AIM Institute, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to changing lives through technology, received a $15,000 grant from the Union Pacific Community Ties Giving Program. The funding helps the AIM Code School, which provides technology training for people of all skill levels and at all stages in their careers, with resources for career counseling and job training and placement.
The Community Ties Giving Program prioritizes funding for workforce development programs that seek to build foundational skills for youth, especially in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); raise awareness, educate and prepare young adults for middle-skills jobs through career training programs, workforce readiness initiatives and programs that assist with job placement; and “up-skilling” the existing workforce by providing training and resources that enable them to reach the next level of their career.
The funding provides resources for AIM to offer its students one-on-one career advising and counseling at the end of each course offering with Emily Matis, director of the AIM Code School. It also enhances the nonprofit’s ability to introduce its students to tech employers and gain valuable insights and exposure to the vast opportunities in the Silicon Prairie’s tech sector.
“AIM and Union Pacific are aligned in our goals to support career training, development and advancement opportunities for in-demand technology jobs in our communities,” Matis said. “Union Pacific’s support of our Code School gives our students a clearer picture of what is involved in the day-to-day workings of a tech career, and allows them to network with current tech professionals to learn how to present themselves as future tech professionals. It sets our students up for success in a way that wasn’t possible before.”
Matis said the funding provides more time to learn about resume-building, honing and understanding the skills they are gaining from coursework, how to search for jobs in technology, get connected with employers and practice for job interviews. In addition to the grant funding provided by the Community Ties Giving Program, Union Pacific has supported AIM’s mission by providing internship opportunities to high school graduates AIM supported through its Code School.
“This grant is just one of many examples of Union Pacific supporting our mission to grow and develop the tech talent pipeline in the Silicon Prairie, giving our students life-changing learning experiences, and invaluable experience in the field,” Matis said.
Learn more about the opportunities available at AIM Code School on our website.