There’s no denying that students are inseparable from their phones and the apps they access daily. Yet many only perceive themselves on the user end, buying and downloading apps rather than building and creating them. With the career outlook for web developers on the rise, Chicago recognizes that it’s time to turn the technology once thought of as a school distraction into a career-building curriculum. As such, Mayor Rahm Emanuel has announced a new program that will teach high school and college students interested in technology but lacking experience how to code and prepare them for a successful future in web development.

Beginning in 2014, Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the City Colleges of Chicago (CCC), and Chicago startup The Starter League will be providing innovative, forward-thinking web development classes that will reach over 2,000 Chicago students. The curriculum will feature lessons on HTML, CSS, and Ruby on Rails for web development. “This new partnership is an innovative way to ensure our high school and college students have the skills and education they need for the jobs of today and the careers of the future,” says Mayor Emanuel.