Bitwise Industries opens new facility in downtown Merced

MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- Valley tech enterprise Bitwise Industries is now welcoming people to start working at their new location in downtown Merced.

Action News was given the first look at the new space on Main and M Streets - it's called Bitwise 1635.

Inside, you'll find co-working spaces, private offices, classrooms and a cafe.

Bitwise offers real estate, workforce training, and tech consulting to give opportunities to people often overlooked in the tech world.

The building was designed to welcome people from all backgrounds.

"We want to attract people who normally wouldn't be invited to spaces like this because this is their space," said Norma Cardona, vice president for Bitwise Industries Merced. "This is the space for underestimated folks, and underestimated folks are those who were formerly incarcerated, formerly houseless, working-class folks, people living on the social services cliff, and so we want this to be a space for everybody."

Through workforce training, people are put on a path to a one-year paid apprenticeship program.

If you would like to reserve a co-working space, you can sign up for a monthly membership. Prices start at $25 for students.