I work for a homeless shelter in Iowa called John Lewis that runs one of these programs. In the basement of one building we have a computer lab that we use to teach free classes to the people in our other aid/transitional living/rehabilitation programs. We teach courses in everything from Intro to Computers to one for CompTIA A+ certifications.
As an instructor there, I've seen marked improvements in the course of peoples' lives. The students there go from being afraid of computer mice to having jobs in web development and computer repair.
As far as The Economist's question about qualifications...I was taken on in May last year when I had just turned 13, though I did have to suffer through a year without pay (apparently it isn't legal to put someone under 14 on payroll). They tell me, though, that this is in extraordinary case and has to do with the courses I've taken nights and weekends from area colleges. Basically, the qualifications are math through Calculus, four years+ of foreign language (yes, people *do* show up not knowing English). It wouldn't hurt to have any certifications you plan to be teaching - I have A+ and CCNA. I also had to submit samples when they set me up teaching web design. Does this help, Economist?
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I work for a homeless shelter in Iowa called John Lewis that runs one of these programs. In the basement of one building we have a computer lab that we use to teach free classes to the people in our other aid/transitional living/rehabilitation programs. We teach courses in everything from Intro to Computers to one for CompTIA A+ certifications.
As an instructor there, I've seen marked improvements in the course of peoples' lives. The students there go from being afraid of computer mice to having jobs in web development and computer repair.
As far as The Economist's question about qualifications...I was taken on in May last year when I had just turned 13, though I did have to suffer through a year without pay (apparently it isn't legal to put someone under 14 on payroll). They tell me, though, that this is in extraordinary case and has to do with the courses I've taken nights and weekends from area colleges. Basically, the qualifications are math through Calculus, four years+ of foreign language (yes, people *do* show up not knowing English). It wouldn't hurt to have any certifications you plan to be teaching - I have A+ and CCNA. I also had to submit samples when they set me up teaching web design. Does this help, Economist?