The Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce is looking to help identify and attract top tech talent to the region, and its using the 2016-launched apprenticeship program Apprenti to help do just that.
Established by the Washington Technology Industry Association, the program, which is now in 10 states, hash had more than 300 apprentices country-wide. It also counts companies like Amazon and Microsoft as its among its large tech partners.
And, Apprenti was brought to Cincinnati specifically after a common complaint from many of the Chamber's 4,000 member businesses: a lack of tech talent.
“Tech talent is a critical need now and in our region’s future,” said Jordan Vogel, vice president of talent initiatives for the Chamber. “Apprenti Cincinnati provides the potential for a fortified and more diverse tech talent pool, and the training to give everyone a pathway to rewarding employment and a life-long career as a technologist.”
It's hiring process helps this process by engaging candidates "based upon aptitude, not background or education level," said Jill Meyer, president and CEO of the Cincinnati Chamber. As a result, "it will help yield an outsized pipeline of minority, women and veteran talent for the Cincinnati region," she added.
Aptitude for the program is measured by an assessment on the Apprenti website. Upon clearing said assessment, applicants participate in a host of interviews that culminate with a conversation with a potential employer.
Once hired, apprentices receive between 12-15 weeks of technical training, which is followed by a year of one-the-job learning at one of the companies participating in the program.
Unlike most technical training boot camp tech training programs, the initial “boot camp” stint is free to the apprentice candidate. And once they complete their on the job training and enter the employer’s organization as an apprentice, they receive all the employee benefits the employer typically offers, such as health, dental, vision, retirement and life insurance. Finally, these apprenticeships are registered with the state. Many programs use the term apprentice, but Apprenti Cincinnati apprentices come out on the other end of this program with a certificate that has currency with their employer.
Ohio's current cohort of nine, all of which are focusing on Java software development, started training on April 15; they're set to transfer into the aforementioned on-the-job learning on July 15. From there, they'll be headed to one of a host of participating area companies: Kroger Technology, Sogeti, Great American Insurance Group or Northern Kentucky University IT.
And, like Meyer hoped, it's a diverse group; 55 percent of those in the current cohort are women.
