That means there's a bigger demand for people who know how to work with the operating system than ever before, and those jobs often pay good money.

The Linux Foundation is a non-profit that not only helps maintain and develop core parts of the Linux operating system but also provides education and certification to information professionals who manage Linux servers. Today the organization announced The Extended Learning Linux Foundation Scholarship Program, an educational initiative aimed at helping people from disadvantaged backgrounds gain the skills they need to start careers in information technology.

Eventually the Linux Foundation hopes to expand its scholarship program throughout the world, but it will start in Austin, Texas, through a partnership with job training and placement organization Goodwill Central Texas.