Streaming giant Netflix is looking to expand access to Black students in the tech industry.
Netflix announced Thursday it would be partnering with Norfolk State University, a historically black college in Virginia, for its first ever Netflix Virtual HBCU Boot Camp, the company said in a statement. They’re doing it in partnership with education technology company 2U, the statement read.
“At Netflix, we see the power of technology to introduce us to other communities and cultures every day,” the statement read. “Creating space in the industry for all voices will only make it stronger.”
The program for students and class of 2019 and 2020 alumni will launch at NSU in January 2021, the company said. It will be a 16-week program that will take in 130 students. Participants in the program can choose from three program tracks that include Java engineering, UX/UI design and data science.
“Students who are accepted receive a Netflix scholarship to cover the cost of attendance, and they’ll get course credit for completing the boot camp,” the company’s statement read. “The goal is for participants to come away better equipped with industry-relevant skills to enter today’s workforce, and with valuable, long-lasting relationships.”
NSU said in a statement the partnership will “tee up even more opportunities for students and alumni to build successful careers and valuable mentorship opportunities.”
Netflix is not the only company looking to partner with HBCUs. In August, streaming giant Twitch announced it was partnering with an Atlanta-based non-profit to offer the first-ever esports leagues geared specifically for HBCUs.
In June, video conferencing company Zoom announced a five-year strategic partnership with Claflin University in South Carolina for educational and financial investments.
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