AT&T and Udacity to Offer Scholarships to Underserved Students for New Online Tech Training Program

WASHINGTON, DC, September 11, 2014 /3BL Media/ — Two-hundred students from diverse backgrounds will receive scholarships funded by AT&T and Udacity for an online degree that will help prepare them for careers in the tech industry. Announced today at The Atlantic’s Technologies in Education 2014 forum, the scholarships will cover the costs for students to earn nanodegrees.

“Nanodegrees are a new type of credential for students anywhere to have access to affordable training.  Earning this credential will soon become a key part of AT&T’s training and talent acquisition model, and our hope is that it will be recognized by other employers in a similar fashion,” said Scott S. Smith, Senior Vice President of Human Resources Operations at AT&T.  

“Our collaboration with AT&T to design and deliver nanodegrees is a first in the industry. We will support deserving students who are eager to gain relevant skills to advance their tech careers,” said Clarissa Shen, Vice President of Business Development at Udacity. 

Through AT&T Aspire, AT&T’s signature education initiative, the company is introducing the program’s capabilities to approximately 10 national and regional non-profits that will be selected to award the scholarships. AT&T Aspire brings together AT&T employees, nonprofit organizations and community members to help equip students with the skills they need to excel in the digital, global economy.

Each organization receiving the scholarships helps students focus on school success and career readiness. The organizations include, but are not limited to:  Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Communities In Schools, Genesys Works, Girls Who Code, Jobs for America's Graduates and Year Up.

“Nanodegrees are an opportunity for these students to receive training for entry-level software development jobs,” said Anne Wintroub, Director of Social Innovation, AT&T. “Providing these scholarships will empower students across the country with high quality, affordable training for tech skills needed by today’s businesses.”

AT&T and Udacity will launch nanodegrees later this year. Top-performing graduates will be eligible for up to 100 paid internships being offered by AT&T.

“These nanodegree scholarships will give our students access to new and exciting opportunities,” said Casey Recupero, National Director, Partnerships & Innovation at Year Up. “By making education affordable, more talented, motivated young adults like the ones we serve will be able to gain the technical skills necessary to gain sustainable careers and reach economic self-sufficiency.”

The nanodegree courses are delivered through the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platform and designed to be completed within 6-12 months. The courses are self-paced with personalized coaches and access to industry experts every step of the way. The degrees are efficient, focused and affordable, making them extremely applicable to the needs of today’s tech-centric world.

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About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and internationally. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation’s most reliable 4G LTE network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile Internet, AT&T also offers the best global wireless coverage, based on offering roaming in more countries than any other U.S. based carrier, and offers the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV service with the AT&T U-verse^® brand. The company’s suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world.

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://about.att.com, or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/att and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/att.

© 2014 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

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About Udacity

Udacity’s mission is to bring accessible, affordable, engaging and highly effective learning to the world. The company, headquartered in Silicon Valley, works with industry leaders including AT&T, Google, Facebook, Salesforce.com and Cloudera to build technology classes that are designed to advance lifelong learning. For more information, go to www.Udacity.com.

About Philanthropy at AT&T

AT&T Inc. is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its community initiatives, AT&T has a long history of investing in projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; or address community needs. In 2013, more than $130 million was contributed or directed through corporate-, employee-, social investment- and AT&T Foundation-giving programs. AT&T Aspire is AT&T’s signature education initiative that drives innovation in education by bringing diverse resources to bear on the issue including funding, technology, employee volunteerism and mentoring.

© 2014 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.