Black Youth Reskilling Program!

We are thrilled to announce the amazing success of the Reskilling Program!

The Reskilling Program was a A 12-week pilot coding Bootcamp with the goal of providing an industry-recognized diploma to Black youth between the ages of 18-29. Launched in April of 2021, this program was made possible thanks to a grant from the Government of Ontario and offered in partnership with Lighthouse Labs, a Canadian tech education company and Riipen, a leading-edge experiential learning platform. Our goal was to train 100 students and we had an overwhelming response of over 700 applicants.

What has been accomplished

100 Scholarships

Our inaugural cohort awarded $13,000 scholarships (to) 100 unemployed or underemployed Black Ontarian Youth to attend a 3-month, full-time web development bootcamp with Lighthouse Labs.

700 Applicants

Our goal was to train 100 students but we had an overwhelming response. Over 700 applicants applied.

83 Students

Successfully graduated from the 12-week Bootcamp

100 Portfolio Projects

Graduates will put their newly acquired skills to the test by building their portfolios and earning $1,400 through an 80-hour project with Riipen’s Level Up, work-integrated learning program.

83 graduates

Completed 80hrs of experiential learning via Riipen



Graduates will receive support from Lighthouse Labs and our extended network to jumpstart their careers in technology as professional web developers



20 Candidates

Received Tech job offers within the first two months of graduation

Several graduates are at different stages of the recruiting process with our engagement partners




Through this program, the inaugural class of 85 Reskilling Program students proudly earned the title of Junior Web Developer! Through courses like our Reskilling Program, we hope to be able to uplift and encourage the Black youth in our community to explore and pursue careers in tech and ultimately close the representation gap in these spaces. Though it is now closed, we hope by demonstrating the success of this Bootcamp and our graduates, we can secure additional funding to continue operating this program.
Black Boys learning to code

Our process (Our Pilot Program)

100 Scholarships

Our inaugural cohort awarded $13,000 scholarships (to) 100 unemployed or underemployed Black Ontarian Youth to attend a 3-month, full-time web development bootcamp with Lighthouse Labs.

100 Portfolio Projects

Graduates will put their newly acquired skills to the test by building their portfolios and earning $1,400 through an 80-hour project with Riipen’s Level Up, work-integrated learning program.

100 First Tech Jobs

Graduates will receive support from Lighthouse Labs and our extended network to jumpstart their careers in technology as professional web developers.

Here’s what you will learn

JavaScript & Node.js

JavaScript is the universal programming language of the web. You'll gain firsthand experience with Javascript and Node ecosystems, as well as modern tooling and libraries such as Babel and webpack.

Databases & Data Modeling

Relational and document databases are two of the prevailing paradigms used today. We'll teach you to be comfortable with SQL, object-stores, and properly model a database.

HTML, CSS, and More

HTML and CSS are the building blocks of the modern web. You'll learn to create gorgeous responsive UIs for web apps, not only with HTML5 and CSS3 but also modern front-end tools like Babel and Webpack

Software Architecture

Understanding how software components should be organized is an essential skill for career growth as a developer. You'll learn software architecture by studying programming practice

React JS

React JS is a JavaScript frameworks. While building a single page application, you'll learn a new way to think about structuring your user interface by using components, one way data flow and the Virtual DOM

Ruby on Rails

This dynamic duo of language & framework is one of the most widely used and polished modern technologies for web development. You will gain familiarity with Rails core concepts, like the MVC design pattern, and how to communicate with databases to persist data.

Click here to learn more about the bootcamp

Student outcomes

97%

of job-seeking web bootcamp graduates became employed post-graduation.

87%

of our Web Bootcamp job-seeking grads were hired within 180 days of graduation.

$50,564

Average starting salary in eligible job-seeking graduates’ first role after bootcamp.

Click here for the full report on student outcomes and  here for the full report on career trajectories. 

  • Step 1: Pass an online group interview with Lighthouse Labs
  • Step 2: Pass a 15-minute logic quiz
  • Step 3: Pass a 30-minute beginner level JavaScript quiz (we’ll provide you with the study material!)

Registration is now closed

Please sign up for our newsletter and keep an eye on our social media pages for updates on future opportunities.

FAQ

No, all genders are welcome to participate in the Black Youth Reskilling Program!
The $13,000 scholarships are paid directly to Lighthouse Labs and cover the cost of your enrollment in the 3-month Online Web Development Bootcamps as well as your access to Career Services.
The $13,000 scholarships do not cover your living expenses. Participants in the Black Youth Reskilling Program must be able to support themselves financially for the 3-month duration of the program.
The Bootcamp is a full-time commitment, you shouldn’t expect to work or study for the duration of the program.
Only Mac OS and Linux are officially supported for the Bootcamp, but there are unofficial workarounds for Windows users. Your purchase of a new computer, if you require one, will be your responsibility.

Any questions ?

Working in computer

About us

Black Boys Code is committed to developing a generation of young men who see success in technology careers as an option not an impossibility.

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