Coalition for Queens (C4Q), a nonprofit aimed at helping young residents become interested in pursuing tech careers, will now be known as Pursuit.
The Queens-based tech nonprofit announced its new name today, which is part of the organization’s larger rebranding and expansion effort to “serve as a long-term transformation partner to people and communities with the highest need and highest potential.” According to the organization, their goal is to eventually expand their reach beyond Queens and New York City.
New services offered by Pursuit include a 10-month training program supplemented by Pursuit Advance, the organization’s three-year-long career success program. Through Pursuit Advance, program graduates will be able to receive coaching, additional tech learning and individualized support that will help them advance through the tech industry.
Since 2011, Pursuit has been training those enrolled in their program for jobs at top companies like Pinterest, Kickstarter, LinkedIn, BlackRock and JPMorgan Chase. Pursuit’s website said that individuals go from making $18,000 to over $85,000 a year.
“When we launched C4Q in 2011, we recognized the immense impact technology was going to have on our society. The industry has created more wealth and jobs than ever before, but these opportunities weren’t reaching everyone, so we set out to give talented people the opportunity they deserve,” said Jukay Hsu, co-founder and CEO of Pursuit. “Pursuit will guide graduates as they navigate the tech sector, providing our students with not only the skills but also the hands-on guidance to succeed and thrive. Their journey doesn’t end when they get their first job, so neither should our work together.”
According to its website, the name “Pursuit” mirrors the desire of individuals in their program to better their careers and lives. The Google and Robin Hood Foundation-backed nonprofit will be funded in part by $1.85 million in grants from Siegel Family Endowment (SFE) and Salesforce.org. Funding will go toward developing career advancement programs and supporting expansion initiatives.
The organization also developed the Pursuit Bond funding model which allows “impact investors” to invest money into students’ training and provide low-income students with training at no upfront cost. Once students graduate, they pay back the investments with their future earnings.
For more information on Pursuit’s rebranding and expansion, visit pursuit.org.
