Did you know that there are currently over 325,000 software engineers working in the United States? According to Zippia‘s data science team, 22% of software engineers are women, while 78% are men, and the average age of a software engineer is 39 years old.

The most common ethnicity among software engineers is White (48.5%), followed by Asian (34.0%), Hispanic or Latino (8.1%), and Black (4.8%).

Benedict College recently hosted a special event to celebrate the TechWise program offered by TalentSprint and supported by Google. The program aims to help students become entry-level software engineers by graduation. Students receive virtual training at no cost and a $5,000 stipend over 18 months, along with one-on-one mentoring from a current Google software engineer.

The first cohort of 18 students developed technical proficiency and gained hands-on learning, confidence, and tech career readiness. The second cohort will have students from eight partner colleges nationwide, including seven from Benedict.

Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis, president and CEO of Benedict College, said they are honored to participate in this innovative program, which partners with Google and TalentSprint in the fast-growing field of computer science and software development.

Dr. Robert Garner, dean of the Benedict College School of Science and Engineering, believes the TechWise program provides an excellent opportunity for students to learn from and network with personnel from leading tech companies. Upon completion, students receive a credential that will open doors to exciting employment opportunities.

Career Communications Group also recently hosted a seminar on the current state of technology and future trends. The panel discussed essential drivers such as data analytics, Blockchain, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and mobile technology that will impact our security in the next decade.

They also explored how companies tackle the impact of these emerging technologies, examined strategies and best practices for assessing the business value of these technologies, and assessed new approaches to implementing innovation and driving transformation throughout the organization.

The panelists included Naza Shelley, David Albritton, Col. Alphonso Trimble, Rick Pina, and Mark Fox.