NFTE New York Metro's unique NYC Generation Tech program provides hands-on learning experiences and mentorship opportunities for New York City high school students interested in transforming the world through tech-based innovations. We are seeking to put 45 students through our tech-entrepreneurship program in 2014.
Computer skills have become increasingly important to finding or creating a job in the modern economy. Students who have never learned how to code, design functional website, or develop user-friendly apps are at a significant disadvantage in the modern labor market. Students in low-income areas, like those that NFTE New York Metro serves, are more likely to affected due to their relative lack of access to the best software and training in this field.
As participants in the GenTech program, students undergo a technology and entrepreneurship "bootcamp". They learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript coding skills, and will use these computer skills to build an app of their own. Students will then have to create a business plan to pitch their mobile app, learning the business fundamentals necessary to market their idea. Funds from this microproject will go towards software licensing, equipment, or student costs for the classroom sessions.
NFTE NY Metro has served nearly 70,000 students since 1987 and will support over 3,000 students in the 2013-2014 school year. By working to keep at-risk students engaged in their school work, NFTE spurs its participants to graduate high school and dare to dream of a brighter future. Whether they pursue higher education, enter the workforce, or start their own business, NFTE instills an entrepreneurial mindset in young people so they can plan for success.
