COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa. (KMTV) — Nonprofit The AIM Institute is partnering with the Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce, Centro Latino of Iowa and Iowa Western Community College to help more underrepresented populations, such as Latinos, get jobs in tech. Latinos make up more than 10% of the city's population.
They're launching the CB Tech Career Acceleration program which will help 20 underemployed people break the cycle of poverty and land high-paying jobs.
"Tech is actually a universal language, so no matter where you're from in the world, the tech terms are the same," Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce's Alicia Frieze said. "So being able to have individuals that can speak to somebody from other areas of the United States or the world is really important to help grow our area or grow their career."
"Why follow a technological profession? We say it's a million-dollar decision," AIM Institute's Itzel Lopez said. "We say this because during a period of 30 years, which is approximately the time a person works, a person that works in tech can make one million dollars more."
Projections from consulting firm Korn Ferry estimates there will be 4.3 million job openings in tech, media and telecommunication by 2030.
"Only 1.7 million individuals actually had the education to work in those fields so it's really important that we are providing diverse opportunities for everybody to get involved in STEM," Frieze said.
The program gives 10 weeks of instruction and ESL support.
"They're gonna come meet with us and give them an overview of the program which will be 20 hours as an introduction to web, once they get done with that, they'll jump into 80 hours which jumps into the fundamentals of web development," Frieze said.
Lopez — who is an immigrant from Mexico — is determined to bring more opportunities to marginalized communities, based on her own experiences.
"I was a person — at some point — undocumented. I know the value of having a good education to breaking the cycle of poverty in our families," Lopez said.
Providing for her family is what Gloria Cortez, an immigrant from El Salvador, is prioritizing by participating in the program.
"It's very important and exciting because I can contribute, I can provide to my family and help my husband, my sons in school," Cortez said.
It's forming her "own path" to the American dream.
"I can learn new things, prepare myself with a better education for my future, to get a better career for my family," Cortez said.
The program is getting funded thanks to a $50,000 grant from Google.
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