Deeplocal, a Sharpsburg-based creative technology advertising firm, has announced the launch of a new apprenticeship program for high school graduates and underemployed adults who reside in Pittsburgh's Black and underserved communities.
To span an entire year, Deeplocal described Gizmology as a first-of-its-kind apprenticeship program, which will look to enroll just over a dozen apprentices throughout the course of the next 12 months. These apprentices will be paid a full-time salary with benefits from Deeplocal as they obtain hands-on experience working with mechanical design, technical integration, technical assembly, exhibit fabrication and creative technology.
Gizmology is being led by Program Director Kirk Holbrook, who has a career that has spanned roles encompassing various community service-oriented efforts, most recently as the director of the University of Pittsburgh's Community Engagement Center in the Hill District.
"As a company, Deeplocal has long recognized the disparities that exist in our city and region related to technology and the opportunities afforded to Black and historically marginalized communities," Holbrook said in an email statement. "However, there hasn’t always been a mechanism by which to counteract these historical legacies of inequity. Gizmology represents a real, tangible pathway to addressing racial disparities and the initiative will serve as an example to the tech industry of what can be accomplished by thinking of innovative solutions to problems that have existed for decades."
Apprentices will work alongside Deeplocal's employees as they complete client projects. Prior clients who have used Deeplocal's services include tech giants like Facebook's parent company Meta Platforms Inc., Google LLC, Netflix Inc. and Shopify Inc., among others.
Upon the completion of the apprenticeship, Deeplocal plans to offer internal job opportunities to each of its apprentices.
The application deadline for the first cohort is March 13 and interviews with selected applicants will take place between March 27 and March 30. Acceptance letters will then be sent on March 31 and the first day of the spring cohort's program will be on April 17. Dates for the fall cohort's application deadline and start date will be announced later this year.
Deeplocal employs about 125 workers, almost all of whom are based out of Pittsburgh.
