MAGNET, the Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network in Cleveland, recently added two new leaders to its team to help grow the Workforce Connect Manufacturing Sector Partnership it leads alongside the Greater Cleveland Partnership. The sector partnership aims to connect people with jobs in manufacturing.

Aram Nerpouni is joining MAGNET as managing director of talent and Lissy Rand as executive director of partnerships, according to a news release. Nerpouni brings "more than two decades of experience as an entrepreneur, executive, and consultant to major manufacturers and healthcare companies," the release said, most recently leading MAGNET's submission of a U.S. Economic Development Administration's Build Back Better Regional Challenge finalist entry. Rand has worked in social services, public health and philanthropy, most recently as vice president of grant making and strategy at the Deaconess Foundation.

"Aram and Lissy are joining us at a pivotal time for the MSP initiative, as we transition from our startup phase to our growth phase," MAGNET's president and CEO Ethan Karp said in the release. "With their extensive experience in public/private partnerships, workforce, and development, they will help advance the MSP's ambitious expansion plans, working to bridge the talent gap, attract new workers, and strengthen our regional manufacturing industry."

Cleveland-based educational provider Tech Elevator, a Stride Company, is partnering with "Augmented Reality and mobile real-world" company Niantic on a scholarship program for the San Francisco Bay, Los Angeles and Seattle areas, a news release stated. The program will give 20 underrepresented individuals in those regions the chance to learn to code for free.

After a 14-week bootcamp, scholarship recipients will have the chance to "launch a career as a junior software engineer," the release said, either through a six-month "Voyager Apprenticeship" at San Francisco-based Niantic or at a hiring partner of Tech Elevator. The release noted that the top 10 performing individuals will be selected for an apprenticeship with Niantic, the company behind Pokemon GO.

"Tech Elevator is proud to partner with Niantic to transform the lives of 20 individuals through our coding bootcamp," Tech Elevator CEO and co-founder Anthony Hughes said in the release. "With Niantic, we have a common mission to foster a more inclusive technology workforce. This program will open the door of opportunity to deserving individuals looking to change the trajectory of their careers."

Applications are being accepted now, with a start date of Oct. 24.

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