Software is changing the world – from medicine and education to fashion and transportation – and it’s impacting the way we work and how we live. The possibilities are limited only by the number of people with the ambition, great ideas, and opportunities to bring their ideas to life. Tech jobs are growing three times faster than our colleges are producing computer science graduates. By 2020, there will be one million unfilled software engineering jobs in the USA. To help those with the desire to get the technical skills they need, Atlassian is making a $1M donation to Coursera, Codecademy, Women Who Code, and CODE2040.

Growing our community of software developers

We’ve teamed up with Coursera, which offers online education in partnership with over 140 top universities, to pay 50% of tuition for computer science courses for a limited time in June. If you have the next big idea but need the skills to take action, you can now sign up for courses like Java Programming: An Introduction to Software from Duke University through Coursera – at half the cost.

Our aim is to grow the community of software developers with this program. Coursera’s unique model will also help us reach a diverse group of students. This includes non-traditional students like parents returning to the workforce, veterans entering the private sector, and mid-life career changers. Everyone’s life is touched by software, and we want everyone to have the opportunity to create it.

“Many of the world’s most impressive companies achieved their impact through the work of great software engineers,” said Rick Levin, CEO of Coursera. “We are excited to work with Atlassian to equip more people with the technical skills to become developers.”

We are also working with Codecademy, which helps millions of learners around the world interact and learn the skills they need to succeed in today’s digital world via web and mobile devices accessible anywhere.

“We’re building the basic steps of competency to help people start their own companies or get entry level jobs right now,” said Zach Sims,” Codecademy CEO. “We are building part of the future of education where anyone can learn skills to help them find great jobs.”

Opening access to everyone who wants to code

We know education is just the first step to creating a stronger, more vibrant tech industry. Team diversity also plays a critical role. We want to ensure we have a diverse set of voices and perspectives building tomorrow’s technology. CODE2040 and Women Who Code are tackling this challenge head on. Both organizations are increasing awareness about the lack of diversity in tech and creating new opportunities for underrepresented minorities.

The biggest impediment to advancement, be it in healthcare, the environment or the connected home, is technical skills. The more people we can empower with those skills, the faster industries move forward to tackle what’s next. We hope you’ll join us by getting involved with Coursera, CODE2040, or Women Who Code. Sign up for a class, get involved with CODE2040 or Women Who Code, or pass the word on to someone you know who’s passionate about changing the world through the power of software.

To access the classes on Coursera:

Navigate to Computer Science Specialization. Once you’ve found a course, look for the blue enroll button and click. On the checkout page, look to see if you have the yellow box telling you about the 50% Atlassian offer. If you do not see the yellow box, be sure to click the “Use Offer” button to activate the offer. (This program will continue in June until we have exhausted the funds.)

To access the classes on Codecademy:

Head to Codecademy and once you’ve found a course, look for the Upgrade Now button and click. On the checkout page, you’ll see a message at the top telling you about the 50% Atlassian offer. (This program will continue in June until we have exhausted the funds.)