Unlocking Tech Talent in the Corporate Capital of America

Tech Elevator Wilmington

By Tech Elevator CEO & Cofounder, Anthony Hughes

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on LinkedIn. You can read the original here.

I’m incredibly excited to share the news of our newest campus launch in Wilmington, Delaware—the city long known as the Corporate Capital of America.

Since the early 1980s, Wilmington has become a national center for banking. It’s the home to major operations hubs for JPMorgan Chase & Co., Barclays, M&T, WSFS, Bank of America and other massive financial institutions. As these organizations have grown their presence, they’ve become major employers of Delaware residents.

Today more than 50,000 residents work in the financial services sector in Delaware, with a large and growing number of them working in tech. At the heart of financial services today, and looking ahead, are massive and growing technology investments and these have only been accelerated by the massive digitization brought on by the pandemic.

All this has thrust software developers from the dimly lit basements of banking, squarely into its core. For example JPMorgan Chase, the nation’s largest bank and a major local employer houses one of its major tech hubs in Wilmington, has over 60,000 employees working in technology today and is expecting to hire 18,000 tech workers nationally this year. Throughout the state, demand for tech talent is coming from all industries and talent shortages have created fierce competition. The Delaware Business Times recently reported that: “…there are 70% more tech jobs across all sectors available than any other job opportunities in the state.”

Looking Ahead

In the 1980s Delaware was able to attract the nation’s largest banks through changes to its laws, among other factors. However, in order to retain these institutions and support their local growth, the next phase must be centered on investments in workforce. Wilmington’s future depends on fueling its companies with the skills they needs—and these skills are in tech.

That’s why we are so excited to be joining the Wilmington community at this critical time. Tech Elevator has the ability to not only produce the tech talent big banks need, but to help more Delaware residents gain access to these rewarding careers.

Why Our Wilmington Campus Is Unlike Any Other

In large part, this new campus is being made possible thanks to our partnership with Tech Impact, a leading provider of technology education and solutions for nonprofits. Tech Impact’s Tech Hire Delaware initiative—funded by the Delaware Department of Labor One Workforce grant—will allow us to offer the program at no cost to students who meet eligibility requirements. We will work closely with Tech Impact over the next three years to reskill 200 individuals and meet the growing need for tech professionals in Delaware.

This public/private partnership is a testament to both the credibility we have built in the industry tied to our outcomes, and our established track record of elevating communities. It’s also a great example of how government, nonprofits and training providers can work together to drive economic impact.

Caitie Zajko, who will be leading Tech Elevator’s efforts in Wilmington said it perfectly: “Because we can offer the program for free through Tech Impact’s One Workforce Grant, this campus will be unlike any other. We will be able to generate significant economic impact both for our students and the community in a very short timeframe.”

We are very grateful for this opportunity to support Wilmington in this exciting time of transformation and reinvention. That said, we are seeking community partners, hiring partners, passionate team members and driven individuals who want to enter the wonderful world of tech as our initial students. If you’re interested in learning more about getting involved, below are a few helpful links.

  • We’re also looking to build partnerships with companies looking to hire our graduates.
  • And, if you’ve got the smarts and the drive, but not yet the skills to enter the world of technology, we’d love to be the bridge for you to the awesome opportunities that careers in tech represent. Learn more here.
  • Or, join us in contributing to driving diversity in tech. Explore our Represent Tech Scholarship.

If you’re interested in learning more about the new Wilmington campus (or if you’re eligible for Tech Impact’s tuition support), visit our Campus Page for more information.

We look forward to making a positive and lasting impact in the Wilmington community!

Anthony Hughes, CEO & Co-founder

Anthony is the CEO of Tech Elevator. He is passionate about helping individuals change their lives and fulfill their true career potential. Over the years, Anthony has been a recipient of the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award Finalist 2020 (and 2021), Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Companies and Crain’s Forty under 40.