How Baltimore Is Growing Its Tech Gurus From Scratch


Only 12 percent of the STEM workforce is Black or Hispanic. Starting with Baltimore, one nonprofit is looking to change that. In 2013, the Digital Harbor Foundation converted a rec center into a home for after school programs introducing students to graphic design, 3D printing, and beyond. Using a "maker education" model, instructors prepare middle schoolers for a changing workforce, offer in-house employment for teens, and improve and diversify the talent pipeline to the city's vacant tech jobs. The classes, which are pay-what-you-can, are expanding kids' communications skills and creative thinking mindset.

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