Creating Essential Educational and Employment Pathways
More than 7,000 tech jobs remain vacant in our region while people of color in the region remain disproportionately unemployed and underemployed. Tech For All is working to create essential educational and employment pathways to build an inclusive digital economy that benefits everyone. All people in Saint Paul need access to these jobs that can be life changing. These jobs create opportunity for low-income, people of color, and women to build wealth and reduce inter-generational poverty.
Saint Paul’s Tech Leaders Share Their Unique Career Journeys
Meet Nehemiah, Tech Tinkerer Turned Civic Innovator
Nehemiah Dacres, a passionate full stack developer with a decade of experience, fell in love with computers and gaming in high school. Earning his B.A. in Computer Science, he embraced the open-source community and Linux, which led him to participate in civic hackathons. As part of the Code for America brigade in St. Louis, MO, Nehemiah organized hackathons and mentored students in community organizing and civic innovation.
Now thriving as an Information Systems Tech Analyst IV at Office of Technology and Communications (OTC), Nehemiah values the City’s connectedness and the chance to positively impact Saint Paul residents. He encourages aspiring tech professionals to experiment, play, and tinker with technology to discover their passions and shape their careers.
Meet Rachael, Blending Art + Tech to Forge a Data Career
With a B.A. in Studio Arts and 3+ years of experience, Rachael Givens-Copeland showcases how creative individuals can forge unique tech careers. As a Junior Business Intelligence Developer at OTC, Rachael combines her passion for technology, data, and art to craft impactful data visualizations for City initiatives.
Driven by curiosity, Rachael explored data’s impact on daily life, earning her Google Data Science Certification. Her OTC Data Team internship offered hands-on experience and understanding of data’s importance for the City and its residents. Rachael’s graphic design and data analysis skills enable her to create compelling, accessible data visualizations.
After her internship, Rachael joined OTC as an IS Information-Technical Analyst I, expanding her skills in business intelligence and data science. She urges students to explore tech opportunities and emphasizes the value of creativity in the tech industry.
Meet Chong, Launching a Tech Career Through Certificate Programs
Chong Yang’s journey into the tech industry demonstrates the power of leveraging certificate programs to build a career in technology. While his initial interests lay in biology, Chong discovered his passion for technology through programs like the IT Ready certification through CompTIA. Certificates equipped him with the skills necessary to enter the industry, enabling him to secure professional experiences with Ecolab, CenturyLink, and Mercy Hospital before joining the City of Saint Paul as a PC replacement Systems Support Specialists II.
In his role, Chong excels as the first point of contact for new technology, testing devices and advising colleagues on their specs. Chong’s story offers valuable insights for students who wish to enter the tech industry through alternative educational options, such as certificate programs, bootcamps, or online courses.
