DISTRICT ARTS & EDUCATION & NEW HAVEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS LAUNCH “NHPS SKILLS ACADEMY” FOR LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS & YOUNG ADULTS
New year-round initiative will provide access and training of 21st century digital career and life skills
New Haven, C.T. – On Thursday, May 26, District Arts and Education (DAE) and the New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) celebrated the official launch of the NHPS Skills Academy, a year-round initiative democratizing access to 21st century digital career and life skills for dozens of high school students and young adults. The event, held at the nonprofit’s New Haven campus, welcomed New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker and members of the City’s Economic Development Administration to witness firsthand the impact the program is having on local youth.
In the next decade, one billion jobs — almost one-third of jobs worldwide — are expected to be transformed by technology. According to a recent survey by the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, nearly 40 percent of Connecticut employers cited the lack of needed skills and expertise as the key challenge to finding qualified young workers.
The NHPS Skills Academy is designed to help students develop the abilities, experience, and mindset needed to be successful upon high school graduation. This includes instilling tactical STEM skills that will allow participants to get a leg-up in the higher education process, secure an entry-level job in computer science, or start their own micro-business.
“Community-centered education is essential for us to grow a more diverse, inclusive tech landscape,” said A.M. Bhatt, founder and CEO of DAE. “The opportunity to help reverse a decades-long trend in radical underrepresentation in tech careers is just as important to us as the development of the tech workforce. By tending the soil now, together with NHPS and the City of New Haven, we’re cultivating our community for long-term, sustained positive impact.”
The NHPS Skills Academy provides a foundation in digital life with an immersive 12-month software engineering track. There are currently 50 students enrolled in the program, which is open to all juniors in the district as well as those working toward their GED through the New Haven Adult & Continuing Education Center. The inaugural class began in January and will graduate the program at the end of the December.
“Students in the New Haven Public Schools deserve every opportunity to prepare themselves for careers in any industry they choose,” said Superintendent Dr. Iline Tracey. “We also want them to be ready for jobs in fields emerging here in the City of New Haven and the State of Connecticut. We are proud that this partnership with DAE is demonstrating the value and importance of exposing our students to tech disciplines.”
A 2021 pilot program, funded by CT Next and the New Haven Innovation Collaborative, set the groundwork for the NHPS Skills Academy. The collaboration is also supported by the City of New Haven Mayor's Office and Economic Development Administration.
"It's no secret that demand for skilled tech workers exceeds supply right now and that the demand is only going to increase in the next decade. Young people trained to do these jobs will find a market full of opportunities when they graduate; good-paying jobs with the potential for growth,” said Mayor Justin Elicker. “New Haven students are fortunate to have a training program of this caliber so close to home. I want to thank A.M. Bhatt and District Arts & Education for making New Haven the home of this visionary program and for partnering with Superintendent Tracy and New Haven Public Schools to start the NHPS Skills Academy. I also want to thank CT Next and the New Haven Innovation Collaborative for laying the groundwork and helping the City fund the 2021 pilot program. "
Students in the NHPS Skills Academy learn and build multiple websites and mobile apps over the course of the year, ultimately creating a portfolio to showcase their abilities in future endeavors. Emphasis is also placed on product research, design, and development as well as digital life components that include human-centered design, social change, digital ethics and data, careers, and collaboration in a digital world. Classes are held at DAE's New Haven campus twice per week after school with an optional lab day and will increase to five days per week in July and August.
“We are pleased to offer our students this opportunity to explore software engineering,” said Ivelise Valazquez, NHPS Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment. “We hope some of them may be inspired to pursue further studies in technology fields. The skills students are learning in this afterschool program with DAE correlate with those they will employ if they pursue careers in tech.”
“At DAE, students are given a space to move, explore, bounce off of boundaries, authentically express themselves, and build things they are passionate about,” says Kyley Komschlies, head of high school education and community. “If we want our young people to not only be successful, but to be able to create positive change in the systems we all live in, we need to give them the opportunity to explore their interests and surprise themselves with what they’re capable of creating.”
DAE is located at 470 James Street in New Haven and can be reached at (203) 401-8768 or by visiting myDAE.org. For the latest news and updates, follow @DistrictArtsEdu on Facebook and @dae_nhv on Instagram.
About DAE (District Arts and Education)
DAE is a Connecticut non-profit providing educational programs that democratize access to 21st century digital career and life skills for high school students and young adults from communities that have been historically and systemically under-resourced. Headquartered in New Haven with an additional location at Synchrony Skills Academy in Stamford, DAE nurtures world-class technologists through technical and professional training and certificates that serve as a catalyst for transformation. Youth programs emphasize learn-by-doing development in a collaborative, nurturing environment while the DAE Adult Skills Academy offers a four-month immersion in software engineering. Balancing both the content and the context of learning, DAE strives to develop human beings who are highly technology-fluent and deeply humanity-centric. For more information, visit www.myDAE.org.
The New Haven Public Schools
The New Haven Public Schools educate 20,000 students. Their mission is to provide all students with personalized, authentic, and engaging learning experiences through high-quality instruction. Their vision is to be a premier urban school district that ensures access to equitable opportunities and successful outcomes for all students as they prepare for college, career, and life. For more information, visit www.nhps.net.
