OneTen pledges over 3,000 tech education scholarships over the next ten years to increase Black representation in the tech sector

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Oct 14, 2021, 09:00 ET

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- OneTen announced today the launch of an inaugural scholarship program designed to increase educational opportunities for Black talent without four-year degrees and help them pursue family-sustaining jobs in the tech industry. In partnership with talent transformation platform Udacity and the Blacks In Technology (BIT) Foundation, OneTen will offer a total of 3,500 scholarships for the first two years. This is part of OneTen's 10-year pledge to support Black talent from underserved areas with limited access to skills programs.

The 3,500 fully funded scholarships focus on training Black talent on four core tech competencies, Digital Marketing, Business Analytics, Front End Developer and Predictive Analytics. With Udacity's flexible, self-paced Nanodegree programs, individuals will be able to complete the program alongside a full-time job or additional studies, regardless of their position or profession. In addition, scholarship recipients will have access to professional support provided by the BIT Foundation, including networking, mentorship, tutoring, and post-completion career support resources.

"Providing access and support to Black talent who have traditionally been excluded from attaining family-sustaining jobs due to degree requirements is central to OneTen's mission and we are thrilled to be partnering with Udacity and BIT to fund over 3,000 scholarships for tech programs," said Maurice Jones, CEO of OneTen. "This is an important step in getting Black talent access to the skills they need to position them for success with prospective employers in the tech industry."

"By investing in talent transformation, we can help remove the barriers to diversity in tech. By providing access to resources that are designed to nurture and develop people's skills, we can help get more Black talent into the technology space," said Dennis Schultz, Executive Director of the BIT Foundation. "We are pleased to see major industry players such as OneTen stepping up to the plate with Udacity and addressing the issue head-on in order to drive forward digital transformation and improve much-needed Black representation in tech."

"Udacity has the power to transform lives and catapult individuals into high-paying tech careers," said Gabe Dalporto, CEO of Udacity. "This initiative is a major milestone towards fulfilling OneTen's mission to empower one million Black individuals to achieve new careers in the most in-demand fields. We can take immediate and concrete action to increase the representation of the Black community in the tech sector through this partnership with OneTen and the BIT Foundation."

Scholarships are open to both students and industry professionals based in the U.S. who wish to further develop their technology skills. Black applicants without four-year degrees from rural and underserved areas are encouraged to apply. Applications are now open. For more information about the scholarship program and how to enter, visit: https://www.udacity.com/scholarships/oneten-bit-scholarship

To learn more about this scholarship program and the vision behind this initiative, please register for this free webinar that takes place on October 27th: Meeting the Moment: Building an Equitable Future in STEM featuring speakers from OneTen, Bridgespan Group, and Udacity.

About OneTen

OneTen is a coalition of leading chief executives and their companies who are coming together to upskill, hire and promote one million Black individuals who do not yet have a four-year degree into family-sustaining jobs with opportunities for advancement over the next 10 years. OneTen connects employers with talent partners including leading nonprofits and other skill-credentialing organizations who support the development of diverse talent. By creating more equitable and inclusive workforces, we believe we can reach our full potential as a nation of united citizens. OneTen recognizes the unique potential in everyone – every individual, every business, every community – to change the arc of America's story with Black talent. Join us at OneTen.org, where one can be the difference.

About Udacity

Udacity transforms lives, businesses and nations through radical talent transformation in digital technologies. Udacity's global, online talent transformation platform offers digital-only curriculum, mentor support, and project-based learning taught by industry experts. Programs include real world content for job-ready skills in artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, autonomous systems, cloud computing, among other disciplines. Udacity has more than 100 enterprise customers including Airbus, AT&T, Bertelsmann, BNP Paribas, BMW, IBM, Leidos, Mazda, and the United States Air Force. Udacity collaborates with more than 200 global industry partners including AT&T, Google, Facebook, Mercedes-Benz, and NVIDIA to power technical education. Headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., the private company has operations in the United Kingdom, Egypt, Germany, India, and the United Arab Emirates. Udacity has raised $163 million in funding to date from investors including Bertelsmann, Andreessen Horowitz, Charles River Ventures, and Drive Capital. For more information, please visit www.udacity.com.

About the Blacks In Technology Foundation

Founded in 2008 and established in 2012, Blacks In Technology LLC is the largest community and media organization that focuses on people of African descent in the technology industry. Through community-focused activities, events and outreach, The Blacks In Technology (BIT) Foundation is "Stomping the Divide" by establishing a blueprint of world-class technical excellence and innovation by providing resources, guidance, networking, and opportunities for members to share their expertise and advance their careers.

SOURCE OneTen