In the classroom with Byte Back on PowerPoint day.
(Photo by Tajha Chappellet-Lanier)
New funding will help Byte Back expand into Maryland.
The 20-year-old nonprofit that teaches IT skills to low-income residents received a $200,000 grant from the Greater Washington Works Initiative, according to the organization.
The two-year grant will help Byte Back introduce classes in Prince George’s County, Md., this fall. Starting in October, the nonprofit is partnering with the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation-Workforce Services Division on a program called EPIC.
Short for Education Partnership for IT Careers, the program will allow 60 people to receive IT training. In addition to CompTIA A+ career training, students receive a laptop to take home during training and keep after the course is completed. It’s free for students.
The Maryland expansion was first discussed earlier this year, when Byte Back received a $360,000 WeWork Creator Award.
“This is transformative for our organization and for the expansion of tech career opportunities in the DMV,” Byte Back Executive Director Elizabeth Lindsey said via email.
Stephen Babcock is Market Editor for Technical.ly Baltimore and Technical.ly DC. A graduate of Northeastern University, he moved to Baltimore following stints in New Orleans and Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Baltimore Fishbowl, NOLA Defender, NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune and the Rio Grande Sun.
