Tech Workforce NM
Producing
High Tech
Minds in New Mexico
Now Accepting Volunteers
Our model is simple. Experienced industry professionals volunteer their time to coach and mentor new entrants to the workforce.
Our Story
Working Towards a Better Tomorrow
Tech Workforce New Mexico (“TWNM”) is a newly formed 501(c)(3) non-profit entity, established January 30, 2017, created with the goal of workforce training, specifically increasing the experience of the information technology workforce by contributing to open source projects and performing projects for government, non-profit, and other entities that benefit the communities which they serve.
TWNM is located in Albuquerque at the UNM Science and Technology Park, at 801 University Blvd SE. Proximity to UNM and CNM will allow students easy access to our facilities.
TWNM aims to prepare those entering the information technology (IT) workforce by providing real world experience and on the job training. TWNM embraces the reality that it is difficult to get a job in IT with no work experience. While college coursework and coding boot-camps can provide some of the skills required in the IT workforce, TWNM aims to enhance those skills by providing real world experience.
The nonprofit is currently run by a staff of dedicated volunteers (unpaid) who are technology and business veterans in and around the Albuquerque, New Mexico area.
Interns are provided with an opportunity to gain valuable skills to increase their marketability to future employers. TWNM is a non-profit entity designed to be the bridge for new entrants in the IT workforce to get the work training necessary to gain employment. Interns learn software development practices by:
1. Contributing to open-source projects.
2. Being assigned to and working on real-world projects, when available.
3. Working with IT veterans who will oversee their development.
4. Participate in free educational workshops and technology courses offered through TWNM and other local entities providing workforce and technical training.
Support Services
Community Development
Education & Outreach
Skills Developed
Turning Interest Into Action
The operating structure of TWNM is as a “tech start-up.” To the fullest extent possible, TWNM will fill the various technical and operational roles of the company with volunteers and interns. The roles filled will depend on the evolving needs of the company and the projects the company is able to secure.
TWNM will market IT services and custom developed software services to the community free of charge or at below market rates.
Participants in our program (interns) will be assigned to work in teams and will be paired with IT veterans who will oversee their development and who can step in to make sure deliverables are met. In addition to sharpening their technical skills, interns will develop soft-skills and qualities like professionalism, responsiveness, and follow-through.
Some of the IT skills we aim to develop are; Web Developer, Project Manager, Database Developer, Systems Analyst, Mobile Application Developer, IT Admin, Software Developer, IT Consultant, Solutions Architect, and others depending on the projects that become available.
Some non-IT roles we aim to develop are; Business Development, Marketing, Accounting, Grant Writing, Customer Relations Management, Product Design, and others depending on the projects we get and the evolving needs of the company.
In addition to technical skills, our participants will be taught soft skills such as communication, teamwork and collaboration, adaptability, problem solving, critical observation, conflict resolution, and workplace tolerance.
We plan to work with our partners to continuously develop and improve our training program.
Funding
TWNM was created on a shoestring budget with resources donated by a local IT comany, and is being run entirely by volunteers. In addition to providing them with this valuable training, it is our eventual goal to pay our interns.
Charging Customers
TWNM may charge for its services. The funds generated will go toward intern wages and operating expenses, thus extending the number of individuals helped through this organisation. It is our goal to create a self-sustaining enterprise for the purpose of training participants indefinitely into the future.
Grants and In Kind Donations
We will reach out to the community to build synergistic relationships. We will continue to seek additional funds from city, county, and state programs, as well as seek grants from private foundations to expand our reach. TWNM will work with public and private entities to further the cause of IT workforce development.
Partner with Us
Current partnerships include:
City of Albuquerque Economic Development Department
TechHireNM
JTIP
CNM
UNM
UNM Innovation Academy - Students will get 3 course credits for every 100 hours of their internship, up to 6 credits.
We are looking for private sector partnerships. Please reach out to us today if you would like to contribute to the next generation of New Mexico's workforce.
Make a Donation
This is one of the simplest ways to help out our cause. We believe the best way for our initiatives to be successful is for the community to actively get involved. This is an easy and efficient way of contributing to the great work we do at Tech Workforce NM. Get in touch with any questions about how you can Make a Donation today.
Customer Projects
TWNM is a public benefit company, and a secondary goal of TWNM is to help reduce costs to our government. One way we can help is to reduce private contractor over billing by providing cost effective IT services. Several IT functions can be outsourced by an organization. TWNM will provide free and below market-rate software development and IT services to organizations in need of technology services.
Another way we can help is to improve government employee productivity. The promise of Information Technology is to make information more accessible, and therefore to make people more productive.
Many government departments and their employees are unable to quickly access the data that they need in order to do their function. They may be using antiquated systems or processes, and therefore are not working at their peak potential. Local, state and other government entities can benefit by reducing the backlog of projects in need of technology solutions, enabling those entities to better serve their constituents.
Our business development team will identify suitable, smaller IT projects that government entities need to complete, but where they don’t have funds to hire a commercial technology company to perform. The company’s management team meets with the government client to understand the project, define the scope of the project, match students to the project, and manage the execution of the project, including project management, issue resolution and quality assurance. The government entity pays a below-market rate for these services.
If TWNM is unable to find suitable projects at the government level, we will reach out to non-profit and, finally, for-profit companies. We are not limited to New Mexico, either. There are governments and non-profits we can help all over the country.
Given our mission and the benefit we offer to the community, we believe that we will have enough work to sustain the company and its mission indefinitely.
Volunteer Your Time
Help Us Soar
Our organization always appreciates the generosity and involvement of people like you, with every contribution going towards making Tech Workforce NM an even better Social Welfare Organization than it already is. We want to provide you with the correct and appropriate information pertaining to your mode of support, so don’t hesitate to contact us with your questions.
Partner with Us
Show Your Support
Want to join our efforts but not sure where to start? Partner with Us and take advantage of this incredible opportunity to lend your support. It’s a great way to contribute to our cause, and every little bit counts towards paving the path for a better tomorrow. Get in touch with us today for more details about how you can help.
Make a Donation
Make A True Change
This is one of the simplest ways to help out our cause. We believe the best way for our initiatives to be successful is for the community to actively get involved. This is an easy and efficient way of contributing to the great work we do at Tech Workforce NM. Get in touch with any questions about how you can Make a Donation today.
Contact
Tech Workforce NM
801 University Blvd SE, Suite 307
Albuquerque, NM 87106
USA
505-600-1741