of color and more.
Sampson said they are working on securing scholarships for those with financial hardships for the coding program. He encouraged his online community to take the following next steps:
To learn more about the coding school or to apply, visit Momentum@Morehouse.
