Through a partnership between The Enterprise Center and Birmingham-based company Covalence, a coding school will be located in the heart of the Innovation District, offering an accelerated coding curriculum in an effort to provide valuable IT training to more Chattanoogans as well as meet the local demand for skilled employees in the technology sector.
Using a highly-effective, boot-camp style, Covalence’s local coding school will begin their immersive 10-week classes this spring, officials said.
Mayor Andy Berke called the firm "an important new addition to Chattanooga’s Innovation District."
He said, “Executive leadership in companies across Chattanooga tell me about the challenges they face when trying to fill good-paying IT jobs.
These jobs can create a clear path to the middle class for many of our citizens.
“With the hard work of The Enterprise Center and the invaluable expertise Covalence brings to the table, this partnership means more Chattanoogans will soon learn those very specific skills necessary to fill open IT positions and, ultimately, create a better life for themselves and their families.”
Covalence teaches aspiring developers how to code by offering accelerated, demand-driven full stack and front end coding programs. With a multi-state presence, Covalence said Chattanooga’s potential and need for a larger technical workforce are key factors in establishing this new partnership.
“A Code School in our Innovation District is an extraordinary development for both our city and companies like Bellhops because it makes the decision easier for business and additional talent to move here,” said Cameron Doody, co-founder and president of Bellhops. “We're thrilled that this initiative will be developing young tech talent for our city, and of course, for businesses with needs like ours."
Covalence will occupy the first floor of the former Municipal Water building located at 1001 Lindsay St. in Chattanooga’s Innovation District. The city of Chattanooga acquired the building in 1993. While the building has been used by the City Courts and as a temporary location for the Mayor’s Office during the renovation of City Hall, the ground floor has been vacant and unused for several years.
On Tuesday, the Chattanooga City Council unanimously approved a resolution allowing The Enterprise Center to use a portion of the ground floor space to operate a coding school.
For any information regarding the boot camps or to learn more, visit covalence.io.