Our Anniversary Year
In 2024, COOP will celebrate our 10-year anniversary. Throughout this year, we will be even more reflective about what we have accomplished and all we have yet to do.
In the months ahead, we're excited to share big news, innovate and evolve, and build an even stronger foundation for the future. This will prepare us to help even more first-generation, low-income college graduates gain the skills and network they need for the careers they deserve.
COOP to make Civic Hall its NYC HQ
June 2024 - At a recent event at their state-of-the-art digital skills and innovation hub in Union Square, COOP announced it is relocating its New York City operations to Civic Hall.
“We are excited to join the thriving community at Civic Hall this fall when we bring the COOP Careers Fellowship to Union Square," said Kalani Leifer, Founder and CEO of COOP. “Thanks to this partnership, our fellows will be surrounded by entrepreneurs and innovators who will support their growth in the tech industry. At COOP, we believe community is the key to economic mobility, and we know that coming together in this central location with like-minded people will elevate the experience for our fellows, alumni, and staff — fostering new ideas, opportunities, and professional growth.”
COOP has produced compelling wage outcomes for thousands of their fellows in New York, California, Illinois, and Florida. Within 12 months of program completion, three out of four COOP alumni are fully employed, earning an average of $50,000 per year (median pre-program earnings are $12,000 per year inclusive of under and unemployed fellows).
“COOP’s strong wage data for their participants demonstrates the power of their program. Therefore, we’re thrilled to welcome COOP into the Civic Hall community because they will help us close persistent wage gaps, especially for underserved communities,” said Jim Malatras, Chief Strategy Officer & Senior VP for Education, The Fedcap Group—the parent organization of Civic Hall.
This strategic move comes as COOP enters its 10th anniversary year. The organization is celebrating this milestone in both big and small ways throughout the next six months. One of the highlights will be this relocation to Civic Hall.
About Civic Hall
Civic Hall is a collaborative innovation center that brings together civic-minded technologists, social entrepreneurs, government officials, and community leaders to develop technology solutions for the public good. Located in Union Square, Civic Hall fosters a vibrant ecosystem of knowledge sharing and cooperative action.
Civic Hall’s mission is to support and enable best-in-class programs that help close the digital skills divide and plan for the needs of tomorrow’s workforce. Civic Hall facilitates groundbreaking partnerships among high-impact organizations, civic and social innovators, workforce training partners, and New York’s employer ecosystem to work collectively to meet the educational and professional needs of all New Yorkers, especially those from communities too often left behind. Civic Hall also serves as a tech incubator and accelerator, helping to spur new innovations and ideas.
Other 10th anniversary news
COOP Careers Fellowship
March 2024 - The first update we want to provide is a change in how we describe our program and the folks who participate in it. Read more about the change here.