Ironhack, a Miami-based global coding bootcamp that feeds women and underrepresented minorities into the STEM pipeline, has garnered the 2019 Facebook F8 Scholarship to aid efforts to diversify tech fields.
The $250,000 award will launch the Digital Creators Fund, a collaboration between Ironhack and Facebook. It will help 50 students afford the bootcamp, which offers certifications in web development, UX/UI design and data analytics.
“We all know the tech industry has a diversity problem and that it’s not an easy one to fix,” said Ironhack co-founder Ariel Quinones. “Diversity and inclusion are not just buzzwords. They are crucial to our economic progress and should be a business imperative for all employers. We are honored to collaborate with a leading tech employer like Facebook to promote diversity in technical roles. We know that while opportunity is unevenly distributed, talent is not. Through these scholarships, many Ironhack students of diverse backgrounds will be able to take their first step towards a rewarding career in the tech industry.”
Giving money is one way Facebook – which is worth more than $500 billion – supports access to STEM education for women and underrepresented minorities, including working adults who want to switch to a STEM career, said Ime Archibong, the social media platform’s vice president of product partnerships.
“We have the unique opportunity and responsibility to ensure inclusion and diversity in our industry,” said Archibong, a Nigerian American. “Removing the financial barrier to pursue a new career in tech is critical to these efforts.”
Students wishing to start the Miami bootcamp in the fall can apply for a scholarship through May 31, and full and partial awards will be made, said Alia Poonawala, Ironhack Miami’s general manager.
The bootcamp costs $11,500 and can be completed in nine weeks full-time or 24 weeks part-time. Students have ranged in age from 18 to 55 but typically are ages 20 to 30, Poonawala said.
