Steve Wozniak announces tech education platform Woz U

Steve WozniaK – the man who co-founded Apple alongside the late Steve Jobs is launching a new portal Woz U and thereby entering the education sector. The portal is designed to promote technology jobs and provide skills to enter the tech industry .The institute will be headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Woz U is part of the private & for-profit Southern Careers Institute which operates 7 campuses in Texas alongside an online school (so do not expect everything on the portal to be free). Yet, Steve Wozniak plans to partner with other colleges and institutes as they develop and grow. The plans are to expand the initiative to include as much as 30 physical locations globally with courses ranging from software development to IT to mobile app development to cyber security.

“Our goal is to educate and train people in employable digital skills without putting them into years of debt,” Wozniak, who also worked as an elementary school teacher, said in a statement. “People often are afraid to choose a technology-based career because they think they can’t do it. I know they can, and I want to show them how.”

Tech companies interested in using the tools & resources provided by Woz U to train and recruit employees also have access. The platform will be available to students K-12 through partnerships with school districts as well. Further in the future, Woz plans to offer one-to-one instructions to students and also create its own accelerator program for prospective startup founders. The objective is to generate and increase interest in STEAM fields/ careers which include Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics. There will also be a focus on Arts possibly as a nod to Wozniak’s role at Apple and Steve Job’s lifelong mission to blend technology with humanities.

“My entire life I have worked to build, develop, and create a better world through technology and I have always respected education. Now is the time for Woz U, and we are only getting started.”

No pricing details have been revealed so far, although a mobile app is already availabe with some introductory courses. You can also enroll yourself with Woz U starting today , though do not expect much other than providing your personal information.

Source: THE VERGE