Technology is an ever-evolving industry that can be timely and costly for those without the resources or knowledge to keep up with the times. The following are just a few of the organizations that are helping to make a difference with those challenges in the New Orleans area.
Starting Young
NOLA_CODE, a program of South Coast Code, was established back in 2014 with a simple yet powerful mission: to make technology education accessible to all K-8 students in New Orleans, regardless of their background.
Technology is shaping the future, yet too many students, particularly in underserved communities, are being left out of the conversation. What helps to set NOLA_CODE apart is its deep connection to the community. The team is not just teaching kids to code but fostering a movement to create genuine opportunities in tech for underserved youth.
“With computer science becoming a graduation requirement in Louisiana in 2029, our programs are more important than ever,” said Charlie Barnes, co-founder and executive director of NOLA_CODE. “We are one of the few remaining organizations in this field and the only one directly collaborating with New Orleans schools to implement this crucial change. As one of our students shared with our friends and donors, ‘You gave me the chance to realize that I can do more than just play games; I can code! It was an amazing experience.’”
Through collaborations with schools, the organization has impacted thousands of students and teachers across New Orleans by offering both direct instruction and teacher training in cutting-edge fields like coding, circuitry, robotics, AI and more. By equipping educators and students with real-world tech skills, they are creating a sustainable pipeline for future innovators and problem-solvers who can shape the future of New Orleans. NOLA_CODE’s vision for the future is that every student, regardless of background, has the tools to succeed in the digital world.
Staffed with local educators and tech professionals who provide age-appropriate instruction in coding, computer engineering, circuitry, and rudimentary robotics to children across the New Orleans area, NOLA_Code helps to make computer science education easily available, providing early exposure and skills in computer science that children would otherwise lack.
To learn more visit NolaCode.org
Workforce Training and Skills
For teens and adults looking to secure a high-wage tech careers, Operation Spark may be the way to go.
The nonprofit organization is an approved software training provider with the Louisiana Department of Education, as well as the Louisiana Workforce Commission, providing for high school students, teachers and adults throughout Southeast Louisiana. Past graduates have applied the skills they learned at global companies like LinkedIn, GE, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and PayPal.
Operation Spark founder John Fraboni said the vision of the program came to life after a conversation with a friend about ways to help New Orleans youth fast-track into high wage careers in the software industry.
“Our High School to High Wage program is for junior and senior high schoolers,” Fraboni said. “Each year, we have about 1,000 high schoolers engaged across the state of Louisiana. We offer a two-year track of semester-based courses that start with an intro to fundamental concepts, go all the way to professional level software development, and include courses in IoT and video game programs.”
Fraboni noted that graduates of the organization’s full high school track have entered the software industry as junior software engineers with starting salaries in the $70,000 range.
For adults, Operation Spark partnered with Hack Reactor in San Francisco in 2015 to develop an adult workforce program, Immersion, which graduated its first class in January 2016. Immersion takes between six and eight months to complete.
Later that year, Operation Spark received a license from the Louisiana Board of Regents to operate as a proprietary school offering industry-based credentials in JavaScript, functional programming and web development.
“We now have about 500 immersion grads, 98% of whom are employed as software engineers here in Louisiana,” said Fraboni. “The speed at which they trained means they got to the workplace roughly eight times faster than had they gone the university route.”
To learn more visit OperationSpark.org
Bridging the Gap
NOLAvate Black initially began with the launch of Black Tech NOLA, New Orleans’ first inclusive innovation conference, held back in 2018 during Essence Festival Week to address the systemic racism and social injustices that prevent Black people and under-resourced communities from gaining access to the high-demand and high-wage jobs available in the technology sector.
Black Tech NOLA has since grown to be a global tech exchange, bringing resources, funding, expertise and innovation to our local growing technology and creative economy.
In 2020, NOLAvate Black partnered with GNO, Inc., and began working collaboratively on specific initiatives and projects that will promote an inclusive and accessible ecosystem for tech professionals and entrepreneurs of color.
To learn more visit NolavateBlack.com
Tina Howell has been the Editor-in-Chief for Canal Street Chronicles. She is also a local sports and community events writer for Newsbreak and has contributed articles to multiple New Orleans publications.
