A first-of-its-kind program in North Dakota is revamping post-secondary education and connecting students with high-paying jobs. Emerging Digital Academy (EDA) is an immersive software engineering program that focuses on full-stack web development – in other words, the program teaches students how to develop web applications.
EDA offers 20-week programs where students learn to understand, design and work with software at all layers of the modern web stack. No prior software development experience is required as students will learn to build web apps from the ground up.
Graduation rates and post-program job placements for EDA students are significant. Of the program’s 50 alumni, about 90% were placed within about six months, in part thanks to EDA’s deep connections with local employers. In fact, 100% of their last four cohorts of job-seeking students found opportunity in the field within six months of graduation, and the average salary for graduates who find full-time employment is $52,000.
Emerging Digital Academy’s long-term goal is to continue getting students in North Dakota into a career in technology through an immersive software engineering program.
“We also seek to continue to support our technology ecosystem by connecting our students to local companies, supporting meetups and facilitating events and conferences,” says Blaine Booher, program director at Emerging Prairie.
EDA is largely supported by Fueling Our Future (FOF), an initiative in the Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo metro that aims to generate solutions that create lasting impacts on the community. FOF has assisted with providing funding opportunities to ensure that EDA invest in students. Funding helps us provide access to the program for students that might not otherwise have the opportunity.
You can learn more about the program on the EDA website. Students who are interested can apply for free on their website. Businesses looking to hire students or professionals looking for mentorship opportunities can email hello@emergingacademy.org.
