University of Denver Partners with Technology Employment Colorado to Offer Free Tech Skills-Training Programs to State Residents

The University of Denver’s (DU) University College has partnered with Denver Economic Development & Opportunity’s Technology Employment Colorado Partnership (TEC-P) program to fund a scholarship initiative that will give 24 learners access to high-quality, fully-online boot camp training programs through DU at no cost. The scholarships are offered with support from DU’s online program partner 2U, Inc. as part of its Access Partnership program, and are designed to help grow Colorado’s pipeline of technical talent, particularly among women, Black, Latinx, and lower-income professionals. 

“The University of Denver has a strong history of working closely with our surrounding communities to solve problems together – including being a workforce generator for local companies,” said Michael McGuire, dean of University College, the college of continuing and professional studies at DU. “Through our partnership with TEC-P and 2U, Colorado residents will be able to accelerate their careers, or pursue a new one, through a high-quality, flexible program that will empower them to make a difference.”

Scholarship recipients will be able to enroll in boot camps in the in-demand fields of coding, data analytics and cybersecurity through DU’s University College. The scholarship covers the full cost of the programs. Colorado residents can apply for scholarships for these boot camps which begin in February and March 2022. The scholarship will fund eight seats in each program, 24 students total, to start.

“Investing in upskilling Coloradans, particularly those from historically excluded communities, is one of the most important initiatives we can take as our state’s tech job market continues to grow,” said Tony Anderson, Workforce Services Director at ​​Denver Economic Development & Opportunity. “The Access Partnership is a great example of how companies, universities, and workforce development agencies can come together to build and diversify local talent pipelines.”

Colorado has seen the market for tech jobs grow in recent years. But the skills gap for these types of jobs persists – in the past six months, according to Burning Glass Labor Insights data, employers in the Denver metro area posted nearly 35,000 jobs requiring coding skills alone. The partnership between DU, TEC-P, and 2U will help address these gaps by creating access to tech training programs that will prepare residents for these in-demand jobs. 

“We are excited to partner with DU and TEC-P to deliver high-quality online education to learners who have been historically underrepresented in technology-related jobs,” said David Sutphen, 2U’s Chief Strategy and Engagement Officer. “By creating affordable and accessible pathways into careers in technology, this innovative partnership will help close digital skills gaps and create a more diverse pipeline of tech talent across Colorado.”

Today’s announcement builds on DU’s partnership with 2U to educate working adults across a wide range of backgrounds and experience levels to help meet the needs of local employers. More than 1,900 learners have graduated from DU’s boot camps. Alumni now work at companies like Charles Schwab and Denver Health.

For more information on the Access Partnership, and to apply for a scholarship, visit bootcamp.du.edu/tecp-opportunity.

Local Employers Invited to Get Involved

The DU Access Partnership is funded through Denver Economic Development & Opportunity (DEDO) Workforce Services. With additional investments from local employers, the scholarship program can expand even further. Employers can help build a diverse pipeline of local tech talent and benefit from 2U’s talent matching and referral services for those awarded scholarships, while meeting Colorado’s acute employment needs in the wake of COVID-19. Industry partners interested in learning more about how they can support the Access Scholarship fund can contact mbartlett@2u.com.

About University of Denver’s University College
University College is the award-winning provider of adult education at the University of Denver—a top 100 university as ranked by U.S. News & World Report. From professional development through the Center for Professional Development to personal enrichment, bachelor’s completion to graduate certificate and master’s degree programs, University College is the lifelong learning partner for the Rocky Mountain region and beyond. For more information, call 303-871-2291 or visit universitycollege.du.edu. For additional news and updates, subscribe to the University College blog or follow University College on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn. 

About Technology Employment Colorado Partnership

Colorado is a national leader in emerging technology and innovation. Denver Economic Development & Opportunity (DEDO) and its partners want to seize on this unprecedented opportunity to reskill and upskill Coloradans into high demand sectors that are fundamental to the state and national economies, while also ensuring individuals have access to career pathways that provide mobility in a post-COVID-19 world. DEDO’s Technology Employment in Colorado Partnership 2.0 (TEC-P 2.0) will develop the talent pipeline in information technology (IT), advanced manufacturing (AM) and transportation in alignment with middle- to high-skilled career pathways by building on past successes, innovative modes of training delivery, existing partnerships, and an innovative hub model that drives regional alignment across 10 of Colorado’s central corridor counties and replication by Colorado’s workforce system throughout the state.

For more information, visit www.tecpcolorado.com.

About 2U (Nasdaq: TWOU)

For more than a decade, 2U, Inc. has been the digital transformation partner of choice to great non-profit colleges and universities delivering high-quality online education at scale. As the parent company of edX, a leading global online learning platform, 2U provides over 40 million learners with access to world-class education in partnership with more than 230 colleges, universities, and corporations. Our people and technology are powering more than 3,500 digital education offerings — from free courses to full degrees — and helping unlock human potential. To learn more: visit 2U.com.