Earlier this year, St. Louis-based software developer bootcamp Claim Academy announced a partnership with Facebook Community Boost, which provided scholarship funds to students who could not afford to attend the coding bootcamp otherwise. This week, those Claim Academy students demo their capstone projects during public event after 12 weeks of training.

Claim Academy originally partnered with Facebook because they share a common mission to address the skills gap in technology. Though jobs in technology are abundant, many people lack foundational skills around coding and software development. Minority populations are even less likely to have access to basic tools.

Thanks to the grant, Claim Academy admitted 25 new students from diverse backgrounds. Facebook covered the $12,500 cost of the coding bootcamp tuition fees for each of the new students.

After a 12 week intensive full time training program in learning Java, those students are now set to graduate in just under two weeks. Their training culminates in an event called “Demo Day,” where employers that are seeking entry-level developers are invited to gather in Claim’s classroom to watch students demo their capstone projects. The demo day is open to members of the public too.

Among the student projects will include an app to schedule hair bookings, a software to help us recover from natural disasters, and a supply chain logistics management system.

These projects reflect each student’s personal interests or hobbies; Claim believes in giving students the flexibility to build a software application or website that solves a real problem — any problem — which they have identified in their work or personal life.

There are two upcoming Demo Days this Summer: one on July 12 and another on August 2nd. For more information and to RSVP, please visit: www.claimacademystl.com/demo-day.php.