Companies that invest in their employees are thinking smart. Whether it is done by holding team-building activities, offering perks and benefits, ensuring a healthy and non-toxic work environment… the list can really go on. And while all of these are certainly options, another valuable step in the right direction that companies should consider are apprenticeships. This focuses more on developing and training labour from the get-go. Through an apprenticeship, a company hires and then trains employees to specialise in a particular set of skills and knowledge. An employee is one of the most important assets of a company. Put effort and time into their growth, and they will do the same back. It’s a win-win situation.
But of course, it may have crossed your mind as to why having an apprenticeship specifically would be such a great opportunity. Why not just hire someone who already fits the job criteria? Well, there are a lot of benefits in having an apprenticeship. Namely, it builds loyalty. People who have been part of a company’s apprenticeship or training program tend to feel more valued and in turn more likely to stay (and maybe even recommend the program to a friend!). In other words, this increased loyalty means a decrease in a company’s employee turnover. But this method of ‘hiring and training later’ hasn’t gone unnoticed. On the contrary, some companies have realised the significance that it has had and incorporated it into their agenda. So, let’s take a look at who has already committed to this type of program…
1. Blockchain Trainee at IBM Client Innovation Center (CIC)
Locations: Netherlands, Germany
What you will be doing: Over the course of six weeks, you will be taught to work with different programming languages, such as Javascript, and related frameworks in order to really strengthen your technical skills. On top of that, you’ll get the full run-down on IBM’s products and services, learning the ins and outs of the company. And of course, while becoming an IT professional and knowledgeable of IBM itself is a large part of the program, there’s still more involved in your learning. And so, the experience there is really two-fold. As a new employee, you will also take part in workshops and training that work on polishing your client skills. This means improving how to communicate and build trust with your future clients, developing a consultative mindset, and even learning about the gathering and synthesis of data. And then after the six weeks, it will finally be time to put what you learned into practice as you’ll begin taking part in actual projects. But don’t worry, you won’t be alone this whole time. You’ll be part of a class, plus you’ll have regular check-ins and a coach for mentoring.
Who are they looking for? Experience or basic knowledge in programming, proficient knowledge of the English language, a recent graduate with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, business administration or similar studies, and most importantly a motivation to learn.
Apprenticeship setting: Classrooms, workshops, & virtual training.
2. Microsoft Apprenticeship Programme
Location: United Kingdom
What will you be doing? Launched in 2010, this apprenticeship program was designed in mind to help address the skills gap in the UK’s tech sector. But compared to other apprentices mentioned here, this one works a little different than the rest. This is because when applying for the Microsoft apprenticeship, you do so through one of their training partners. These include QA Apprenticeships, Baltic, YouTrain, IT Skillsman, Remite, Firebrand, and PDS Group. To choose which one suits you best depends on what you would like to specialize in. This means what you learn and even how you learn varies from one training partner to the next. An added bonus is you can also choose a program depending on the location – maybe close to home or somewhere new! In general, though, the apprenticeships overall offer 5 main sectors: Infrastructure Support, Database Support, Developer, Technical Sales, and IT Applications/Business Administration. With all these choices, it probably makes the most sense to take a moment look through them all and decide if any speak to you.
Who are they looking for? Depends on the training program. In most cases, you need a passion for technology, and 5 GCSE’s with grades being a C or above,
Apprenticeship setting: Face-to-face classrooms, residential bootcamps, & virtual classrooms.
3. REACH program at LinkedIn
Location: US
What will you be doing? Recently started in April, REACH aims to take people from non-traditional tech backgrounds and train them for 6-months in becoming software engineers. The training process involves understanding a lot of the main concepts in computer science, such as data structures and algorithms. This is tied in with learning programming languages, like Java and JavaScript to name a few and their frameworks. And last but not least, the training also includes learning a list of architectural concepts, for instance caching and microservices. The general idea is to understand not only how to code but the theoretical background behind it as well. Similar to the CIC, there are also checkpoints for apprentices to get feedback from your managers and make sure that you’re on the right track. In addition to all of this, you will also have both a mentor and a coach who will be there to guide and help you out whenever needed.
Who are they looking for? Anyone who is either a self-taught program (no computer science degree needed), bootcamp graduates, veterans, people re-entering the workforce or starting a second career.
Apprentice setting: One-to-one meetings, on-site group sessions, & online learning.
Sophie van Wersch
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