Amid a changing tech industry, ActivateWork, a Denver-based nonprofit, wants to help more members of the military community find jobs through free training.

The nonprofit was founded about 10 years ago and works to prepare members of underserved communities for entry-level tech jobs through intensive bootcamps, said Vic Dhanecha, program manager for veteran recruitment and partnerships with the nonprofit.

The nonprofit offers training in cybersecurity, data analytics and IT support because those fields are expected to grow, said Tara McLaughlan, director of learner success. The nonprofit has paused its software development programs because that sector of the tech industry has seen layoffs as companies lean on artificial intelligence to fill those roles.

After participants graduate from the boot camps, the nonprofit works with participants to find jobs and develop their skills further at their employer’s request. So if a new hire needs help with public speaking, the nonprofit will provide that training, Dhanecha said.

“We want people to not only get jobs, but to stay there and thrive,” Dhanecha said. The nonprofit has graduated about 600 students from the camps that typically last between 15 to 17 weeks. 

Service members preparing to leave the military within 180 days can apply for training through the nonprofit and receive leave to attend through the Department of Defense’s SkillBridge program. 

This year, SkillBridge approved ActivateWork to provide training, Dhanecha said. 

The DOD pays service members during approved SkillBridge training as they prepare to transition to civilian life.

During a recent ActivateWork bootcamp focused on preparing students for IT support jobs, Anna Page an account manager with the nonprofit, coached two students from vastly different backgrounds — one an immigrant from Nigeria and the other a former tech worker looking to get back into the industry on interviewing skills and managing the stress of an upcoming certification exam. 

She encouraged them not to bring negative past work experiences into conversations with future employers.

“Let’s brainstorm on some ways that we can reframe these experiences,” Page coached. She encouraged them to make sure any message with a future employer is centered on excitement about what the future has to offer with that company. 

She also tried to help them put the stress they are facing ahead of the CompTIA A+ exam into perspective. Those who pass the test earn a certification that shows they have fundamental knowledge across computer hardware and networking, and IT support. 

It’s a tough test. But Page encouraged the students not to get into a cyclical negative mindset about a test that they can retake. 

“There’s bigger qualities and things that hiring managers are looking for other than a piece of paper saying that you passed the test that was hard,” she said.

Some of the core qualities ActivateWork looks to develop in addition to technical skills include problem solving, a growth mindset, professional communication skills and time management, based on the feedback they have gotten from employers, McLaughlan said. The technical training at the nonprofit is provided through Per Scholas, a national nonprofit.

Most of the training is instructor-led online and one day a week is in-person in Denver.  

A member of a current cohort,  Splendour Ihire-Decasas, got interested in a career in tech because of the cybersecurity questions social media platforms sparked. 

She wanted to know: “Who’s protecting my information? What are the laws around it? Who’s guiding it?” she recalled. 

Ihire-Decasas would like to be a cybersecurity analyst and eventually pair her technical training and legal background to become a lawyer with a specialty in space, and eventually work for NASA, she said. The 22-year-old earned a law degree before immigrating, but the qualifications didn’t transfer to the U.S. 

She applied for the ActivateWork program because it pairs Per Scholas training with the training in soft skills, such as building confidence and preparing resumes.  

“Activate work has been amazing with that,” she said, of its soft-skills training. 

McLaughlan said the students who see success are those who are willing to exercise a key soft skill: asking for help. 

“The folks who probably struggle the most are the ones who maybe buckle down and say, ‘I’m just going to do it all on my own,’” she said. 

The nonprofit’s next cohort will start at the end of January and more information about applications can be found at activatework.org.