Many people want to pursue careers in technology, but not everyone has the money for the training they need to turn that aspiration into a reality.
That's why Strategio wants to flip the script and pay people to earn qualifications in data engineering, cybersecurity, full-stack development and more. The Miami-based startup launched in August after raising $2 million from investor Hydrogen Group PLC, an investment group headquartered in the United Kingdom.
The goal is to remove the financial barriers that often prevent Black, Hispanic and other underrepresented groups from earning those qualifications and match them with jobs at large companies, said founder and CEO Conor Delanbanque.
"People go out and spend money on a college degree, but then they might have to spend thousands of dollars retraining at a boot camp to actually get a job somewhere," he said. "If you're from an underserved group, you know what it's like to not have money for that opportunity."
Here's how it works: Strategio will select participants and then pay them $5,000 to take an eight-week training course provided by the company. Once they are qualified, the trainees – called "Strategio technologists" – are matched with one of of the startup's corporate clients for one- to two-year job placements, with the opportunity to become a permanent employee after that period. The company covers $5,000 in relocation costs if a trainee needs to move for their new role.
And the gigs comes with benefits: Every Strategio participant is considered a full-time employee and receives health insurance coverage during training and initial job placements.
"We source, invest, train and deliver candidates to our clients," said Delanbanque, adding that Strategio aims to partner with high-growth ventures and Fortune 500 businesses that want to onboard more diverse hires. Strategio, he said, can deliver a reliable talent pipeline of 20 to 30 hires per quarter for their corporate clients.
While Strategio is focused on uplifting underrepresented groups, Delanbanque emphasized the training program is open to anyone with some experience in computer programming – including self-taught individuals and people with college degrees. The startup aims to eventually establish programs for veterans, neurodivergent talent and women returning to the workforce, he added.
Despite some gains, people of color are still underrepresented in the STEM workforce. Black employees make up just 9% of U.S. STEM workers, while Hispanics account for 8% and Native Americans and people who identify as two or more racial groups 3%, according to the Pew Research Center. While a growing number of women are graduating with STEM degrees, they hold on a small share of jobs in fields like engineering and computer science.
Delanbanque, who previously worked in headhunting and recruiting, said Strategio has about 20 corporate partnerships in the pipeline. The startup has two employees, with plans to scale to at least 10 by the first quarter of 2022.
"Strategio will advocate for early career tech talent, give them a voice, help them get a job and help them advance in companies, all while acting as a reliable [employee] pipeline for businesses," Delanbanque said. "I honestly believe we're disrupting the way businesses find talent."
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