OpportunityPHL: Tech and Innovation Internship

This summer, Coded by Kids hosted interns through our Tech and Innovation Internship and OpportunityPHL* mentorship programs, which connect underrepresented students in Philadelphia with tech industry professionals. Broken up into teams — Draft2Code, Kermit, and Zygotes, the students worked together to solve problems, gain valuable advice from mentors and learn from our partners during site visits and virtual workshops. The program included 18 Philadelphia high school and college students, ages 16 to 24, who come from backgrounds that are traditionally underrepresented in tech and innovation.

Sylvester Mobley, Founder and CEO of Coded by Kids, sees effective mentorship of young innovators as a key step in turning Philadelphia into the capital of equitable tech. “By introducing students to experienced mentors, we’re building their confidence and giving them a direct connection to the world of tech and innovation,” says Mobley. “Fostering relationships between students and professionals who will champion their success is another way to expand opportunities for students who have been underrepresented in the field.”

In addition to the mentorship program, the students took part in Coded by Kids’ second Tech and Innovation Internship, working for Draft Studios, a web development agency comprised of talented and ambitious college and high school…