Foundry College Tulsa provides live, online educational programs for job-ready credentialed certificates to advance career opportunities for Tulsans
Tulsa — June 23, 2020 — George Kaiser Family Foundation (GKFF), Atento Capital and Foundry College announced today a partnership offering free tuition, a $6,000 value, for Tulsans experiencing unemployment, underemployment or looking to advance their career opportunities. The program, Foundry College Tulsa, will prepare students to excel by offering free relevant curriculum and job-ready credentials in Salesforce administration and project management upon completion.
“Foundry College has completed extensive research to create its programs, working with leaders in the business community to identify the 21st century skills that employers are seeking,” said Dr. Stephen Kosslyn, founder and president of Foundry College. “The two fields chosen, Salesforce Administration and Project Management, were selected because there is a rapidly growing need for employees in positions with these skills now and for years to come. This partnership will propel students forward and set them apart in the competitive job market. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to learn on Foundry College’s unique online learning platform, the Forge, which incorporates the science of learning into every class to support student success.”
Foundry College Tulsa is designed to lower barriers to post-secondary education and give more Tulsans the opportunity to succeed professionally. There are no prerequisites for eligibility and the application process is brief.
“The goal of Foundry College Tulsa is to build a qualified workforce in Tulsa that specializes in business and information technology,” said Josh Miller, program officer at GKFF. “By offering free educational opportunities while also removing barriers to access, Foundry College is providing marketable, job-relevant skills for a growing industry of the future. This program supports the many ongoing efforts in Tulsa to increase economic growth and ultimately create a more vibrant and inclusive community.”
Each credentialed certificate program at Foundry College Tulsa is valued at $6,000 per student. The certificate will be at no cost to students through scholarships funded by GKFF and Atento Capital.
“We see Foundry College at the forefront of the future of learning and workforce development,” said Michael Basch, Managing Partner, Atento Capital. “With job requirements changing at an accelerated rate, Foundry College’s combination of specific credentials along with soft skills enables its graduates to be immediately employable, while also teaching them soft, transferable skills that will be useful throughout their career. We are incredibly excited and grateful to be partnering with them on this effort to bring their program to Tulsa.”
Both credentialed certificate programs can be completed in as little as eight months. Students will attend live, online classes two or three times a week, for 1.5 hours each. Classes are offered at night for students with day-time commitments. Outside of class, students can expect to spend 2-3 hours per week on additional learning.
“Our mission at Tulsa Community WorkAdvance is to improve lives by connecting individuals with quality employment, maximizing their unique talents,” said Karen Pennington, Executive Director, Tulsa Community WorkAdvance. “We’re excited to partner with Foundry College Tulsa to advance the job readiness and skills of Tulsans experiencing unemployment, which directly supports our commitment to the community.”
Applications for the first cohort are due July 27, 2020. Courses will begin on August 31. To be eligible for the program, applicants must be 18 years or older and live in Tulsa city limits. For more information and to submit an application, visit www.foundrycollege.org/tulsa.
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About Foundry College
Foundry College is a new kind of college that offers live, face-to-face classes in an online environment that promotes the community of a traditional classroom experience. Every class combines live, instructor-led lectures with small-group active learning sessions to ensure that new skills and knowledge are effectively integrated, retained, and can be put into immediate practice. Foundry College’s proprietary learning management system, the Forge, can host up to 200 students and uses performance data to facilitate student learning and success. Foundry College launched in 2018 and is headquartered in San Francisco. www.foundrycollege.org.
About the George Kaiser Family Foundation
George Kaiser Family Foundation (GKFF) is a charitable organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty through investments in early childhood education, community health, social services and civic enhancement. Based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, GKFF works primarily on initiatives developed in collaboration with Tulsa-based direct service organizations. For more information about George Kaiser Family Foundation, visit GKFF.org.
About Atento Capital
Atento Capital is an early stage investment fund focused on deploying capital that drives returns while creating high quality jobs in Tulsa. Atento has an active focus in inclusivity, upward mobility, and offering entrepreneurs that might otherwise not have access to capital, the ability to build the company of their dreams. At Atento’s core is the unrelenting focus of quality, future-of-work job creation and developing talent in Tulsa.
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