The city of Phoenix has partnered with a local nonprofit to offer free computer programming classes to kids as young as four years old in an effort to prepare the city’s youth for the technology-based world they live in.
“Every job in America is a tech job in some way, shape or form,” said Phoenix City Councilman Daniel Valenzuela, “but only 25 percent of schools in Arizona – and in the country, for that matter – offer computer science.”
Workshops use programming courses from Code.org, a nonprofit that offers free online resources designed to inspire interest in computer science. In addition to coding, the clasess teach robotics, 3D modeling and app development.
Parents interested in signing their children up for Code PHX can find nearby workshops on the the city’s website.
>> Ted Simons: THE CITY OF PHOENIX IS
WORKING WITH TWO OTHER GROUPS IN
DEVELOPING A PROGRAM TO TEACH
COMPUTER-CODING TO KIDS.
HERE TO TELL US ABOUT THE CODING
PROGRAM IS PHOENIX CITY
COUNCILMAN, DANIEL VALENZUELA.
GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>>Daniel Valenzuela: GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> Ted Simons: CODE PHX.
WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE?
>> Daniel Valenzuela: CODE PHOENIX IS A STEM
INITIATIVE TO ALLOW YOUTH 4-17
TO TAKE TECHNOLOGY AND COMPUTER
SCIENCE CLASSES, CODING CLASSES,
FOR FREE.
IT IS DUE TO THE WORK BETWEEN A
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF
PHOENIX AND THE PHOENIX IDA WE
WERE ABLE TO WORK THIS OUT AND
NOW THE KIDS WILL BENEFIT FROM
IT.
>> Ted Simons: SOME PEOPLE HEAR KIDS ARE TO
BE TAUGHT CODING, THEY HAVE NO
IDEA WHAT CODING IS.
>> Daniel Valenzuela: MANY KIDS DO.
CODING IS JUST -- IT'S DATA
SOFTWARE.
THINK OF IT THIS WAY, EVERY JOB
IN AMERICA IS A TECH JOB IN SOME
WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.
SOMEONE IS CREATING THE
SOFTWARE, TAKING CARE OF THE
WEBSITE.
IT GOES MUCH, MUCH DEEPER.
THINK OF CYBER SECURITY.
IT HAS A HIGH CEILING.
TODAY IN ARIZONA, MORE THAN
10,000 TECH JOBS GO WITHOUT
BEING FILLED.
WE KNOW THE INDUSTRY IS MOVING
THAT WAY YET 25% OF THE SCHOOLS
IN ARIZONA OFFER COMPUTER
SCIENCE.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO
CREATE THE TALENT TO MAKE
PHOENIX THE PLACE TO BE FOR THE
COMPANIES TO COME THAT KNOW WE
HAVE MORE TALENT.
>> Ted Simons: DO WE KNOW WHO WILL TEACH THE
CLASSES, HOW OFTEN THEY'LL BE
HELD, THOSE SORT OF THINGS?
>> Daniel Valenzuela: THE WEBSITE HAS A CLASS
SCHEDULE THERE.
WE HAVE 17 PUBLIC LIBRARIES,
PARKS AND REC MOBILE UNITS THAT
GO TO THE INNER CITY THAT WILL
OFFER THIS TYPE OF CLASS.
THEY CAN BE TAKEN AFTER SCHOOL
OR ON THE WEEKENDS.
IT'S EXCITING.
OUR YOUTH IS LOVING IT.
FRANKLY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A
REALLY GREAT WAY TO GAIN
EMPLOYMENT AS WELL.
WE HAVE OUR YOUTH AND OUR
STUDENTS IN FACT FROM ARIZONA
UNIVERSITY, THERE IS SUCH A NEED
FOR THE TECHNOLOGY JOBS.
I LOVE THAT PHOENIX IS THE FIRST
CITY IN THE COUNTRY TO DO IT TO
THIS SCALE FOR OUR YOUTH.
