Coding Resources Join to Help Youths Skill Up

CNM Ingenuity’s Deep Dive Coding and Cultivating Coders have teamed up to help connect more young people, especially underserved populations, to high-quality coding jobs in an increasingly digital economy.

Together, the two organizations expect to complement each other’s strengths, increase their collective reach and make greater impacts on the state’s digital workforce and economy.

“This partnership is a natural fit for both of our organizations, but most importantly it will provide greater opportunities for young people in our state to learn the valuable skill of coding and get connected to the high-demand tech-jobs in our state’s economy,” said Kyle Lee, Chief Executive Officer of CNM Ingenuity, which operates Deep Dive Coding. “We’re proud to be partnering with Cultivating Coders and we’re looking forward to helping more young people brighten their futures through coding.”

Cultivating Coders, founded by Charles Ashley III in 2015, is a social-impact business that brings coding opportunities to communities that are least likely to have easy access to it, such as inner-city neighborhoods, Native American reservations and isolated rural communities. Those who participate in Cultivating Coders include middle school students, high school students and teachers in school systems across New Mexico. More than 90 percent of those who participate complete the Cultivating Coders bootcamps.

"From the beginning, we have intentionally placed our investment with our youth, our young people of color, because if we aren't starting early, we aren't building the path for our kids into the future,” said Ashley III. “By partnering with Deep Dive Coding, we are able to ensure all of our children, from 6th grade to college, are accessing the tools of today for the jobs of tomorrow here in New Mexico. Cultivating Coders believes in letting the community lead and building efforts that lift all people where they are."

Deep Dive Coding, a 10-week, 40 hours-per-week bootcamp, was founded in 2013 by a private entity and acquired by CNM Ingenuity in 2014. It was created to help fill the significant coding skills gap in central New Mexico’s economy while providing an accelerated coding education for those seeking quick entry into high-demand coding jobs, or to support their small business endeavors.

Since its launch, nearly 400 students have graduated from Deep Dive Coding. After the 10-week bootcamp, graduates are earning an average starting salary in the Albuquerque area of $48,000 per year. Deep Dive grads have also gone on to start 24 new businesses.

The new partnership between Cultivating Coders and Deep Dive Coding will provide a seamless pathway for young people who would like to continue advancing their coding skills and pursue technology careers or businesses.

In support of this vision, the Albuquerque Community Foundation is helping to lead the way, offering scholarship support for students who want to attend Deep Dive Coding after graduating from Cultivating Coders.

“The Foundation has supported both programs and seen very impressive results. It makes sense to stack the two programs leading to more highly trained, job-ready graduates, which is one of the priorities of our Tapestry grant program,” said Joanna Colangelo, Community Impact Director at the Albuquerque Community Foundation.

Learn more about Deep Dive Coding and Cultivating Coders.