Zip Code, DSU and Barclays collaborate on Mobile App Academy – Technical.ly Delaware

Delaware State University is providing the space, Zip Code Wilmington is providing the curriculum and Barclays is providing the funding. It’s a six-week immersion course called the Mobile App Academy.

The pilot program began last week. For students, it only costs $500, which includes tuition and room and board. Barclays is also pitching in with some scholarship money for students.

Zip Code Wilmington Director of Education Tariq Hook is working closely with the initiative. “Having more programs in the area only adds validity to our program,” Hook said. “Students that excel in this program will be prime candidates for zip code and will be encouraged to do so. This will help us bring more technical talent into the area.”

Students are expected to graduate mid-August with skills in Android mobile architecture and Java programming. Since it’s a pilot program, the class size was kept to 15 students. The cohort is composed of a diverse mix of DSU students, DSU alumni and members of the Dover community.

The program also has an interesting venue.

The old Sheraton hotel in Dover was purchased by Delaware State University a couple of years ago as a means to expand its campus. The 135,500-square-foot space is under the process of renovation, but the fifth and seventh floors were the first to become renovated. One of the old hotel’s most prominent event spaces, the Champagne Ballroom, has now been transformed into a big educational office space.

Downstairs on the fifth floor, are rooms where students can live. On-campus living is completely optional but, hey, it sure beats college dorms.

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Rana Fayez is Technical.ly Delaware’s lead reporter. She was previously business reporter and digital editor for the Delaware Business Times. In 2015, she won two awards from the Delaware Press Association for her coverage on consumer retail trends and technology news. When not storytelling, she’s volunteering or making music.