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DiverseCity Tech

Jose Santos, DiverseCity Tech

DiverseCity Tech is a new program in which recent high school graduates participate in a year-long internship program with the San Diego Futures Foundation. DiverseCity Tech combines advanced information technology and business principles with work experience. After completing classroom instruction, DiverseCity Tech interns put their training to work by planning and implementing web sites for small businesses and nonprofits.

BENEFITS FOR SMALL BUSINESS AND NONPROFITS

After DiverseCity Tech interns have attained an advanced level of IT technology training, they will apply their knowledge to real-world business projects. City Heights is home to over 800 small businesses who will be offered opportunities to integrate information technologies into their businesses. Businesses will be presented with an array of IT services such as web design, automated systems and on-line marketing. After meeting with DiverseCity Tech teams, participating businesses will select the project most beneficial to their needs.

DiverseCity Tech interns will work in teams supervised by their instructors to develop and implement IT projects. They will participate in every aspect of project management including research, assessments, presentation, planning, development, implementation and project evaluation.

DiverseCity Tech, Diego Ascencio - 2007 SDFF-Hoover High School Intern of the Year and freshman at SDSU.

DIVERSECITY TECH BENEFITS YOUTH

DiverseCity Tech interns develop IT skills through actual business- based experience , thereby increasing their present employment outlook as well as potential lifelong earnings.

While entry and midlevel IT jobs are high demand occupations throughout the world, the job market for such workers is projected to increase 38% by 2012. This sector includes fast growing industries such as Internet marketing and service providers, data processing services; web portals; and publishers for software, telecommunications, and print media.

According to a 2006 study conducted by the University of California at Berkeley, DiverseCity Tech interns may expect to enter the workforce earning around $18.00 an hour with health and other benefits.

DIVERSECITY TECH BENEFITS THE CITY HEIGHTS COMMUNITY

DiverseCity Tech provides high demand occupational training which benefits the community by offering increased opportunities for youth. Vibrant, efficient small businesses add to the quality of life in neighborhoods by providing needed services and wanted products conveniently close to home. DiverseCity Tech is also designed to encourage young adults to stay active in their community as leaders and volunteers. By experiencing the effect their contributions make, interns will realize their abilities to create positive change. DiverseCity Tech comes full circle when disadvantaged youth are successful in the workplace and give back to their community to create more opportunities and growth. DiverseCity Tech encourages successful interns to consider making community betterment as an option to community abandonment.

DIVERSECITY TECH PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The program objectives for DiverseCity Tech are as follows:

• Provide advanced level information technology training to recent high school graduates increasing their employability and earning potential

• Provide low-cost technology services to small business in City Heights for the purpose of increasing productivity and profitability

• Instill community involvement and volunteerism as a values through intern program

• Develop future community leaders and entrepreneurs through the internship experience

• Sustain the DiverseCity Tech program through an adequate number of cycles to effect measurable quality of life improvements in the City Heights Community

DiverseCity Tech is funded through the generosity of Zero Divide and Bank of America.