Apprenticeship Program

In addition to our primary work as software consultants, Codence each year hires apprentices to learn what we do, gain fluency with platforms like Claris, and kick start their technology careers. We created this program with a vision to build relationships between our clients, apprentices, and our team. Sponsored by clients, we aim to place apprentices within their organizations.

Our business is to help clients implement change. We recognized that it doesn’t always make sense to entirely outsource problem-solving to a company like Codence. While we naturally bring experience and perspective to bear, sometimes the best answers are found by someone with immediate first-hand knowledge. We play matchmaker to help our clients make most effective use of low-code technologies, to solve problems, and to give apprentices a chance to thrive.

You want to enable your team to solve problems with custom, low code software. But challenges lurk around every corner – if your organization is large enough to have an in-house IT department, they may lack the capacity or be bound to other priorities to build and maintain what you need. If you have little or no IT presence in-house, then the challenge is often in the form of skill gaps or too little capacity to be successful in scoping, building, implementing, and maintaining a customer application. This is where our apprenticeship program can help solve multiple challenges simultaneously.

By sponsoring an apprentice, our clients can not only receive the consulting and guidance they need to plan and scope a custom application, but also build the skills in-house to support maintenance, expansion, and future new development. Meanwhile, Codence maintains a strong relationship with the apprentice and the client, to provide ongoing support and be able to consult on larger, more complex projects when needed. In short, it’s the difference between hiring someone to catch you some fish and learning how to fish. 

How the Codence Apprenticeship Works

Over the course of our (typically) 12-week program, our apprentices learn Claris FileMaker (as well as other technologies), software development, and consulting skills. This program allows us to nurture them as they grow, foster best practices, and help prevent the formation of bad coding and data management habits. In tandem, they learn about our client’s business and tackle real-world problems.

Why It Works

Clients who sponsor an apprentice have a great deal to gain:

“Try Before You Buy”

The sponsor has a chance to see how someone works and get to know them before bringing them on board. They learn about your business, your culture, and your needs while you can assess work style, approach, and fit for your organization.

This lowers both the risks and their associated costs with recruiting, onboarding, and offboarding hires that end up not staying in the role or who aren’t a good fit. We handle the recruiting process and help pair you with an apprentice that is most likely to be successful in your organization and the potential role. 

Efficient Software Development

Beyond reducing costs directly associated with hiring, our program also helps manage short- and long-term development costs for companies looking to build custom software. While we love serving our clients, we know that some tasks are best completed in-house. Clients can be more self-reliant when it comes to maintaining existing low code development or implementing additional tools and workflow automations.

Fostering Long-Term Relationships

One of our most central goals of this program is building and fostering long-term relationships between ourselves, our clients, and our apprentices. We provide ongoing support and coaching for graduates of our program, as well as with sponsoring client companies. We’re on hand when you and your organization need additional support, guidance, or consulting and can support more complex projects when you need us. As our graduates move through their careers, we want to stay connected and continue to grow and nurture our community.

Drive Diversity in Tech

We focus first on non-traditional candidates – the program is perfect for under-represented individuals or those folks looking to make a career transition. We look for some level of computer science or software development background (education or experience) which brings a new perspective to the often home-grown Claris developer community.

Ready for Your FileMaker Apprentice?

If you are interested in exploring staffing options for sponsoring an apprentice to help you build and maintain your custom systems, or are interested in applying to become an apprentice, learn more about our program and connect with us here.