About our Organization

Emergent Works is a community of people who learn, use, and build technology as a means of liberation. We bridge the gap between the tech industry and historically underserved communities impacted by mass incarceration by offering free access to the technology, education, and resources necessary to enter into careers in tech.

EW employs a multi-pronged strategic approach to bridge this gap and to generate large-scale systemic change in the opportunities available to returning citizens.

EW provides digital literacy and software development training to returning citizens by pairing them with senior software engineers through our mentorship program. Over four months, participants gain access to a supportive community of learners and professionals, educational resources, and our tech industry network to support them as they embark on their journeys to careers in tech.

EW augments the mentorship program by equipping participants with lifelong access to our online and in-person community and resources. We support alumni in securing jobs, apprenticeships, and further educational pathways through our partner organizations. The relationships and bonds that form during the mentorship program provide our community members with the requisite care, support, and resources they need to overcome the challenges that returning citizens often face. Access to this community means that mentees are provided with support, guidance, and the assurance that a community of like-minded and experienced technologists will be there to answer their questions throughout their journeys.

EW further supports our community through the Emergent Works Agency Engineering Leadership Program. During the program, associate software engineers with a history of incarceration are mentored by our team of senior software engineers and tech industry veterans. Throughout this program, associate engineers explore the full gamut of practical, on-the-job experience, contributing production code on numerous agency software development projects.

EW’s holistic programming model provides exposure, support, and access to opportunities necessary for returning citizens to forge successful pathways into life-sustaining careers as software engineer and technologists.