Written by Emilio Lopez
How did it come to existence?
The hiring process can present itself to be one of the most intimidating processes for any individual in search of a career. In San Francisco’s tech scene, organizations’ hiring process presents itself as one of the most competitive markets for employment. As most entry-level hiring positions seek individuals with 2+ years of experience, this expectation poses a significant challenge for applicants in search of their first full-time position and applicants in search of a new professional endeavor but lack sufficient experience. Many young adults are presented with this obstacle and wonder, “is there an alternative route? Are there other career pathways available to me?”
Through Dev/Missions pre-apprenticeship program, students engage for a 3-month development process in the pursuit of acquiring hands-on education in IT essentials, intro to programming, IoT (Internet of Things), and hard/soft career skills. Upon their completion, graduates of the pre-apprenticeship program earn eligibility to enter the 4-month CTA program to utilize their acquired knowledge in assisting residents that seek free tech support and separately acquiring certification in skills like Google IT, LinkedIn Learning, Troubleshooting Network Connectivity, etc. What allows them this opportunity is the work based learning model set in place by Dev/Mission.
Although Dev/Mission includes these skill building environments through the Pre-Apprenticeship program and the CTA program, Leo Sosa believed there was still one piece missing. “How can we expose our students to more opportunities through our work based learning model to properly prepare them for their future in the tech industry?” With the potential of forming a tangible opportunity, Leo turned to networking with a specialist whose job is to provide individual talents with training program opportunities to gain technical skills through hands-on experiences.
In partnership with OEWD (Office of Economic & Workforce Development) Sr. Workforce Program Specialist, Nadeja Adams has been in collaboration alongside Leo with the development of a new program called, Skill Up program. As students complete the pre-apprenticeship program, they’re able to enter the CTA program which runs simultaneously with the Skill Up program. Ultimately, the Skill Up program acts as a pipeline for the CTA interns to gain real world exposure to the tech industry, also known as a project based learning model. This opportunity will allow tech educated young adults the chance to familiarize themselves through hands-on work, learn from mentors and peers, and develop their soft skills and technical skills through a project-based learning opportunity.
With Nadeja’s career experience, she proves significant in the creation of the Skill Up program. Her involvement provides effective career pathway exposure through networking with companies to ensure engagement of their partnership with the program. In Leo’s partnership with Nadeja, their goals align in regards to providing these career pathway opportunities and believe the Skill Up program will do just that through mentorship, development practices, and experiential learning.
To put it into perspective, the first group of Skill Up apprentices began their journey with a partnering company just this March. A Pre-Apprenticeship Program graduate and CTA Program intern, Beatrice, with the first cohort of the Skill Up program has the privilege of exploring PCS Technology and what their project expectations look like.
Thanks to Skill Up, I feel like I’m a lot more capable now that I’ve gotten in-person experience and understand what the expectations are like, along with a better understanding of what skills companies are actually looking for in their job descriptions. I feel like being able to put this work experience on my resume puts me at a great advantage when applying to jobs. Given the current state of the job market, any amount of experience is valuable and can help set me apart from other candidates.
Through this experience, Beatrice is gaining agency within herself in the tech sector, allowing her to set herself apart from other candidates when she begins to apply for positions in the tech industry. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the Skill Up Programs influence, let’s get insight from another Pre-Apprenticeship Program graduate and CTA Program intern, Antonio, who’s currently working with Beem.
“This program is an important path for Dev/Mission students because it creates an opportunity for us to get the experience to work in the tech industry. It gives us the chance to observe the environment and behind the scenes in a tech company, which I can say it’s stressful and challenging but fun. You get the opportunity to learn how to work with a team and your supervisor, which is something that I never experienced because employers look for two years experience in the entry level positions and this program helps us get the experience that we can’t find anywhere else.”
Evidently, this project-based learning model is Dev/Mission’s lacking element of experience and confidence building for the students seeking tech employment who are facing job market challenges. With the hands-on learning and development of their skills, the Skill Up Program proves to be purely beneficial in assisting the apprentices with this resume building opportunity. Through the accumulation of strengthening soft skills, technical skills, confidence, and networking, we strive to encourage our students to propel forward in their pursuit of job hunting within the tech realm.
Through our commitment in providing our interns with an exceptional learning experience, moving forward we are actively seeking partnering tech companies in order to build the confidence in the young tech talent by developing their skill set. If your company or a fellow tech company you know would find the Skill Up Program an exciting opportunity to work with, connect with Leo Sosa or Nadeja Adams with questions to further understand our goal of this program. Should this program inspire you, in your willingness to provide interns with an alternative career pathway to their future careers, we would be privileged to network regarding any interests in collaborating and taking an extra step in lending the future of tech a hand.
