Kapor Center is now an NPower Partner

Equitable access to tech career pathways is urgently needed following affirmative action’s dismantlement, the decline of four-year college enrollment, and the growing demand for rapid reskilling as automation and artificial intelligence shift the future of work. 

Based on extensive labor market demand analysis, the Kapor Foundation seeks to increase Black, Latine, and Native job placements in durable, emerging tech career paths such as cyber security and software engineering with an eye towards intersections with artificial intelligence. 

In response to this, today, the Kapor Foundation’s Tech Pathways Initiative is announcing funding commitments across an innovative set of partner organizations advancing Black, Latino, Native, and other underrepresented talent across our focal ecosystems of Oakland, California, Atlanta, Georgia, and Detroit, Michigan.

A significant talent gap exists in the US cybersecurity job market with an estimated 750K roles unfilled and demand growing exponentially as systems become automated. The field’s median salary of $117,058 is largely earned among white males, with only 24% of cyber workers identifying as women, 9% as Black, and 4% as Latino  Since entry-level cybersecurity roles are accessible to talent without a bachelor’s degree, alternative education programs are uniquely positioned to help quickly bridge this gap.

NPower creates free, accelerated pathways to digital careers for underserved young adults (ages 18–26) and military veterans. NPower and the Kapor Foundation will partner on a Cyber Career Accelerator that will upskill and elevate women of color in Oakland and Detroit through hands-on lab work, wraparound support, career coaching, mentoring, and job placement services. NPower programs have a proven 80% job placement rate into roles such as cybersecurity analyst, info security risk analyst, and network administrator.

Read more about the announcement from Kapor Center here

Highlights Across the NPower Network

It has been a busy season at NPower, view all the exciting engagements and activity happening across the country.

NPower California

Bertha Haro, Executive Director of NPower California, recently participated in a panel discussion, To Attract More Talent, Build a Bigger Tent at From Day One’s Live 2023: Los Angeles, focusing on expanding opportunities via nontraditional pathways to attract more talent. She shared insights on NPower’s approach to providing career-entry opportunities to underserved young adults as well as career transitioning support for veterans.

NPower Maryland

During the NPower Maryland Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud Computing Program event, NPower Placement and Alumni Engagement Manager, AWS Cloud Computing, Jessica Saraniti, shared that she was there because Maryland alumni had shown up and stood out. The trainees and alumni learned valuable knowledge, and the room was filled with engagement and amazing energy! Alumni were throwing out nuggets of wisdom such as “networking is important,” “don’t lie on your resume,” and “use the resources of the NPower team.” It was truly an incredible experience!

NPower Michigan

NPower Michigan’s Program Director, Kaleena Eugene-Louis, had the incredible honor to participate in an intimate roundtable with Governor Gretchen Whitmer, NPower Michigan graduate Daisy Pointer, and other key leaders and advocates to discuss barriers women in tech face and the work NPower is doing to reduce those barriers. Thank you to Accenture and the Michigan Women’s Commission for intentional focus on this topic.

NPower Missouri

Exciting News! The city of St. Louis has officially recognized NPower Missouri in the Digital Inclusion Action Plan, an initiative that is dedicated to bridging the digital divide and empowering young adults for a tech-driven future.

NPower New Jersey (New York and New Jersey Metro Area)

NPower New Jersey Veteran Coordinator, Daniel Gentile was recently interviewed by Sergeant Gonzalo Duran, CEO of Devil Dog USA. Daniel shared NPower’s vast free opportunities for veterans and military spouses exploring a transition into tech and his experiences transitioning from an active-duty Marine to a veteran entering the workforce.
 
 
View the engaging interview here:

NPower Ohio

NPower Ohio Executive Director, Demarus Crawford-White, and the Ohio team had the opportunity to tour Clothes That Work and welcome a new referral partner. Their work closely reflects our mission of helping individuals from underserved populations become prepared for new economic opportunities.

NPower Texas

NPower Texas and members of the Command Shift Coalition were thrilled to attend this year’s AfroTech Conference. Thank you to the Fund II Foundation and their entire leadership team for sponsoring and making this unforgettable experience happen. 

“It was the most beautiful collection of Black and Brown excellence in one place and a true inspiration for all who could witness it.” 
– Jonathan Pride, NPower Texas Executive Director

Community Helpdesk

The Urban League of Metropolitan Saint Louis runs their annual Turkey Giveaway serving families in St. Louis and East St. Louis. This year, around 3,000 turkeys and meals were given away and our St. Louis Community Helpdesk team was able to be part of the action to support and share free resources of tech support with the community! 

Command Shift

Candice L. Dixon, Executive Director of Command Shift, presented a case study of NPower ’s partnership with research partner Lightcast to showcase data and solutions that have advanced the organization’s efforts to benefit women of color, employers, and the tech industry overall during Lightcast’s recent Connect Conference.

Candice also had the opportunity to attend Comcast NBCUniversal’s ‘Project UP Summit,’ where she convened with nonprofit leaders and Comcast executives to celebrate the collective work towards advancing digital equity.

Beyond Cybersecurity Awareness: Solution-Driven Impact with KPMG

With over 600,000 cybersecurity job vacancies in the U.S., the state of the cybersecurity workforce continues to be an issue of national concern with concentrated efforts, focus, and much dialogue. Through our Advanced Training Cybersecurity Program, NPower is well-positioned to be part of the solution, with over 600 cybersecurity professionals ready to take on the challenges and demands of the industry. 

Our partnership with KPMG U.S. enables us to increase the representation of underrepresented populations within cybersecurity through tech training and job placement while filling the ever-growing cyber talent gap. Since 2015, KPMG has partnered to place several Cybersecurity graduates, including Kenneth Zhen, who joined KPMG as an intern in January 2023 and quickly transitioned to a full-time role as a Security Architecture Associate by March.

Kenneth Zhen, an alumnus of NPower, is forging his own path and making his mark in cyber. After being recommended for an internship with KPMG, Kenneth was overjoyed when he received the news a week after interviewing that he had been selected as an intern. From the support of his KPMG team in various ways, coupled with the skills and knowledge he gained with NPower, Kenneth shined in his internship. Within three months, he transitioned to his current role as a Security Architecture Associate. 

“NPower equipped me with essential technical skills and knowledge that are directly applicable to my job, propelling my career at KPMG and making the transition into my internship and current position smoother. The opportunity to connect with professionals and peers in the industry has been invaluable for building a strong professional network. Their support has been the cornerstone of my success in landing and excelling in this role.”

From mentoring and hiring our students to generously supporting our work, KPMG is helping to advance our mission of creating pathways to economic prosperity through digital careers while addressing the cybersecurity workforce shortage crisis.