Documenting Baltimore's Tech Community to Help STUDENTS...

learn about educational pathways

find mentors

apply for internships

The Need

Welding pipes together, on Esdraelon stretch - American Colony Photography Department source: Library of CongressFor the cities of the future, the most important pieces of infrastructure are not going to be physical roads, miles of underground pipes, or power plants. These things are important and part of modern life, but the truly transformational infrastructure -- the thing that will distinguish one place from another and decide the "winners" and "losers" economically speaking -- are pipelines built of pathways into the high-need digital workforce in a variety of tech sectors.

"When there are two tech jobs for every single unemployed person in technology, it is obvious we don't have a jobs problem, we have an education one."
-- Andrew Coy

The problem facing our city and our country is one that will not be solved by doing the same things we have always done. We need innovative new ideas that leverage the omnipresent nature of ubiquitous information in today's Internet age. We need schools that inspire creative problem solving instead of asking students to "solve" problems for which we already have answers. We need teachers that no longer see themselves as "disseminators of information" but as key network nodes in a wide world of possibilities. We need to break down the factory-style educational methods and build in their place apprenticeship, passion-based, real-world educational mindsets in learners of all ages.

The Pipeline

The BmorePipeline from "a maze of rusting pipes" -- original photo by autowitchThis website is all about documenting Baltimore's pipeline in an effort to assist students as they make their way in the wide world of the web.

• Pathways -- opportunities (both formal and informal) to learn the hard and soft skill sets you will need to be successful in the dynamic world of the new tech workforce.
• Internships -- an introduction to a potential career with real hands-on learning.
• Mentors -- key individuals in the community who take the time to help new talent find its way through the maze of opportunities and pitfalls
• Jobs -- paying work that makes use of all the things learned along the way.
• Organizations -- both Businesses and Community groups (formal or informal) which support individuals at various stages along the way from education to career.

We also feel it is important to catalog the multitude of resources that are constantly floating around out there as well as document the history of Baltimore's robust tech scene.

The Logo

Interested in taking part in this project in an unique way? Then you should submit a logo.

We'll be switching it out periodically and potentially for special occasions as a way to recognize events, milestones, and people. We will be sure to highlight the artists who's work we select for our logo.