Photo by Colleen Connolly for Work Shift
For 27 years, the Midwest-based tech boot camp i.c.stars has trained hundreds of people earning at or near poverty-level wages and helped them land higher paying roles. The training provider boasts a 75% placement rate with employers, and in the last 10 cohorts, participants’ salaries increased from an average of $24K annually to more than $53K.
Key to the success of i.c.stars has been its ability to not just teach tech skills, but also durable workplace skills—and to connect participants to a network of employers ready to hire them. But a changing economic landscape and declining entry-level tech jobs are forcing the organization to get more creative about engaging employers and finding ways for its participants to get vital work experience.