LaunchCode started as an experiment three years ago to persuade companies to take on “talented job candidates typically overlooked by HR.

The Seattle Times reports.

New coding boot camps to start this fall at Seattle Central College

Everyone’s heard how Seattle’s hottest companies are constantly scrambling to fill high-tech job openings. A new federal grant aims to ease the shortage — with free coding boot camps for people without college degrees.

On Monday, Seattle Central College won a $3.8 million grant to help students take coding courses that result in paid apprenticeships in Seattle-area startup companies.

The program is expected to reach more than 700 people over a four-year period, with a focus on unemployed people under 30.

The college will partner with LaunchCode, a St. Louis nonprofit. LaunchCode will assess what kind of training the new students need and create apprenticeships with local companies.