AspireHub
TechPlus
Students in Junior and Senior Secondary School.
Coding, Robotics, Web Development
Leadership, Financial Literacy, Health, Entrepreneurship, Diversity and Inclusion, and more.
Sponsors:
The Technology and Life Skills Acquisition Program for Black Youth (TECHPLUS) empowers junior and senior high students with technology and life skills that they can leverage for immediate employment, and build on for future learnings and career opportunities.
This program aligns with the Aspire Hub’s broad objective of connecting minority youths with opportunities for better career and health outcomes as they become successful adults, responsible citizens, and exemplary leaders.
We know that low skills perpetuate poverty and inequality. Skill development can reduce unemployment/under-employment, increase productivity, and improve living standards. We are building a vibrant community of responsible black youth while also reducing high-risk behavior and increasing our youth’s circles of support.
TECHPLUS is a unique program designed to create opportunities for Black Youth to access experiential learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, while also acquiring soft skills in leadership, financial literacy, health, and entrepreneurship. The Program targets Black Youth between the ages of 10 and 19, who are mostly in junior and senior high school; or those transitioning from high school to post-secondary education.
Through the TECHPLUS Program, students will acquire marketable technical skills as they transition to post-secondary studies, while also building soft skills for job retention, team building, and leadership; in addition to access to mentorship and professional network for future career and employment prospects.
The program includes classroom instructions and hours of hands-on practice with Instructors available to support and provide after-class support via Google Workspace and Zoom.
The Life-Skills part of the program covers Health and Wellness, Leadership (Leaders-In-Training), Workplace Readiness, Entrepreneurship, and Financial Literacy; which are aimed at helping the students to develop a healthy body and mind, become financially literate, develop a growth mindset, build great self-confidence, develop coping skills, and build leadership skills; all in a fun and interactive way through case studies, role-playing, story-telling, workbooks, assignments, presentations, quizzes, puzzles, games, and other interactive media.
- The Health and Wellness modules include nutrition, self-care, stress management, exercise, drug awareness, study strategy, bullying management, self-defense, and other practical coping skills.
- The Leadership development (Leaders-In-Training) modules cover goal setting, decision making, self-responsibility, time management, etc.
- The Financial Literacy modules highlight topics like money management, budgeting, TFSAs, RRSPs, Credit, Student loans, Savings, etc; and
- Diversity and Inclusion Conversations.
Low skills perpetuate poverty and inequality.
Skill development can reduce unemployment, under-employment, increase productivity and improve standards of living.
The Technology-Skills part of the program covers:
Coding,
Robotics,
Web Design/Development,
Tech Setup,
eCommerce,
Cloud Technology, and
Project Management.
The program includes classroom instructions and hours of hands-on practice with Instructors available to support and provide after-class support via Google Workspace and Zoom. TECHPLUS 2022 was completed on August 12, 2022 with 90+ students trained for 3 weeks.
Students ages 9 to 14 years are invited to participate in our Coding and Robotics Course every month. Older students are welcome to participate as well.
You can join our monthly technology skills development program every 3rd Saturday of the month – to stay creatively engaged.
Student Comments
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Goal:
So we can inspire and empower more underrepresented youths towards becoming successful adults, responsible citizens, and exemplary leaders.