The Linux Foundation — the non-profit arm of the merger between Open Source Development Labs and the Free Standards Group — has announced in a press release that they’ve partnered with Blacks In Technology to provide $100,000 in training and certification to what they’re calling “deserving individuals.”
According to the press release, the San Francisco-based company confirmed they’ll be awarding 50 scholarships each quarter to rising Black technology stars. The scholarship is not a monetary disbursement — rather, the Linux Foundation will provide a voucher for each recipient to register for any of their certification exams at no cost.
Each certification costs approximately $300, and these scholarships will certainly allow aspiring techies to achieve their goals regardless of their socioeconomic status. In the past, much ado has been made about the financial barrier between Black men and women and high-paying tech jobs, so this is certainly a step in the right direction.
“We are extremely pleased to expand our partnership with Blacks in Technology to make quality open source education and certification more accessible to aspiring Black IT professionals,” said Clyde Seepersad, SVP & GM of Training & Certification at The Linux Foundation, in a statement.
As for Blacks In Technology — which is a non-profit organization that aims to bridge the divide between Black tech workers and the rest of the tech industry — their values are perfectly aligned with the foundation’s goals, so the partnership made perfect sense.
“By removing the financial barrier to entry for our members, The Linux Foundation has empowered a new wave of diverse technical experts,” said Dennis Schultz, Executive Director of the Blacks In Technology Foundation. “By offering training and certification options for all experience levels, we can meet people where they are in their technical journey and provide support along the way for long term success.”
Those who are interested in applying for one of the scholarships provided by the Linux Foundation can do so at this link.
