When a TikTok popped up on my screen promising to pay me while I trained for a successful tech career, I thought it was a scam. But more than a year later, I'm a champion of apprenticeship programs and challenge more companies to embrace them as a way to break down barriers to tech careers and employ talent from non-traditional backgrounds.
Like many, I turned directly to college upon graduating high school because it never occurred to me that there was an alternative path.
I was born in Chicago, but raised in Haiti, where my family is originally from and where getting an education is considered essential in my household and community. However, I struggled to earn my Associate's Degree in Literature, changing majors several times, because it was difficult for me to retain knowledge without applying it to a career. And, I was terrified of the student debt that was mounting with each semester.
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More frustrating was that upon graduation, it was difficult to find a job. I'd been job hunting for seven months after school with no promising leads and was considering going back for my Bachelor's degree. Seeing other four-year graduates struggle to find good jobs in their fields, it dawned on me that obtaining subsequent degrees might not be the key to landing a coveted position that would pay enough to repay my loans — and I couldn't let go of the idea that there might be another way to achieve my goals.
When I came across an opportunity to "earn while I learned" at a top healthcare company, I was curious about the possibility of pursuing a career in data analytics — a path I'd never considered — without sitting in another lecture hall or taking out another loan. It seemed too good to be true that a company would pay for my training in tech, so I investigated how it worked.
I discovered the company partners with major employers, including the Utah-based nonprofit Intermountain Healthcare where I work now, to provide a new pathway for entry-level talent without degrees.
Having no formal background in computer science or digital skills, I was nervous about making the career shift. But I was so discouraged by my college experience that, after learning more about professional apprenticeships, I decided to create an account. A recruiter from the Multiverse team thought I'd be a great fit for the data analytics opening at Intermountain and within a week, I had an interview.
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Once my apprenticeship began, I immediately put my learning into practice instead of sitting in a classroom learning things I wouldn't get to use for years. It was easier for me to learn from on-the-job training than a classroom had been, and it has unlocked a world of possibility. I hope more employers will follow suit to create new opportunities for those without Bachelor's degrees.
Apprenticeships can help change the trajectory for people of color like me. Reaching additional talent pools beyond college graduates is particularly meaningful to a sector that the
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As the national dialogue focuses on canceling student debt to help achieve greater equality, there is little discussion around alternatives to traditional higher ed. Another way to decrease the disparity and remove the barriers to these lucrative, important tech jobs is by offering widespread and robust apprenticeship programs like the one that changed my life's trajectory.
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I'm hopeful that in five to 10 years we'll see more companies adopting apprenticeships to create more opportunities for young adults. This will also help remove barriers to upward mobility. I have real life experience in a field that has job security. In fact, Intermountain has informed the apprentices that we'll start full time at the end of the program's term.
What I thought was a shot in the dark — applying to an apprenticeship — ended up being one of the best decisions I've ever made. I not only have an impactful career, I'm making a difference by using technology to make life easier for caregivers and hospitals.
As the ways in which talent is sourced evolve, more employers should consider apprentice programs to open their doors to a whole new group of talent, and help corporate America move away from degrees as the key to careers.
