St. Louis Community College has announced students enrolled in the technology training program, NPower, can now receive academic credit for their hands-on training and paid internships.
NPower Missouri has been training young adults in St. Louis with the tech skills needed to launch careers in technology since 2017. Alumni are also eligible to receive up to 12 hours of credit toward an STLCC associate degree for certifications earned and internships completed while in the Tech Fundamentals program.
Jeff L. Pittman, Ph.D, chancellor of STLCC, explained the significance of this partnership.
“We’re excited to provide this educational opportunity for students because it will create new pathways to upskill talent and build additional career tracks for young adults interested in tech careers,” he explained. “We’ve seen firsthand the transformation NPower has created for many young adults, helping them gain relevant, real-world knowledge in the tech space. We’re looking forward to building out our partnership with NPower and further serving the St. Louis community.”
Nationally, more than 7,000 young adults have graduated from the NPower program, earning a post average salary of more than $63,365 for graduates in Cyber, Coding, Cloud, NAS and ESM. Graduates from the NPower Missouri program that have been placed at an entry-level position earned an average salary of $40,792 in 2021, according to data from NPower Missouri, compared to the average entry-level salary of $28,624 across the city of St. Louis according to 2023 data from Ziprecruiter.
Ben Kesler, executive director for NPower Missouri, said this new partnership creates a faster trajectory for students to launch their tech or IT careers.
“We couldn’t be happier to have this option serve the St. Louis Community College student population, especially if it makes it easier for them to receive a college degree,” said Kesler. “This will be another pathway to prosperity we’re paving for St. Louis young adults as they get closer to obtaining a fulfilling career.”
In addition to the tech training program, NPower trainees also receive opportunities for mentoring, paid internships and help with job placement.
Young adults ages 18 to 26 interested in applying for the NPower Missouri program and receiving academic credit can apply by clicking here. Classes for the next semester begin in February 2023.
About NPower Inc.
NPower is a national nonprofit, rooted in the community, that is committed to advancing race and gender equity in the tech industry through skills training, real-world experience, support, and mentorships. The organization has helped young adults from underserved communities move from poverty to the middle class by training them with a range of tech skills and placing them in quality jobs. Students who enter the free, six-month training program, earn industry-recognized certifications and graduate with the competencies of an IT professional with one to two years of experience. NPower also places students in opportunities for paid internships, mentorships, job placements, and apprenticeships with corporate and nonprofit organizations. Eighty percent of NPower graduates get a full-time job or continue their education. NPower is a vital solution towards bridging the national talent gap that exists in the high-growth technology industry. Over the past decade, NPower has expanded its program reach and developed a robust network of Fortune 500 companies, mid-sized enterprises, government agencies, staffing firms, and a network of nonprofit partners that host its interns and hire its graduates full-time. To learn more about NPower, visit www.npower.org.
