Social media giant Facebook announced Wednesday that it’s collaborating with the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership and City Colleges of Chicago to launch training programs that will help Chicagoans develop more digital skills.
Working with the CCWP, Facebook has committed to funding 50 scholarships for students to participate in coding boot camps offered by the Chicago Codes initiative. Additionally, Facebook is working with City Colleges to expand its digital marketing curriculum and training. Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s chief operating officer, was in Chicago Wednesday to announce the news.
The Chicago initiative is an extension of a larger project Facebook revealed earlier this month in which the tech company pledged to train 1 million U.S. business owners with digital and social media skills by 2020.
Facebook is the latest tech company to invest in tech-related resources for Chicago residents. This spring, Apple launched its “Everyone Can Code” program, designed in conjunction with the office of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Chicago Public Schools, the City Colleges, local businesses and nonprofit organizations.
And in March, Apple extended the program to partner with Northwestern University and create what they are calling a Center for Excellence at Lane Tech College Prep High School in Roscoe Village, where high school educators can learn about coding and computer science. Apple says the program aims to help address the national shortage of high school computer teachers.
In Illinois alone, the app economy has created more than 64,000 jobs, according to data from Apple.
