Upwork has partnered with Qwasar Silicon Valley to help fuel the diversity of technical talent in digital careers. Upwork, the world’s work marketplace, has long enabled companies and talent to work together in new ways that unlock their potential. Qwasar trains learners for digital careers and partners with colleges across North America to offer affordable, accessible, and skills-based programs that train learners to the tech industry’s standards.
Together, Upwork and Qwasar are launching an initiative to connect current Upwork talent with Qwasar learners, particularly those in 2-year colleges in the U.S.
About the Initiative
This initiative is focused on helping diverse technical talent enter into and thrive in the workforce across a variety of jobs in the U.S. and globally. Working directly with Qwasar Silicon Valley and their partners, including local colleges across North America, Upwork will provide mentorship, resources, and support to help students succeed on the platform and will connect that talent with agencies and companies that leverage Upwork to innovate their work models, fill critical skills gaps, accelerate the velocity of work, and grow their businesses.
Participants will largely come from underrepresented populations or diverse backgrounds, and are part of Qwasar’s STAR (Skilled Through Alternative Routes) program.
|
DRIVE IMPACT Because Qwasar partners with local colleges and provides affordable programs that train to the tech industry’s hiring standards, this partnership is a high-impact way to help increase diversity in tech and build a more inclusive future of work. |
CREATE OPPORTUNITIES Upwork’s mission is to create economic opportunities so people have better lives. They will provide opportunities for their existing talent community to provide training and mentorship to Qwasar learningers interested in software and data analytics, the majority of whom do not have a 4-year computer science degree and come from non-traditional backgrounds. |
RECRUIT AND VOLUNTEER The initiative will connect talent in Upwork communities with opportunities to recruit diverse talent, volunteer as presenters or guest speakers, participate in panel discussions for Qwasar learners, mentor small groups of learners, or mentor one-on-one. |
Who Can Participate
Learners
The initiative is for learners in Qwasar programs and in Qwasar partner programs, many of whom are part of a local college program, such as that with Cañada College at Menlo Park in California.
Members of the Upwork Community
Current Upwork talent with expertise in software development, web/app development, data science, AI/machine learning, or cloud/DevOps engineering.
Why This Is Important
Building a More Equitable Society
Millions of Americans can’t afford a 4-year computer science degree that will provide them with real career on-ramps into living wage jobs. Of them, many are from minority or low-income populations who never get access to living-wage jobs and careers in the tech industry. Many pursue other training opportunities, but face barriers when it comes to getting hired not due to a lack of skills but because they don’t check the degree checkbox.
Inspiration
Qwasar learners are very often inspired by in-industry tech professionals and they’re hungry to hear others’ journeys into tech, what it’s like to work as a developer or engineer, and to help themselves envision what their lives could be like in a few years. Sharing your experience, what you’re doing, and your journey into tech can have a big impact on learners. Inspiration is powerful.
Exposure
Many learners are new to the tech field and are looking for as much exposure to the working world as possible. Various opportunities in this initiative are designed to increase exposure to a wide range of jobs, companies or agencies, project work, and professionals who come from all walks of life.
