Building the Tech Talent Pipeline with Apprentices

At Cengage Group, we are proud to support apprenticeships and alternative pathways to education and employment. We do this both through the skills education we offer across in-demand fields like healthcare and cybersecurity and through the opportunities we provide for our employees.

Since 2019, we have had nearly 30 apprentices participate in on-the-job training and mentorship at Cengage Group. Many apprentices who have graduated from the program have been promoted into full-time positions in IT and cybersecurity functions. We recently expanded the program to our software engineering team in Cengage Academic.

This month marks a significant milestone as five of our Software Engineering Apprentices have successfully completed the Apprenti Program and have been promoted to Associate Software Engineers. Throughout the last year, Fawaz I., Joshua J., Lauren C., Erron G. and Ahmed O. have demonstrated a deep passion for learning a new field. They’ve showcased their dedication, hard work and commitment to honing their skills in this dynamic field.

Throughout this apprenticeship, they have undoubtedly faced numerous challenges and embraced countless learning opportunities. They have navigated complex coding problems, tackled intricate projects and collaborated with experienced managers, mentors and fellow apprentices. Their perseverance and determination have paid off, and now they stand at the beginning of a rewarding career within our Cengage Academic technology team.

 

Praise from Their Managers

“Since starting at Cengage Group, Fawaz has made an impressive contribution to the team. As with all apprentices, Fawaz began with learning-focused projects designed to onboard him and develop his skills. In Fawaz's case, his rapid progress on these learning projects quickly gave his team enough confidence to trust him in the main priorities of the team. By the end of his apprenticeship, Fawaz has proven himself time and time again, and has been 100% dedicated on and been a significant contributor to the success of the team's primary mission. Congratulations Fawaz! We’re lucky to have you on the team!”

 – Matt S.

“Joshua has worked diligently to build network and has learned the processes and technology stack. Joshua always felt as part of the team and we are delighted to have him."

– Bibha P.

“As soon as Lauren started, she hit the ground running by supporting MindTap during Fall Rush 2022, a period of extremely high usage for the platform. She rose to the task by attending various 'swarm' meetings, familiarizing herself with our processes, and participating in a number of platform maintenance efforts. She would never shy away from digging into issues outside her comfort zone and always remained curious jumping between different tasks and initiatives. She has since solidified her role as a contributing member of the team, and we are thrilled to have her continue to grow her career with us going forward.”

– Brendan B.

“Erron has spent his apprenticeship learning and growing as a software engineer. Also, and almost as importantly, he has contributed to the team culture and has fit in well with the team. He has taken on increasingly larger efforts, all of which indicate his advancing skills. He's still excited to learn and we are excited to provide him with an opportunity to do so with Cengage Group."

– Stephen E.

“Ahmed's apprentice year began with learning the stack. He has secured his place by learning and committing to the numerous platforms. Whether it was Java, JS, back-end, UI, or DevOps - Ahmed rose to the challenge and asked for more."

– Clarence L.

 

Learn More About Our Apprenticeship Program

Cengage Group partners with Apprenti, an organization that creates alternative pathways to access diverse tech talent and helps organizations address digital skills shortages through the time-tested model of apprenticeship. Apprenti matches employers with candidates who may not have traditional credentials.

Late last year, we received the Apprenti Champion award for our efforts championing apprenticeships internally and externally, as well as for modeling best practices for implementing and maintaining a successful Registered Apprenticeship program. 

To learn more about an apprenticeship in technology, reach out to Apprenti.

If you’re interested in learning more about what it’s like to work at Cengage Group, read more Employee Experiences and visit our Careers page to view open positions.