LaunchCode: Land Your Dream Job in Tech
Keighan Gunther, MSS (he/his)
Assistant Vice President @ LaunchCode
LaunchCode: https://www.launchcode.org/
LinkedIn:linkedin.com/in/keighangunther
Interviewer: Ashley Pastino (she/her)
Talent Acquisition Manager @ Penn Interactive
Penn Interactive: www.penn-interactive.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/penn-interactive-pi/
What is LaunchCode?
LaunchCode is a national nonprofit creating economic opportunity through free, accessible tech training and apprenticeship and job placement. While careers in technology have traditionally been reserved to those who can afford a four-year computer science degree, LaunchCode’s programs are free and accessible to motivated individuals who are assessed for passion, drive and aptitude rather than credentials. To date, nearly 2,500 LaunchCoders have landed a tech job and thousands more have gained digital skills through the program nation-wide. LaunchCode opened its Philadelphia office in early 2020 and is already providing training and job placement services to aspiring technologists in the region.
What are some ways LaunchCode is making an impact in new pathways to economic opportunity through technology?
The economic impact of the pandemic caused many low-wage jobs to disappear almost overnight, leaving those already struggling with few options. At the same time, the very jobs that LaunchCode’s programs lead to — software development, app management, systems maintenance, and many others — have become some of the most depended-upon jobs in the world. LaunchCoders placed into these jobs on average double their previous salary and many move directly from high-risk yet low-wage work to upwardly-mobile, stable career pathways. Plus, because LaunchCode training programs are 100% free for students, our graduates are leaving debt-free, which is huge in today’s economy!
What’s the social impact aspect to job training and education nonprofits like LaunchCode?
At LaunchCode, we believe that while talent is equally distributed, opportunity is not. Traditionally, entering the tech industry has been reserved for people who can afford a college degree or enroll in a pricey coding bootcamp, and we’re here to challenge that. Yes, degree programs play a crucial role in tech training and there will always be individuals who choose that route. But for the tens of thousands of people who cannot afford a degree, free options for skills that contribute to wage and career growth are crucial for creating true impact. Since we’ve expanded to the Philadelphia market, we’ve formed relationships with several other nonprofits doing important work to move the needle alongside us and it’s amazing to see so many efforts to create pathways to career opportunity!
What was behind the decision for LaunchCode to expand into the Philly market?
LaunchCode chose to enter Philadelphia after evaluating the job market, digital skills gap and thanks to startup support from the Philadelphia Schools Partnership. Even in the midst of the pandemic, Glassdoor reported nearly 6,000 open tech jobs in Philadelphia in November 2020 — jobs with average salaries of over $68,000. In order to move people into these roles now, the region needs accessible and accelerated ways to provide skills to large cohorts of learners and LaunchCode is well suited to do that in Philly! Plus, Philly’s ongoing effort to establish the region as a “diverse tech hub” is perfectly aligned with LaunchCode’s mission to open doors to tech careers for all, while at the same time providing companies with a diverse, homegrown talent pipeline.
How has the pandemic impacted and/or added challenges to people pursuing a new career in tech?
Starting a new tech career during a pandemic brings unique challenges — especially for individuals who come from non-tech backgrounds and may not have experience in professional settings. Because so much of the interview and onboarding process is still being done virtually, job candidates have to discover new ways to showcase both their technical skills and their soft skills through a computer screen. Technical skills are definitely easier to communicate virtually — for example, part of LaunchCode’s job-readiness program is students building a website or mobile app in order to better demonstrate their skill set to employers. Soft or interpersonal skills are much harder to demonstrate to interviewers via computer screen and ironically, it’s skills like these that are in high demand by employers right now!
Why do you think there’s a lack of diversity in the tech industry? (unwelcoming environment at companies, gender & racial bias)
We believe in order to truly diversify the tech industry, traditional recruiting and hiring practices need to be seriously revamped. Many companies still prioritize applicants with a four-year degree and in the evolving tech industry, this rigid hiring practice shuts out lots of talented people who are self-taught or learned from free skilling programs like LaunchCode. We know that cost, not talent, is the main barrier to gaining traditional credentials. The time demanded to earn even an associates degree is more than someone working full-time or with dependents can afford to give. Companies searching for “the perfect resume” and requiring a 4- or 2-year degree and a number of years of work experience often overlook great candidates who have life experience that, although unconventional for the tech industry, gives a unique perspective that adds value to a tech team. Of course, once companies get applicants in the door, they also need to create a culture that allows that talent to learn, grow and thrive no matter their background or zip code. But it starts with a job posting and we know that in order to create a workforce that will help foster growth, innovation and economic success in Philly, companies need to open their minds to talented individuals from all backgrounds and corners of our region.
