(left to right) Daryl Bassett, director of the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services, speaks with Zach Little and Chris Carlisle, two Arkansas Coding Academy students.
The University of Central Arkansas announced on Tuesday the establishment of its new Arkansas Coding Academy (ACA), which will provide turnkey education and training opportunities to individuals seeking new careers in information technology.
The new academy is part of UCA’s Division of Outreach and Community Engagement, which is the university’s noncredit, continuing education and outreach unit.
“The Arkansas Coding Academy will not only fill a void in the state for an educated workforce in the areas of technology and computer programming but will also provide the talent that our new tech startup and existing companies need around the state,” said UCA President Tom Courtway. “This program, housed in our Division of Outreach and Community Engagement, also complements the other programs we offer, and we are proud that UCA is able to deliver a program of this caliber to the state of Arkansas.”
Metova Inc., a major app development company with offices in Conway and Fayetteville, played a major role in facilitating the establishment of the coding academy at UCA.
“I am glad to see that Metova is partnering with UCA to train the next generation of computer coding professionals. The Arkansas Coding Academy will open a wide variety of opportunities for Arkansans to learn the skills necessary to compete in the fast growing and exciting tech sector,” said Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson. “Metova and UCA’s coding academy, combined with our state’s efforts to provide computer science classes for all students, will continue to raise Arkansas’s stature as a state ripe for tech sector investment.”
The Arkansas Department of Workforce Services, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, is an integral partner in recruiting and providing funds for dislocated workers and individuals from underserved populations to complete the program. Other partners include, but are not limited to, Acxiom, the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce, JB Hunt, First Orion and Rock Fish.
“I am excited about the opportunity to serve the community through the Arkansas Coding Academy. By producing technical talent to local employers, we are not only educating Arkansans, but we are providing these new developers the chance to stay in Arkansas,” ACA Program Director Mary Dunlap said. “The accelerated nature of the program also allows students to gain their education and be propelled into the workforce in the matter of a few months.”
For a complete list of partners and information about how to apply to the coding academy, visit arkansascodingacademy.com or attend the Arkansas Coding Academy Open House on Tuesday, July 26 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at UCA Downtown at 1105 Oak Street in Conway.
Kent Watson, vice president of Technology at Metova
Brad Lacy, President and CEO of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce and UCA Board of Trustees member
