LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Code Louisville, a software training program run by KentuckianaWorks, has placed 543 of its graduates into new careers in the technology sector. Mayor Greg Fischer, along with Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman and Councilman Markus Winkler (D, District 17), announced the milestone Monday.

Fischer congratulated Code Louisville's graduates, calling their dedication and passion for technology "critical to the growth and momentum we’ve seen in our region’s tech sector over the past few years."

The program provides software development training to Louisville residents free of charge.

“Every Kentuckian has the right to quality education and job training. Code Louisville is doing this by cultivating a thriving tech ecosystem in the Louisville region. Code Louisville isn’t just helping prepare individuals for good tech careers, it’s also building a community of tech collaborators and mentors,” said Coleman.

Nearly 300 companies and organizations have hired at least one Code Louisville graduate, including Louisville startup Switcher Studio.

“We’ve hired three of our software engineers through Code Louisville,” said co-founder Ernesto Ramos, who has also served as a mentor for the program. “One of the cool aspects of being a mentor is you get to work with up-and-coming software developers firsthand. It’s a great way to find talented candidates.”

According to a press release from the mayor's office, Louisville has added nearly 4,000 new tech jobs since 2015, and the city is seeing a faster growth rate in tech jobs than many of its peer cities.

“My background was in accounting before I found Code Louisville. During COVID-19, I wasn’t seeing many open positions in the financial sector so I gravitated towards tech and got a good job as a technology consultant at Deloitte where I see a lot of potential on this career path,” said Code Louisville graduate Jenna Williams. “Code Louisville not only helped me get trained, but the staff also encouraged me to apply for jobs I was actually interested in and gave me the confidence and boost I needed.”

Code Louisville, which began in 2013, expanded in 2015 thanks to a federal Workforce Innovation Grant. During his visit to Louisville, President Barack Obama praised the program and called on other cities and states to follow Kentucky's example.

The program is now funded by Louisville Metro Government and the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet.

“Code Louisville is exactly the type of program we should continue to invest in as a community. Helping our residents build the type of skills employers demand is critical to attracting new businesses to Louisville and raising wages across our city,” said Winkler. “My hope is that we can expand capacity at Code Louisville and other similar programs so that all Louisvillians seeking to improve their job skills have the opportunity.”

All Code Louisville classes are currently offered online due to COVID-19. 

Haeli Spears is a digital producer with Spectrum News 1 Kentucky. She is a University of Louisville graduate who started her career with Spectrum News in May, 2020.