'Bit Source' is a Kentucky-based startup that employs former coal miners and teaches them how to code. With the coal industry in rapid decline, many miners have found themselves struggling to find work. This company helps former miners transition to a modern industry by teaching them a valuable new skill.
Bit Source was launched by two entrepreneurs from Pikeville, Kentucky, as a way to replace lost jobs. The company began by employing 10 former coal miners and teaching them how to code over a 22 week period. The employees now take on client work as well as individual projects such as designing websites to spark local tourism.
With the goal of eventually turning Bit Source into a tech hub, the startup demonstrates how to successfully train employees to transition into new industries.
Coal Miner Coding Classes
'Bit Source' Employs Former Coal Miners and Teaches Them to Code
Trend Themes
1. Reskilling Workforce - The trend of reskilling former coal miners to code presents an opportunity for companies to tap into a skilled workforce and address the skills gap in the tech industry.
2. Tech Training for Non-tech Workers - The trend of teaching coding skills to non-tech workers, such as former coal miners, offers a disruptive innovation opportunity to bridge the digital divide and empower individuals for new career paths.
3. Regional Tech Hubs - The trend of creating tech hubs in regions impacted by industry decline, like Bit Source's efforts in Kentucky, opens up opportunities for economic revitalization and job creation.
Industry Implications
1. Software Development - The software development industry can capitalize on the trend of reskilling former coal miners to code by hiring these individuals and leveraging their unique skill set.
2. Workforce Development - The workforce development industry can seize the opportunity to build training and reskilling programs that cater to non-tech workers, supporting their transition into new industries like tech.
3. Economic Development - The economic development industry can take advantage of the trend of creating regional tech hubs in areas impacted by industry decline by investing in infrastructure and providing support to attract tech companies and talent.