>> Ted Simons: IS IT LIKE A RECREATION CLASS
TEACHING TENNIS AND WHOEVER
SHOWS UP, MODELING, IF YOUR
KID'S INTERESTED GO AHEAD AND SHOW ON UP.
>> Daniel Valenzuela: WE ARE USING CODE SOFTWARE.
IT'S A FREE PROGRAM.
WE HAVE LIBRARY STAFF AND PARKS
AND REC STAFF TO BE INSTRUCTORS,
BUT IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM TO ASK
PEOPLE IN THESE INDUSTRIES TO
COME IN AND FIRST HAND TEACH
WHAT THEY DO FOR A LIVING.
NOT EVERY STUDENT IS GOING TO BE
AN ENGINEER, BUT WITH S.T.E.M.
EDUCATION, 3D MODELING AND
CODING, THEY'LL BECOME
PROBLEMSOLVERS.
TODAY WE CAN USE THAT IN EVERY
INDUSTRY.
>> Ted Simons: IT'S ANOTHER EDUCATIONAL
AVENUE, ISN'T IT?
>> Daniel Valenzuela: CODING IS ANOTHER LANGUAGE.
THINK OF THAT AS WELL, A
UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE.
>> Ted Simons: TWO KIDS WALK IN.
ONE KID ALL HE KNOWS IS HOW TO
WRITE A BUTTON.
ONE KID KNOWS HOW TO WRITE A BIT
OF CODE.
DO YOU MOVE THEM OFF IN
DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS?
HOW DOES THAT WORK?
>> Daniel Valenzuela: THEY'LL SIT IN FRONT OF A
COMPUTER AT THE LIBRARY.
THEY HAVE AN INSTRUCTOR THERE TO
GO THROUGH THE STEPS OF
LEARNING.
PERHAPS IT'S CREATING A GAME
DEPENDING ON HOW ADVANCED THEY
ARE.
THE THING I WANT TO MENTION, AS
WE KNOW WOMEN MAKE UP 50% OF THE
WORKFORCE.
THERE IS A GENDER GAP WHEN IT
COMES TO TECHNOLOGY JOBS,
THOUGH, A MAJOR GAP OF 3-1 MALE
VS FEMALE.
THIS IS HELPING TO SHAPE THAT
AND EVEN THAT.
SO FAR OF ALL OF THE YOUTH, THE
STUDENTS THAT HAVE COME OUT,
GENERALLY 50/50 MALE/FEMALE.
IT’S A TRUE REFELCTION OF
WHAT OUR COMMUNITY LOOKS LIKE.
THIS IS AN EQUITY ISSUE AS WELL.
>> Ted Simons: COST FOR ALL OF THIS?
>> Daniel Valenzuela: FREE.
THE CITY OF PHOENIX WORKED IT
OUT WITH OUR PARTNERS AND THE
ARIZONA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.
IT'S SOMETHING I HAVE BEEN
WORKING ON PERSONALLY FOR A LONG
TIME.
I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
IT'S A PUBLIC/PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIP.
OUR YOUTH GETTING THE TECHNOLOGY
CLASSES DON'T HAVE TO PAY A
DIME.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO RAISE MONEY.
THE PRIVATE SECTOR REALIZES
THESE ARE THE WORKERS OF THE
FUTURE.
>> Daniel Valenzuela: PHOENIX.GOV/CODE PHX.
>> Ted Simons: GOOD INFORMATION.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> Daniel Valenzuela: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> Ted Simons: TUESDAY ON "ARIZONA HORIZON,"
A NEW SURVEY SUGGESTS THAT TRUST
IN MEDIA IS INCREASING AS
CONFIDENCE IN THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION FALLS.
AND HEAR FROM CIVIL-RIGHTS
ACTIVIST AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE
NATIONAL FARM-WORKERS
ASSOCIATION, DOLORES HUERTA.
THAT'S TUESDAY ON "ARIZONA
HORIZON."
THAT IS IT FOR NOW.
I'M TED SIMONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING
US.
YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.
ºº
Daniel Valenzuela: Councilman, City of Phoenix