Codetalk

Access to tech and creative industry employment

West LA

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Codetalk seeks to address inequitable access to the economy for underrepresented minorities, which is especially prevalent in the technology industry. Although the tech workforce continues to grow at twice the rate of the overall U.S. workforce, the male-dominated demographics have hardly budged. Currently, 27% of tech jobs in the U.S. are occupied by women. Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino individuals make up 8% each. In California, where tech employment is the largest in size and scale, the rate for Black/African Americans is only 3%. Educational institutions that predominately serve people of color are systemically underfunded, keeping communities long impacted by poverty and racism out of the industry. Societal expectations and structural inequities like the gender pay gap have also driven women out of the industry. To address these barriers, we need to provide alternative postsecondary pathways that are low-cost and specifically designed for underrepresented populations.

Launched in 2015, Codetalk creates a pathway to high-quality jobs for underserved women, particularly women of color who play a vital economic role in lifting up communities, often being head of households and sole providers. We prepare our students for the rigors of a technology career in tandem with the development of professional skills; we simultaneously address personal and circumstantial barriers to employment through case management and supportive services. Codetalk has undertaken an innovative approach to empowering women who have dealt with difficult circumstances to change their own trajectories. The program’s underpinnings are based in computer science, using methodologies adapted from cognitive behavioral therapy, neurolinguistic programming, and healing-centered engagement. These modalities, offered in a nurturing and safe environment, empower and support students as they learn HTML, CSS & Javascript, Agile project management, User Experience Design, Content Management Systems, and Quality Assurance and gain the skills and confidence to thrive in the workforce. Due to the program's focus on project management and adaptive leadership, Codetalk graduates are quickly and effectively prepared for careers in tech as well as a wide variety of creative fields.
Codetalk is committed to equity and ensuring equitable access to the economy for underrepresented minorities. At least 50% of each cohort are Black women, and at least 80% of each cohort are women of color.

At the heart of St. Joseph Center’s philosophy is the belief that workforce development is a key lever for systems change. We view our work as more than just helping individuals find jobs; we see it as a way to disrupt the cycle of poverty and unemployment that traps so many in our society. By focusing on economic mobility through vocational and educational training, we aim to reduce system dependency and unlock the latent talent of people who have been sidelined by the current socio-economic structure. To St. Joseph Center, the success of Codetalk means a tech workforce that is more representative of the population in Los Angeles County.