November 8, 2016
Hillary vs Trump: The Presidential Tech Inclusion Debate Results – Part 2
Now we are down to the countdown of the final moments of the 2016 Presidential Election. Â If you have not voted please do so before the precinct closes in your local area. Â Unsure of where the closest voting location is for you? No worries Google has done a great job in helping with this. Click here to find the closest location to your home address.
Solution
Alright back to the Presidential Tech Inclusion Debate yet before we jump into that let’s discuss Malcolm X’s quote has it relates to Tech Inclusion.  He stated, “…if you give people a thorough understanding of what confronts them and the basic causes that produce it, they’ll create their own program, and when the people create a program, you get action.† From Part 1 of this series, we learned that presently only 5% of individuals who are employed in software developers, applications, and systems software are African-Americans and 5.4% are Latino. Â
With percentages this low, there can only be one common factor, lack of access to formidable training options.
According to Course Report Alumni Outcomes & Demographics Study for 2016, various ethnicities are enrolled in coding bootcamps to gain employment as a software developer. Â Only 5.4% of coding bootcamp graduates are African American, 12.7% are Hispanic, 43.3% are women, and 69.9% are white. Â Course Report has conducted further research that states the average tuition to attend a coding bootcamp in 2016 is $11,451.
I know as you are reading these facts you are wondering if an individual wanted to attend a coding bootcamp he/she can apply for Federal Student Aid.  Let me help you answer that question looming in your mind, NO the U.S. Department of Education does not grant federal aid for a continuing education program such as a coding bootcamp.
So as Brother Malcolm said “…they’ll create their own program, and when the people create a program, you get action.† The action that has been taken is the formation of BEtechThinkful.
BEtechThinkful is one of the most innovate scholarship programs where social change and education have united to begin to solve tech inclusion for persons of color – including men, women, veterans, and LGBT member – by offering formidable training.
This year four (4) full tuition scholarships are being awarded to selected recipients to attend Thinkful.  All scholarship recipients will also receive a plus a 13-inch MacBook Air courtesy of Nathaniel J.
BEtechThinkful is made possible by the collaboration of its Founding Partners; Black Enterprise, Nathaniel J., and Thinkful.
“I’ve always learned through people smarter than me. It’s why we created Thinkful: To learn from the best. Not through a video or a lecture, but 1-on-1, with feedback and a focus on the topics I want to learn. Education is all about trust — trust that the school has your best interests at heart, trust that there’s no such thing as a stupid question, and trust that you’ll succeed at something important when you put in the work.†– Darrell Silver, CEO at Thinkful
Commentary* – The Presidential Tech Inclusion Debate, Moderated by Nathaniel J.
Nathaniel J.: Hillary, now that you have taken a moment to review a viable working solution to assist with Tech Inclusion, will Americans see  similar actions occur if you became President of the United States of America?
Hillary Clinton:Â Let’s not assume…
Nathaniel J.: Okay….?!!? Mr. Trump same question.
Donald Trump:Â Hillary has experience, but its bad experience.
Nathaniel J.:Â Mr. Trump we are not discussing Hillary’s experience, better yet how about we all agree to disagree. Â Yet there is one thing that we can all agree on, is we all love America.
Therefore, let us unite as one for we will be stronger together in many ways where we can make America great again the right way.
I Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump the best of luck to both of you tonight and no matter what we are all striving for the same goal.
To APPLY and learn more about BEtechThinkful, visit BlackEnterprise.com/betechthinkful
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*Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton quotes are from the first presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York on September 26, 2016.