Byte Back is partnering with a leading robotics process automation company

Brookings research shows that underrepresented groups are likely to be the most affected by automation.

This new partnership is making sure those communities are represented in automation jobs.

Washington, D.C.-based tech inclusion nonprofit Byte Back is partnering with UiPath, a leading robotics process automation (RPA) company. The pair launched this partnership to promote a better pathway for more diversity in tech and allow underserved people the opportunity to land a job using RPA through a new course at Byte Back.

New York-based UiPath offers free and open training and collaboration for robots to learn new skills through AI and machine learning. The company has an enterprise RPA platform that has helped businesses and government organizations automate tasks worldwide, UiPath said.

Once they earn their certifications, all of the 11 initial students in Byte Back’s RPA course have been guaranteed full-time jobs at Anika Systems, a Leesburg, Va-based small business consulting company and UiPath partner. These students have already completed and passed the first two phases of the curriculum, a press release states. The final certification exam will be administered by an independent facility.

“Instead of accepting that automation will disrupt work for underrepresented groups, we’re doing something about it, making sure that people have the chance to re-train for the future workforce,” Yvette Scorse, communications director at Byte Back told Technical.ly.

The joint initiative was announced in D.C. at UiPath Together, an event for attendees to learn about the use cases and opportunities for RPA in local federal agencies.

“I’m grateful Byte Back and UiPath have teamed up to offer such cutting-edge RPA technology training,” Carla Chambers, a Byte Back student said in a statement. “Such an opportunity means that no willing and able members of the community are left behind in pursuit of a career in technology.”

Byte Back has shown much success in the classroom, and outside of it post graduation. In 2018, 50 of its graduates landed career positions, earning $27,599 more per year than before Byte Back training, the nonprofit reported in its 2018 Annual Report. Byte Back also recently landed a partnership with Sorcero to integrate AI software into tech classrooms to make learning and retaining information easier.