ActivateWork & NAAAP

NAAAP CO goes into the details for Activate Work, a FREE tech program that can help get you into a new career without any cost.

    TRANSCRIPT

JANIE: Hi everyone! My name is Janie Sayavong and I’m the president of the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) in Colorado. I’m here with Jeannette Schultz, an outreach manager for Activate Work. Jeannette, if you wouldn’t mind, tell us a little more about yourself, that’d be great.

JEANNETTE: My name is Jeannette Schultz in Activate Work. I have been with the company less than a year but I’ve been in non-profit for about 20 years.

JANIE: If you wouldn’t mind, telling me just a little more about the purpose of the program, how it’s funded.

JEANNETTE: So is was founded by Helen Young Hayes, who is also the CEO. She wanted to elevate and diversify the IT industry. We are actually funded by a variety of different funders, community funds, and have been able to provide these classes free.

JANIE: Who is this program really intended for? Perhaps you can give me an idea of what that program looks like.

JEANNETTE: I feel like when when there are people out there stuck in their careers or maybe stuck in a dead-end job, this is maybe an opportunity. Do you like fixing computers? Do you like trying to find a solution? Do you like helping others understand the complexity of why they can’t move forward with their website or why they’re stuck on a page?

JANIE: Jeannette, what type of investment is needed?

JEANNETTE: Funding takes care of all the tuition, the books. We do require you to have that commitment, the drive, the determination to finish. It is 9:00 to 4:00 every day. There is one professional day where you get to meet and get some coaching on resumes, mock interviews, so that’s one.

JANIE: Excellent. Jeannette, this has been great information. So how would prospective candidates learn more about Activate Work? Where can they go for more information? How do they apply? Give us the download on that.

JEANNETTE: So, we have a website at www.activatework.org. If you go on the website under “Learners” you can click on “Software Engineering,” under that tab and it will tell you everything about Software Engineering. What the classes are. What the certification might include and even the positions you can qualify for after the class is done. Then at the bottom of that information page is a link for you to start the application. The first one is Software Engineering in October and then Desktop Support in November. We will have new ones coming in 2023. We see it about 24 — that’s why it’s competitive. It can be anybody. They have to be legal to work here in the U.S. They have to commit to 9:00 to 4:00 every day. Some of our learners might have weekend or evening jobs just so they can be in class. Classes are hybrid. It could be on online. On professional development days where you get to meet potential employers, we do require our Student Learners to come in to the office and be able to meet prospective employers. Alternatively, if you can’t find it easily, you can email me at info@activatework.org and I can get you the links and help you connect to those classes.

Jeannette, this has been great information I appreciate you taking the time to really help our audience, our AAPI community members, and supporters learn much more about Activate Work. It sounds like it’s a great opportunity here for someone who has the desire to really better and learn these technical skills without accumulating six-figure student loans.

Thank you again, for making that time, and if anyone does require additional information in the application process, know that that information is here again, available on www.activatework.org, and you can contact info@activatework.org which goes directly to Jeannette’s line.