CodeSpeak Labs: Conceptualizing a New Career Path for First-Generation Students
The ways in which we work and engage with work are rapidly changing, precipitating new conversations around the innovative ways we prepare people for their careers, especially when it comes to that critical first job or line on a resume.
CodeSpeak Labs helps first-generation students identify paths that align with their goals and dreams, and connects them with coding instruction, collaborative work experience, and client management opportunities to ensure they have the in-demand skills they need to make those dreams a reality.
CodeSpeak Labs has launched a three-week program in partnership with The Opportunity Network, which enables CodeSpeak Labs students to connect with career-centered learning opportunities and gain real-world experience. We sat down with two students participating in the program, Issouf Diarrassouba, a rising junior at George Washington University, and Yeasin Haque, who recently graduated from the High School of Fashion Industries in Manhattan, to talk a little about why they did this program and what they hoped to learn.
Catalyze: Issouf, Yeasin, wonderful to meet you both! Interested to hear why you decided to participate in the CodeSpeak Labs program?
Issouf: I not only wanted to expand my technical knowledge, but also wanted to gain the skills that I needed to participate in the work-study programs I wanted to pursue. My dream is to become a software engineer, and I want to also have the ability to apply those skills to any field, and CodeSpeak Labs has granted me the opportunity to discover how I can make that a reality.
Yeasin: My goal is to make a living out of my art (you can view my gallery here!), and CodeSpeak Labs is helping me overcome the imposter syndrome that often goes hand in hand with pursuing a career in art. Seeing the ways in which I can realistically combine my passion with the practical skills I’m learning is invaluable to me.
Over half a million students across the country rely on disappearing federal work-study jobs, and with student loan payments restarting this fall, more may need to rely on work-study stipends to make ends meet.
Catalyze: What excites you about the program? What are some of the skills you hope to grow in the next few weeks?
Yeasin: Even before joining this program, I’ve been working to grow my skills with different platforms, including Adobe Illustrator, Lightroom and have a Photoshop professional certification from Adobe, but I haven’t really been able to work with a “client” before. I think being able to learn how to work through feedback, talk through rounds of edits, and managing those expectations will add another level of professionalism I wouldn’t get otherwise.
Issouf: When I’m doing stuff with data or coding – I’m working on majoring in computer science – I find I end up doing a lot of the work on my own. That’s not a bad thing and I really enjoy digging into a problem by myself, but I’m really looking forward to getting to work in a team and learn from my peers. Even in the first couple of days we’ve been together, I’ve seen or heard things that I would have never thought of by myself. Those are the kinds of experiences I want more of, because I know they’ll make me a stronger member of a team in the future.
Catalyze: What does it mean to you to be a first-generation student? What advice would you share with someone considering college or a program like CodeSpeak Labs?
Issouf: I have the opportunity to create a legacy for myself and my family. Life is a journey and it’s ok to not have all your goals figured out, but hard work and having fun can help put you on the right path.
Yeasin: I believe things always fall into place. Choose the decision that brings you closer to your end goal and you will eventually be there. Once you conceptualize your route, the only thing left is to follow it to its destination. Your life is a branch of choices that will define you. You are ultimately always in control of your benchmarks. Celebrate them when you reach them.
Addressing the gap in computer science education and experience has been at the core of all of CodeSpeak Labs’ work since its founding in 2017. Jobs in computer programming are among the fastest-growing and highest-paying opportunities in the world today. And although more than half of high schools in the U.S. now offer computer science courses, inequities persist. Today, many students still lack the skills to participate in work-study programs and other career-connected pathways that are instrumental to determining and designing their dream careers. To date, CodeSpeak Labs has served over 10,000 students to identify and achieve their career goals.
Stay tuned to hear more from Issouf and Yeasin when they’re done with the program!
