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A Georgia esports center is building tech skills and confidence in youths

“I consider esports the cheat code,“ says Davin Jackson, owner of Alpha eSports and Technology.

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Davin Jackson, owner of Alpha eSports and Technology, is using esports to introduce young people to the cybersecurity field.
Davin Jackson, owner of Alpha eSports and Technology, is using esports to introduce young people to the cybersecurity field.
NoSystem images/Getty Images

“My Economy” tells the story of the new economic normal through the eyes of people trying to make it, because we know the only numbers that really matter are the ones in your economy.

The tech industry has a long-standing diversity problem. According to CompTIA’s State of the Tech Workforce report, only 8% of tech workers are Black. Usually, tech companies like Google and Amazon recruit more Black talent into the industry through investments in historically Black colleges and universities.

But Davin Jackson, owner of Alpha eSports and Technology in Suwanee, Georgia, is trying something a little different. Jackson is using esports to introduce young people to the cybersecurity field and to hone skills necessary for the tech sector.

“I consider esports the cheat code,“ Jackson said. “Once you get them to actually see themselves that they can actually do it, and using things that they already do like gaming and tech and stuff like that, half the battle is won.”

To hear his story, click the audio player above.

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