Hire Apprentices and Interns
Innovate Birmingham partners with many companies who take a unique approach to hiring talent because we take a unique approach to developing talent.
Innovate Birmingham developed the state’s first registered IT pre-apprenticeship program in full-stack web development. In 2021, the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship recognized Innovate Birmingham as one of the state’s very first AOA Certified Pre-Apprenticeship programs.
Innovate Birmingham has also been selected as a contender for the First Annual Governor’s Work-Based Learning Seal of Excellence Awards, another nod to our trailblazing work in IT work-based learning. We will make a presentation and participate in a training session at Lawson State Community College at a later date as we continue to compete for the award.
Our fast-track Full-Stack Web Development bootcamp allows us to provide high-quality tech education in a short time frame, which in turn gives our graduates the skills they need to enter the workforce, whether that’s as an apprentice, an intern or as an entry-level employee!
Apprenticeships
The apprenticeship model is proven to recruit, train and retain employees, but historically we’ve only seen it used in the trade industries. In 2019, Innovate Birmingham partnered with Central Six and five employer partners to develop Alabama’s first registered IT pre-apprenticeship program in full-stack web development. In only 14 weeks, a candidate can complete Innovate Birmingham’s pre-apprenticeship training program and enter the tech workforce as an apprentice.
Starting in August 2019, we partnered with Central Six and with five local employers — Shipt, Protective Life, Sigao, Keysys and UAB. To date, we've placed eleven apprentices with those employers.
To participate, employers must agree to adhere to the training standards. Employers then have the opportunity to interview candidates during the last few weeks of the full stack web development bootcamp, which reduces the time between the end of classes and the start of the apprenticeship. Graduates who have completed Innovate Birmingham’s program usually finish an apprenticeship in 14 months — compared to an average of 17 months for other candidates. Apprenticeship supervisors train and oversee the apprentices and pay their salary and benefits. There are several grants available, including an apprentice tax credit and On The Job (OJT) training dollars, that can help cover these costs.
For more information, contact us at info@innovatebham.com
Internships
We also encourage our candidates in both our Full Stack Web Development and Data Analytics bootcamps to consider internships with tech companies in Birmingham to get valuable connections and experience.
We have seen our students secure internships with companies such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, IMS/Steris, Shipt and Landing. We would love to discuss internship possibilities and partnerships with your company!
