By: MCA Delta | Dec 6, 2024
Clarksdale, Ms – The Clarksdale campus of the Mississippi Coding Academy, also known as MCA Delta, will celebrate its one-year anniversary next month by launching a new session of its free skill-building bootcamp.
The Clarksdale location launched in January with semester-long coding classes for area residents. Participants learn skills and can earn certificates in Software Development as well as Career Essentials of AI that can help them find jobs or freelance work. The program is free, thanks to support from the Home Region of the Walton Family Foundation. Anyone can apply as long as they have a high school diploma or a GED and have a willingness to learn something new.
Shaquille Hudson, 18, enrolled in the fall cohort after his sister participated in the inaugural spring group and had a positive experience. Hudson is interested in a career in robotics engineering and thought Mississippi Coding Academy would help him get hands-on experience before he went to college.
“If you’re not sure what college you want to go to, this is definitely a quick step to learning something new,” Hudson said. “I feel like I have more career options now than I did before.”
Tomia Stevenson joined the first group of students in the Clarksdale campus. She was out of work at the time and heard about the opportunity through the WIN Job Center. MCA graduates start out on average with a $38k+ salary after completing the 6-month course.
“I love computers, but I’d never done coding,” she said. “I figured nothing bad could come out of it.”
Nothing bad came of it – Stevenson graduated from the program in June and was hired as a Junior Instructor to help teach the fall cohort.
“I was in college before, but I liked the Coding Academy better than college because I can take it at my own pace,” she said.
Stevenson’s own grandmother signed up for the fall cohort, and she hopes more residents join the next group, which is set to begin on January 6.
“I want more people to know about the program,” Stevenson said. “It’s a good thing for our community. People around here feel like it’s just fast food or college, and I want to show them there is more to it than that.”
What advice does Stevenson have for students joining the January group?
“It’s not as hard as it may seem, and we’re a very welcoming community,” she said. “Sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone. I took a shot, and look where it landed me.”
To apply for the January group, visit https://mscoding.org/apply-now/
