Ride-sharing app Uber is expanding its 8-80 Coding Initiative, an effort to support technology education for people of all ages, to Wilmington, Delaware.
The program was launched in October 2017, with three of the region’s nonprofits – The Item, Coded by Kids, and TechGirlz. It is designed to expand computer science education for kids and adults ages 8 through 80.
As part of the expansion to Wilmington, Uber will work with Coded by Kids to support their program in the Kingswood Community Center in the Riverside neighborhood. The CommonSpace program at Kingswood runs after school once a week and exposes students of all ages to coding and web design.
Coded by Kids uses project-based learning and mentorship to empower underserved and underrepresented youth to pursue opportunities in tech, a release stated.
Their programs take place in schools and community spaces across the region. The curriculum incorporates the current industry standards, and is delivered by professionals in a way that is engaging and relevant to students.
“We expanded into Wilmington in 2017 because students here are also lacking access to high-quality tech education,” says CEO, Sylvester Mobley. “We’re extremely appreciative that Uber has extended its support of us to this new market, and with their help, we will continue to grow our presence in Delaware.”
The 8-80 program supports groups with donations and mentoring to develop and enhance existing programs aimed at teaching coding skills to children and adults. The mission is to expand the pipeline of people historically underrepresented in technology and make Wilmington’s tech community more reflective of the community as a whole.
“As a tech company, we want to help develop a pipeline of talent who can enter the workforce. Our expansion to Wilmington will help to build a future that is more diverse and inclusive throughout the region,” says Uber Spokesperson Danielle Filson.
