Fareportal Joins Forces with ScriptEd and iD Tech to Bring Technology Education to New York City Students

Online Travel Agency provides scholarship and internship opportunities to STEM-focused students at under-resourced high schools

Fareportal, the travel technology company powering CheapOair and OneTravel, has announced its new partnership with ScriptEd, a non-profit working to equip students in under-resourced schools with the fundamental coding skills and professional experiences necessary to pursue careers in technology.

Fareportal employees including Sam S. Jain, Founder and CEO, and Werner G. Kunz-Cho, Co-CEO, gather with ScriptEd students for a round table discussion on careers in technology.

According to a study conducted in 2014 by the Nation’s Report Card, only 25% students that qualified for the National School Lunch Program were considered “At or Above Proficient” in Technology and Engineering compared to 59% of students who didn’t qualify for the National School Lunch Program[1].

To help combat this imbalance, Fareportal has dedicated a scholarship fund to send 10 of ScriptEd’s high school students to a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) intensive summer camp hosted by iD Tech Camps. The students will take courses that range from coding and app development to video game design and robotics engineering. Fareportal has also committed to employing one ScriptEd student intern this summer to work in their fast-growing Data Science department.

“As a technology company, we understand the importance of offering advanced science and math education to all students. We are excited to partner with ScriptEd to help the under-served students of New York City gain access to these progressive programs,” said Sam. S Jain, founder and CEO of Fareportal.  “We are dedicated to helping the next generation of coders and engineers achieve their education goals and hopefully find a career path in the technology field down the road.”

Technology is a high-demand industry and is expected to continue growing rapidly.  According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in computer occupations is expected to increase 12.5% from 2014-2024 which is nearly double the average projected growth rate for all occupations nationwide[2]. However, despite this anticipated growth, many students, especially those in under-resourced schools, have limited access to technology and engineering activities in and out of school.

“Many New York City high school students have no idea that websites and apps they use every day are made right here in the city,” said Maurya Couvares, cofounder and Executive Director of ScriptEd. “We are excited to partner with Fareportal to connect ScriptEd students to opportunities in our thriving local tech community, and increase access to high-quality coding education programs and authentic work-based learning experiences.”

Fareportal has a longstanding commitment to helping communities in need through charitable donations and involvement with non-profit organizations. The company is always seeking out new opportunities to get involved both at home and abroad.

About Fareportal

Fareportal is a travel technology company powering a next generation travel concierge service. Utilizing its innovative technology and company owned and operated global contact centers, Fareportal has built strong industry partnerships providing customers access to over 450 airlines, 1 million hotels, and hundreds of car rental companies around the globe. With a portfolio of consumer travel brands including CheapOair and OneTravel, Fareportal enables consumers to book online, on mobile apps for iOS and Android, by phone, or live chat. Fareportal provides its airline partners with access to a broad customer base that books high-yielding international travel and add-on ancillaries.

About ScriptEd

ScriptEd is a non-profit organization that equips students in under-resourced schools with the fundamental coding skills and professional experiences that together create access to careers in technology. We bring our tuition-free program directly to schools, where classes are taught by software developers on a volunteer basis. Students apply their coding skills in paid summer internships where they work with role models in the field. Founded in 2012, we currently serve 900 students in 35 high schools in New York City. In 2017, ScriptEd expanded to 3 high schools in the San Francisco Bay Area.

[1] https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/tel_2014/#results/overall

[2] https://www.bls.gov/spotlight/2017/science-technology-engineering-and-mathematics-stem-occupations-past-present-and-future/pdf/science-technology-engineering-and-mathematics-stem-occupations-past-present-and-future.pdf