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Dear Friend,
Happy Summer Days! As the sun shines brightly upon us, we are thrilled to bring you the latest updates and exciting opportunities to stay engaged with NPower. This season is all about embracing the warmth, energy, and endless possibilities, and we want YOU to be a part of it all.
Summer brings a vibrant and exciting atmosphere, and NPower is buzzing with events, programs, initiatives, and ways for you to make a difference. The power of collective action is truly remarkable. Together, we can amplify our impact and create positive change in the lives of those we serve.
Remember, our impact is magnified when we join forces. By intentionally supporting NPower, you become an essential part of a community dedicated to empowering individuals, bridging the digital divide, and creating pathways to economic prosperity. Together, let's make this summer a season of inspiration, connection, and transformation.
In Service and Partnership,
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Bertina Ceccarelli
CEO, NPower
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GRADUATION SEASON CONTINUES
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Congratulations to the Spring 2023 Tech Fundamentals Class!
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Congratulations, NPower Maryland Spring 2023 Graduates! We are so proud of you.
NPower Maryland celebrated over 60 tech industry change-makers and recognized the outstanding achievements of these graduates at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (SMC Campus Center) on July 13th.
Keynote speaker, Toni S. Benson, Chief, Cyber Defense Education and Training Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) left graduates with encouraging words and jewels to take with them as they embark on their journey as future tech professionals and get ready to make their mark in the tech industry.
"Here's some advice I live by - You are more than enough, and it's okay to make mistakes. Be a continual learner, and know that either way, you win or you learn from what happened. As Nelson Mandela once said, 'I never lose. I either win or learn'."
A special thank you to alumni speaker, Mikenzhie Smith, and class speakers, Sadé Beverly and Blake Morris for their heartfelt and motivating speeches. Thank you to all the staff and guests who made the evening one to remember.
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Congratulations, Skillbridge Graduates
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The cybersecurity students from SkillBridge have completed their NPower training and earned their certificates at the stunning Museum of the Army. Many thanks to Major General Gary S. Patton, USA (Ret.), for his insightful remarks on the significance of networking and inspiring our grads with his experience in staying persistent. These graduates will now go from protecting the nation to protecting the network.
Stay tuned for updates/recaps from our upcoming graduations.
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WE'VE EXPANDED TO NORTH CAROLINA!
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We are thrilled to announce our official expansion into North Carolina! Thanks to the funding and partnership with Truist Foundation and MetLife Foundation, NPower can provide Raleigh and Research Triangle with free tech training and new opportunities. We are currently accepting applications from young adults ages 18 to 26, military-connected individuals, and veterans.
Classes are scheduled to begin in September 2023.
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Turn well-meant DEI initiatives and strategies into transformative action.
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It is proven that more diverse companies outperform those that are less diverse! Having diverse teams is great for business, but it takes intentionality.
To support companies in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, NPower’s Command Shift Coalition has released the Diversity Directive. A comprehensive guide, inspired by insights from the Coalition's groundbreaking research in partnership with Lightcast - The Equation for Equality, the Diversity Directive provides straightforward, practical solutions and features case examples from Fortune 500 companies.
This new digital hub, across four different unique sections, can be applied immediately to meet companies wherever they are in their DEIB journey.
We invite you to share this resource with your network and be a part of advancing diversity in tech!
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COMMUNITY HELPDESK LAUNCH
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We are excited to announce that the NPower Community Helpdesk is officially LIVE in St. Louis & Dallas! Thank you to AT&T for their support in funding this initiative and to the Urban League of Metropolitan Saint Louis for their partnership.
Our goal for the Community Helpdesk is to provide free tech support to underrepresented areas to bridge the digital divide. Our team consists of skilled IT professionals and trained Digital Navigators that are graduates of the NPower Tech Fundamentals program who are committed to helping anyone in the community with their tech needs.
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Rebecca Heddinger
NPower Maryland Tech Fundamentals Fall 2022
U.S. Army National Guard Veteran Spouse
IT Help Desk Technician, Shenandoah Technology Systems
"We have been given everything we need to succeed at NPower, but it is up to us to do the work."
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Rebecca had prioritized caregiving responsibilities for her husband while also trying to figure out what would be next for her career without accruing more student debt. Her husband discovered NPower while they were searching for her next career move. While exploring introductory computer science courses, Rebecca developed a keen interest in pursuing IT. With cautious optimism and hoping NPower wasn't too good to be true, she applied to the program,
Juggling the responsibilities of her household and a caregiver, Rebecca quickly realized she had to develop effective strategies and routines to excel in the rigorous course. Studying at night while everyone was asleep and preparing mentally for a class to start at 1pm instead of the actual 2 pm start time gave her extra time to study, finish up notes, or complete a Google module were some of the time management supports she found helpful.
Rebecca completed an apprenticeship with the NPower Maryland Community Help Desk in April. Building on the skills and experience she gained there, Rebecca joined Shenandoah Technology Systems as an IT Help Desk Technician.
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“NPower has given me confidence, motivation, and a better understanding of technology. I also learned how to be more confident in future interviews and when handling tough situations."
— Tiffany W., NPower Graduate and Trading Support Senior Analyst, Bank of America
During the height of the pandemic, we expeditiously transitioned our classrooms into virtual learning environments for students. Through generous support and dedicated virtual volunteer engagement from Guardian Life, we continued providing personal and professional skills-building opportunities to our students.
Tiffany was just one of almost 300 students that participated in this innovative pivot and has benefitted from the “real-world” immersive experience.
Read more about NPower’s innovation and impact through our partnership with Guardian.
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The Heckscher Foundation for Children announced the recipients for a first-of-its-kind workforce development program that seeks to create more than 1,100 full-full-time jobs for young adults from underserved communities in New York State
NPower New York was thrilled and honored to be selected as one of 20 recipients for this generous support and proud to partner with the New York Hall of Science on this transformative grant model for work readiness and job placement for young adult New Yorkers.
“Our team is dedicated to ensuring the young adults that enter our program are fully prepared to compete in today’s ever-evolving technology workforce. With industry-recognized certifications, technical and professional skills, holistic personal support and mentorship, our graduates have what it takes to launch tech careers. But we can’t do this work alone! Through the Heckscher Foundation Challenge we can support more young adults in sustaining the high quality of life they deserve.” - Helen Kogan, Executive Director, NPower New York | NPower New Jersey
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To secure your gala sponsorship and support our work contact: Dale Ann Brooks dale.brooks@npower.org
For any other inquiries, please email: gala@npower.org
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Bertina Ceccarelli recently spoke at AstrumU’s Forum for Education & Enterprise in Washington, DC sharing powerful insights and actionable advice on building DEIB in tech.
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Summer Must Read
"Innovating for Diversity"
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Bertina Ceccarelli and Susanne Tedrick, "Women of Color in Tech" Author and Command Shift Coalition Member released "Innovating for Diversity", a must-read publication centered around how the principles of innovation can be applied to build sustainable diversity, equity, and inclusion practices embraced at all levels across organizations.
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