Pursuit Core
An intensive training program for low-income adults in New York City that provides pathways to meaningful jobs within the tech sector
Technological advancements and automation will continue to disrupt opportunities for low-income and blue-collared workers, leaving them the most vulnerable to job-loss and long-term unemployment. At the same time, new high-quality jobs in the tech sector will be created, but many lack the skills to take advantage of these opportunities.
Pursuit is a New York-based four-year program consisting of a 10 to 12-month intensive training course that is then supplemented with a three-year success program. The program is funded by a social impact bond and participants don’t pay until after getting a tech job with a salary above $60,000, at which point they pay 12% of their salary for three years.
Current and Future Impact
Since 2014, Pursuit has trained over 450 talented developers and on average raise incomes from $18,000 pre-program to over $85,000 post program. On average, 80% of alumni are retained in the tech industry one-year post placement. Pursuit has also piloted a revenue stream where employers pay for them to identify existing blue-collared workers within their company and retrain them to become well-paid software engineers.
