Students at YWeb Career Academy. Photo courtesy of YWeb Career Academy
The tech community is growing in Madison. YWCA Madison and tech partner Adorable.io’s YWeb Career Academy (YWebCA) program makes sure women and people of color have access to careers in this exciting field. Through this commitment to investing in workplaces that are welcoming and inclusive, tech companies in Dane County also benefit from the skills, expertise, and perspectives of a diverse workforce that better reflects their consumers.
YWebCA trains women and people of color ages 17 to 25 in the technical skills of web development and in the “soft skills” needed to thrive in a field from which they have traditionally been excluded.
YWebCA’s next class series begins February 22, 2016 and will run for 14 weeks through May 27, 2016. Classes will meet Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. YWCA Madison invites women and people of color interested in applying for the program to attend free orientation sessions where program staff will share more information and answer questions about the program and the industry. People using the Dane County FoodShare Employment and Training program can participate in YWebCA to meet their work requirement for FoodShare.
Rasheid Atlas, new instructor for the
YWeb Career Academy
YWCA is pleased to welcome instructor Rasheid Atlas to the YWeb- CA team. Rasheid says, “I’ve been a life-long designer and artist. From childhood, I’ve been fascinated with and immersed in the arts.” Rasheid has designed experiences, both digital and spatial, all over the United States since 2000. His broad range of experience will give YWebCA students inspiration for the many directions in which they can take their careers. He said, “I’ve had my hands in everything from front-end design and animations to back-end programming and development to physical fabrication and installment. I’ve seen every aspect of the process, from start to finish, at some point. This has allowed me to shape my craft in a way that makes meaningful impact in the community, gives back, and helps mold the next wave of designers, developers, and programmers who will be shaping our future experiences.”
Rasheid received his Associate’s Degree in Design and Visual Communications from Ivy Tech University in 2000. In addition, he studied Sociology at Beloit College, and Studio Arts at Alabama State University. Rasheid is also the Director of Communications at Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership Development and a member of 100 State.
YWCA Madison is also pleased to introduce Kiesha Young, the new YWebCA program coordinator. Kiesha earned her Bachelor’s and Associate Degrees in Human Services. She has previously worked for YWCA Madison from 2011-2014 as the Third Street Case Manager, Children’s Program Coordinator, and Second Chance Tenant Education facilitator. Also, she is a past client of the Third Street Program and a 2006 Circle of Women recipient. Before coming to the YWCA, Kiesha worked with the Wisconsin Disability Determination Bureau and the Badger Care Program where she provided case management services and made determinations on claims for the Social Security Disability Insurance program. Also, she completed an internship at the Kennedy Heights Community Center and served on the Board of Directors.
YWebCA funders include: A Fund for Women, Alliant Energy, Berbee Derby & Technology Education Foundation, City of Madison, CDW, Dane County Human Services’ FoodShare Employment and Training program, The Evjue Foundation, Inc., the charitable arm of The Capital Times, Google Madison & The Tides Foundation, Madison Community Foundation, RBC Wealth Management, Spherion Staffing, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
YWebCA technology partners include:
Adorable.io, 100 Health, American Family Insurance, Bendyworks, Dane County Time Bank & Mutual Aid Network, Flexion, Getty Images, Hardin Design & Development, Latino Academy of Workforce Development, Madison Public Library, Murfie, Rabble, Ten Forward Consulting, Wellbe, Widen, Yahara Software, and Zendesk.