Zip Code Wilmington, Wilmington University and HackerRank has become one of fewer than 10 groups nationwide selected to participate in the Educational Quality through Innovative Partnerships (EQUIP) program, a U.S. Department of Education (DOE) initiative designed to provide low-income students with access to new models of education and training.
Zip Code Wilmington is a nonprofit, 90-day intensive software development boot camp developed in close partnership with local and national employers. It teaches students the skills needed to land software developer jobs upon graduation. Within three months of graduation, Zip Code places more than 93 percent of its graduates in jobs paying, on average, over $60,000 annually, which is more than double students’ average entering salaries.
Zip Code and Wilmington University are both nonprofit education providers. Through this unique relationship, eligible Zip Code students will be able to receive Pell Grants and a full semester of college credits through Wilmington University’s Applied Technology degree program. HackerRank will serve as the partnership’s third-party quality assurance entity (QAE).
This will mark the first time a non-accredited teaching entity will pair with an accredited institution to make Federal financial aid available to students. This education model exemplifies a high-value, STEM education program that leverages an employer-driven curriculum and employer funding resulting in little to no student debt.
Through Wilmington University’s College of Technology, Zip Code graduates can leverage their earned credits into associate’s and bachelor’s degrees. With a reputation for innovation in higher education and high academic standards, Wilmington University paves the way for students who opt to continue their education further through its new Applied Technology degree programs with continued access to student financial aid.