USAA funds new tech training expansion for young adults and military veterans from underserved communities.
NPower Texas has announced it is expanding its free tech training program into San Antonio, bringing new career opportunities to veterans and young adults looking to launch tech careers.
USAA, is funding the tech training expansion to help build a stronger and more diverse tech talent pool in the local San Antonio community. Boeing, Kelly Discover, Bravotech, HCL, and Bank of America already have expressed interest in hiring NPower graduates in the future for their San Antonio locations.
“Improving and strengthening our military and local communities is at the heart of USAA’s mission,” said Lindsey O’Neill, Chief Communications and Corporate Responsibility Officer at USAA. “USAA is proud to team up with NPower Texas to expand access to technology careers by providing free upskill and reskill programs so that veterans, military spouses, and young adults from underrepresented communities are able to earn industry-recognized certificates and thrive in their careers.”
NPower Texas has a strong history of training veterans and young adults with innovative technology skills and curriculum across the state.
Jonathan Pride, Executive Director of NPower Texas and former Captain in the U.S. Army, said San Antonio is ripe for developing tech talent, especially with its large population of military veterans and fifth-largest tech labor force.
“We are bringing our entire infrastructure and tech training program from Dallas-Fort Worth to San Antonio,” said Pride. “NPower Texas is already one of the fastest growing digital training hubs in the country. We have continually transformed and trained the veteran community in Dallas, helping more than 1,000 veterans, reservists, and their spouses land tech jobs with prominent employers. We’re excited to expand this program reach into Military City USA, which has one of the nation's largest active and retired military populations.”
The veteran community in San Antonio makes up nearly 13 percent of the state’s population with the tech industry ranking near the top among the fastest-growing industries. Despite the strong demand for diverse tech workers, labor statistics show San Antonio has a shortage of qualified tech talent.
Pride said even more alarming, only 25 percent of young adults in San Antonio earn a living wage, and it’s even lower for Black and Latino residents. Pride said this training expansion will bring more diversity, equity, and inclusion to San Antonio.
Currently, Black, Latinx, and Native American people make up only 21 percent of IT workers in San Antonio, even though they are 44 percent of the workforce. The veteran population in San Antonio is projected to grow more diverse over the next two decades.
Graduates from the NPower Texas program earned an average 477 percent increase in salary during 2021, according to data from the Dallas/Fort Worth training program.
“This NPower Texas expansion will help veterans and their spouses acquire the skills needed to launch tech careers. Local businesses and organizations throughout San Antonio will also benefit with a larger diverse tech talent pipeline,” said Pride.
NPower Texas is now accepting applications from young adults ages 18 to 26, military veterans and their spouses living in the San Antonio region. Classes are scheduled to begin in March 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 and veterans 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 paid internships 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.
Media Contact:
Mark Macias
646-770-0541
