DETROIT, Mich. — Detroit-based Automation Workz Institute, Inc., the nation’s only Black tech diversity consulting and upskilling institution, today announced the close of $10 million growth financing to drive the expansion of their cybersecurity, network engineer and development certification courses to people of color across America.
* Game-changing funding will increase people of color access to Automation Workz programs
* 30 percent of Automation Workz graduates have received six-figure job offers
* “The best social justice program is a job, especially a high-paying high-demand tech job” – Automation Workz CEO & Founder Ida Byrd-Hill
Focusing on careers in network engineering, cybersecurity and IT/tech, as a post-secondary vocational school, Automation Workz customizes workforce training to develop diverse adults for high-paying careers in business, tech and cybersecurity. The announcement took place on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 at the 2021 ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego.
“This new funding partnership with Blair is game-changing on so many levels,” said Automation Workz CEO and Founder Ida Byrd-Hill. “Lack of money should not be a barrier to move into the plethora of high-paying tech jobs that, for too long, have been a barrier to people of color. For years, I’ve advocated the best social justice program is a job, especially a high-paying high-demand tech job. I’m so thankful to Blair for believing in Automation Workz which I built to discover the tech genius that is often overlooked within inner cities.”
As an immediate benefit, the new funding will increase people of color access to Automation Workz’s program using Income Share Agreements whereby students sign an enrollment agreement. Upon graduation or receipt of a higher-paying job, whichever happens first, they will share income to repay tuition over four years. Automation Workz will also be able to add more staff and artificial intelligence capabilities to increase enrollment, hence more job offers. Automation Workz’s goal is to assist 50,000 people of color to achieve six-figure job offers to create prosperous affluent economies in inner cities across America, thereby reducing crime, poverty and the stress that plagues inner cities.
“Blair is excited to partner with Automation Workz, a leading education provider, to increase upward mobility and afford students the opportunity to achieve great outcomes,” shared Justin Stolzenberg, Head of Growth at Blair. “Their commitment to providing students an excellent education and lifelong career path is second-to-none, and continuously proven through their commitment to outcomes-based financing. We are thrilled to work with Automation Workz on removing the burden of upfront payments from their students and increasing access to their program.”
To date, 30 percent of Automation Workz graduates have received and accepted six-figure job offers with the highest offer received by a Black woman. Reflecting its community and student constituents, people of color Instructors and mentors provide a safe and inspiring training space to launch into the tech industry. In addition, beyond a traditional curriculum, hands-on certification training utilizing digital simulations, games and animation are unique tools to both grow and groom the invisible tech geniuses that live in inner cities.
Both endorsement and validation of its high-powered training is illustrated by Automation Workz’s inclusion as one of the nation’s top 10 Cybersecurity Bootcamps by Career Karma and being named one the Best Cyber Security Bootcamps of 2021 by Intelligent.com. In addition, Pearson PLC of London has validated Automation Workz as distinctly having a niche audience of 30-40-year-old Black women which is unique across the world.
About Automation Workz Institute
Founded in 2017 as Cisco Networking Academy, Automation Workz Institute is an SBA woman-owned career technical trade school that advocates the future – and how we get there – uniquely depends on automation, processes and people (APP). Emphasizing innovation and ideation, Automation Workz expertly retools and enhances APP for internal and external audiences through scalable, customized services designed for organizations of all sizes. In 2021, Automation Workz was ranked as one of the nation’s top 10 Cybersecurity Bootcamps by Career Karma. Most recently, it was named one the Best Cyber Security Bootcamps of 2021 by Intelligent.com, a trusted resource for online degree rankings and higher education planning. For additional information, go to https://autoworkz.org.
About Blair
Blair empowers schools of all kind to be more accessible by structuring and creating sustainable ISA (Income Share Agreements) programs. The team at Blair deeply believes in two core facts: education is powerful and access to education should not depend on one’s financial background. Millions of talented people are not able to fulfill their potential due to financial barriers. Backed by some of the most prestigious institutions of the educational and financial services sector, we are building the financial and technological infrastructure to create outcome-based financing methods. Our goal is to help level the playing-field and give everyone the chance to improve their own lives with just grit and passion rather than a stellar credit score. As a service to educational institutions, we only succeed if our partner institutions and their students succeed. To learn more, go to https://joinblair.com.
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