In a world that is more and more online, the demand for people with coding and web development skills has never been more evident as employers strive to fill positions with qualified workers.
To help grow the pool of such workers, free classes will soon be offered in West Plains for those interested in developing a technology career.
“Employers have a real need for qualified, skilled coders and web developers, and Code Labs is focused on getting people started on a new career path,” said Rachel O’Loughlin, program manager of Code Labs. The program offers local tech education and on-the-job training, provided by experienced software developers to adults in rural communities in Missouri and Kentucky.
The web development classes are free and can be taken by people who work during the day.
“Our classes are part-time, and run from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays,” she said.
The first set of classes will focus on front-end web development and consists of a 20-week course on the basics of coding in different languages such as HTML, Javascript and CSS and, later, more advanced web development tools.
Those who pass that course will be eligible for another 20-week course on back-end web development. In that series of classes, participants will learn about server-side issues, aspects of managing a website, and coding languages such as PHP, Ruby on Rails and .Net.
O’Loughlin said the back-end classes are also free for the students who completed the first course.
Though the classes are free to everyone ages 18 and older, she said, there is a limited class size, with a maximum of 24 people accepted. Applicants must go through an extensive process which requires critical thinking and problem solving tests, a short pre-work course on the basics of HTML, and a phone interview with O’Laughlin.
“We want to make sure the people taking these courses really want to be there and are interested in learning how to code,” O’Laughlin said, adding that the purpose of Code Labs is to provide practical experience and job readiness for high quality entry level software and web development jobs.
The program is able to offer free classes in part thanks to federal grants from the Delta Regional Authority and the U.S. Department of Labor.
After finishing all 40 weeks of coursework, participants will receive a certificate to show employers validating their practical knowledge. They can also apply for the Code Labs apprenticeship program and participate in its National Rural Source Employment Network, according to O’Laughlin.
The West Plains Code Labs course begins April 19 and will be held at the Greater Ozarks Center for Advanced Technology at 395 Jackie Garrett Drive. For more information or to apply, visit https://www.codefiworks.com/codelabs/. The deadline to apply is Sunday.
O’Laughlin also said the program is recruiting tech professionals interested in teaching coding on a part-time basis, both online and in the classroom. Teaching fellows are trained on the course administration system and given a curriculum orientation before the program begins. Assistance is provided by the Code Labs’ team of developers and O’Laughlin.
To be an instructor candidates must have previous professional experience with coding and programming languages.
To apply to become a teaching fellow go to www.codefiworks.com/codelabs-application-instructor by March 29.
