Announcing the Alchemy Code Lab x WWCode Portland Scholarship

Original post published here. 

Although it is one of their core values, the folks at Alchemy Code Lab don’t preach inclusivity. Instead, they make sure that everything they do is imbued with a welcoming atmosphere, and in doing so, hope to facilitate their students’ best work.

Often that includes providing vital financial support to students so that they can take the huge step of transforming both their careers and their lives. The Alchemy Code Lab x WWCode Portland Scholarship aims to make this possible.

In partnership with WWCode Portland, Alchemy Code Lab is awarding two $5,000 scholarships each quarter to women who are self-starters, forward-thinking, and engaged in the community.

These scholarships will be offered for the very first time in January 2018, and will be applied directly to the recipients’ software development training tuition.

“This partnership with WWCode Portland is a key piece of Alchemy’s strategy and mandate to help get underrepresented groups into tech,” said Alchemy Code Lab CEO and Head Instructor, Marty Nelson. “We’ve seen progress in the number of women being hired, evidenced by numbers being reported through TechTown Portland and our own hiring data that shows how fast our female graduates get hired. And while the trend is headed in the right direction, we still only see about a quarter of tech jobs being held by women. Given that women make up half the population, we can’t look at a quarter, or even a third, as being ‘good enough.’ We need to double down on the efforts being made until we reach parity.”

As part of the Code Fellows network, Alchemy Code Lab provides training that is intensive and unparalleled. Working in a collaborative space with in-person instruction from industry pros, students engage with both proven curriculum, as well as advanced coursework developed specifically for Portland’s tech and creative communities.

Bootcamp Instructor and WWCode Portland JavaScript Lead Sarah Joy Calpo describes Alchemy’s program as a supportive process in which everyone is encouraged to try new things and share their learning. “No one knows what they’re doing,” Sarah Joy says of the program. “Admitting that helps us create an environment where everyone can say ‘I don’t know’ and, in turn, figure things out.”

Hands-on and student-centered, Alchemy Code Lab’s approach stretches well beyond the classroom. From honing interview skills to building resumes, social presence, and personal branding, the team at Alchemy wants to empower students to hit the ground running in an increasingly competitive industry.

Alchemy Code Lab is deeply invested in launching developers from all backgrounds into rewarding careers. Over the past year they’ve awarded over $200,000 in financial assistance to women and underrepresented groups through their Diversity in Tech Scholarship. The Alchemy Code Lab x WWCode Portland Scholarship fund goes a step further in guiding even more women into the tech industry.

Are you ready to radically change the course of your career? The first step is to fill out Alchemy Code Lab’s online application, and indicate that you’d like to be considered for the Alchemy Code Lab x WWCode Portland Scholarship!

For more information about WWCode Portland, check out our Meetup page or follow us on Twitter (@wwcodeportland) and Instagram (@wwcodeportland).