by Dalisia Byre
Computer science is becoming increasingly important in today's society, and as the demand for computer programmers continue to rise, one man is working diligently to increase the number of engineers in Memphis and Shelby County - Meka Egwuekwe, co-founder and chief executive officer for CodeCrew.
CodeCrew is designed to expose prospective students to technology through engaging thought-provoking training, ranging from java-script to basic web and app development.
Egwuekwe said, "My inspiration for CodeCrew started with a young man in search of a school for coding. Due to the lack of schools and programs being here in the city, he unfortunately had to leave and I wanted to change that."
After working 20 years as a software engineer for a software company, Egwuekwe decided to take a leap of faith by going full-time with CodeCrew in 2015 to teach kids and young adults' computer science skills.
"I really have to give credit to East High school for inspiring me; it was from there I learned the foundation of computer programming, so in the same fashion I wanted to start CodeCrew in the schools."
"There's more than 150-thousand students in (Memphis) Shelby County Schools, and I want to reach every last one," added Egquekwe.
The organization originally began under the umbrella of the Memphis Grizzlies Foundation and that gave Egwuekwe an opportunity to reach computer science to not only the students, but teachers as well. After the success of seeing how students were receptive to coding, he decided to take a deeper dive into the experience of CodeCrew. He provided opportunities for those seeking a long-term career in the field of science and tech.
He then created "coding school" where he offers six programs to teens and young adults, catering to the world of coding. He recently added a component for adults that would allow them to complete a six-month training course. Upon completion, students will receive internships and potential employment opportunities.
To ensure the program stays free, graduates will sign an income-sharing agreement that allows them to pay-it-forward when hired.
"We didn't want the restriction of financial responsibility to be an issue, we just want the students to come out and be enthusiastic about the future," added Egwuekwe.
With more than 1,000 graduates, it's Egwuekwe mission to develop more software engineers from Memphis.
"It's our job to not only give them knowledge, but to give them a higher chance for receiving a higher income and it's my goal to make CodeCrew the number one school in technology and coding."
"CodeCrew is critical to the growth of our tech startup community by building talented individuals to take on newly created technology jobs in our community contributing to economic growth," said Eric Mathews, board member.
For more information on CodeCrew, visit the website https://www.code-crew.org.
Dalisia Brye is a freelance writer and public relations professional.
The article was originally published in the 2019 Tech Edition magazine.