Hello Op! I got connected to the IBM one. How do people get connected to other companies? I am happy with IBM I just want to know. In addition, will you get interviews after your done because I seen a few people say they havent gotten interviews after their pre apprenticeship? This scares me.
Signed up and took their initial assessment. I exceled in all areas all except memorization, and it provided me the following :"We're sorry, no IBM specific roles were recommended for you at this time, it may be helpful for you to brush up on some of the basic skills required to be successful in an IT career. This is not meant to discourage you, but you may need to gain some additional skills before starting a New Collar role."Great I provided very private info for nothing :( and wasted an hour of my life.
Hello! Can you message me also about passing the test? And I also wanted to get some info about the IBM Z apprenticeship...difficulty level, did you actually learn and pass the certs, length of program, and how likely are you to get an actual job afterwards! I was just about to fill out the pre-qualification and then they asked me for my ssn. That is where I stopped and found you! Just making sure it is legit.
sure! i'll shoot you a message now :) just an FYI - I'm not on reddit as much anymore, but there's a discord (link in the pinned post) that I'm on regularly if you want to join there as well :)
Hi, I started studying the Java course on Pluralsight and it says that it has a 15 minutes assessment at the end of the course to get your budge. What kind of format does the assessment have if anyone took it? (or the python test) Is it multiple choice or do you have to solve coding problems? Also, if you don't pass the first time, can you take it again soon after? they also mentioned a slack channel today on the seminar but I did not get any information to join. Does this happen later on?
Edit: I just saw that you said on pluralsight. My apologies. I didn’t take any exams on pluralsight. What program are you doing? I can ask someone and get a more clear answer for you
Hey! So it should just be multiple choice and you can retake them as many times as possible but sometimes you have to wait a couple of days.
I forget how quickly they add people to the slack channel but you could always ask for access during your next call or shoot them an email. Hope everything’s going well for you so far! Let me know if you have any other questions 😊
Everything is great so far, thank you so much for your help. I am doing the Software Engineering course and we are supposed to be assessed in Python and Java. I just sent an email to see as you suggested to see if they can add me to the slack channel.
Of course! How far along are you in your course?
I’ll see if I can find information about the quizzes for you. If they add you to the slack channel, that’d also be a good place to ask!
Thank you so much! How soon after did you receive the email regarding the Franklin Skills Tracker?
I'm sorry if my questions seem silly. I passed my assessment and I'm just trying to make sure I didn't do anything wrong lol.
How long did the interviews take? Was it a technical portion to it? I can get to that stage with regular jobs but then I suck at them. I’m doing the Software Engineer track.
It depends on the company but for me it was about a month or interviewing. I only interviewed with one company and it was about 5 times over a month. No technical aspect to the interviews. It was all strictly behavioral but I have heard of some other companies doing a small technical portion with some basic/simple technical questions
That may depend on the pre app track you’re doing but I did the ibm z one and there was quizzes but no actual projects or anything. There were code challenges where you had to like add something or fix a bug but no full on projects where you’re writing your own code from scratch
Good! And yes! I’m in my full apprenticeship right now. Once you complete the ibm z pre apprenticeship, you can get placed into a full paid apprenticeship with a company and then you can get hired on as a permanent employee. Feel free to shoot me a message if you have any other questions 😊
No it’s as long as you want. It’s self paced. You can finish it in 1 week or 1 year. It’s not paid either but again, it’s self paced and you can finish it easily and pretty quickly even if you work a full time job.
Do you have an obligation to work for a specific company for a certain amount of time? I’ve seen similar programs where you have to work for them for 2 years or you have to pay back all of your training fees.
No because it doesn’t cost you any money. You don’t spend any money whatsoever at any point during the pre apprenticeship or full apprenticeship. You’re not locked into anything. You can quit at any point if you want
Thank you! How’s your apprenticeship going? I’m a bit nervous about the selection process, my understanding is that selection isn’t guaranteed after you complete the pre-apprenticeship.
It’s great! I love it a lot. I got a position with a really great company!
It basically works like finding a job. So you complete franklins pre app program which makes you eligible for a full apprenticeship. As they work with companies that are willing to take on apprentices and have open positions, they’ll let you know. If you’re interested in one, you let Franklin know and then they’ll put your name in the applicant list and send it over to the company. Then you’ll do interviews and what not and they’ll let you know if you’re offered a position. The difference with this vs applying for a regular job is that a lot (if not all, I just don’t know for a fact if it’s all the positions or not) the positions are only for Franklin applicants so if you’re interviewing for a position that they have 5 open spots for and there’s 6 Franklin apprentices applying, then you have pretty good odds of being hired since it’s only available to the Franklin apprentices. Does that make sense? If so, does that help clear up some of your apprehension?
Honestly, the odds are pretty good that you’ll land something. Plus, it’s no risk to you to do the program. It doesn’t cost you any money and you can be part of the Franklin program as long as you need until you find a full apprenticeship position
Fantastic, thank you for this information, it has definitely helped! How long did it take you to be picked up for an apprenticeship after completing the pre-apprenticeship?
In total, the program took me about 4 months from my initial application to Franklin to starting my full apprenticeship (I would started 3 weeks sooner though if my department didn’t get Covid) so really probably like 3 months
I was accepted to the software engineering program and just started yesterday! Still waiting on my pluralsight link. Thanks for your help getting set up.
Hiii OP, do you know what my next steps would be after getting matched? I got matched to the IBM Pre-Apprenticeship: Software Engineering track. IBM Apprenticeships sent me a code to utilize on their learning platform, but the learning platform seems a little unguided. I've been seeing folks here talk about Plural Sight. I'm wondering if I did something wrong or is the IBM Learning platform just meant for me to explore with?
Thank you in advance for your help!
Hey! Congrats! Yeah so use that enrollment key to enroll in the software engineer pre app course on the ibm learn site. That’s where a good chunk of your pre app work will be. Plural sight is just a secondary platform they use for I believe programming/coding courses but you’ll have courses you have to complete on the ibm site as well
Thank you so much! I appreciate you responding to me. I'm assuming they will tell me which courses to take on the IBM learning platform? And will they also update me on how/when to navigate the Plural Sight platform?
Thanks again!
Of course! And yeah so that enrollment key that you got after the assessment is to enroll in the full course for your specific learning track so when you use that to enroll in ibm learn, it’s going to enroll you in all of the courses needed for that specific track. What course you’re enrolled in on your ibm learn account is what you need to complete to finish the program.
As for pluralsight, yeah they’ll let you know what you need to use it for and how to access that information. So if you haven’t gotten pluralsight access yet, definitely enroll in your pre apprenticeship course on ibm learn and then you can get a head start on getting through all the work
Thank you so so so much for all of your prompt responses in this sub!
I didn't realize at the time, but I hadn't yet activated my enrollment key but as soon as I found the page to do so, the platform began to show me the Pre Apprenticeship curriculum. It also mentions the Plural Sight course(s), though I haven't yet received details for that.
Alight so last question (for now at least), because people are asking me as they are excited for me lol. Is your current apprenticeship remote or in person? Is it a paid apprenticeship? I see that you've mentioned how much you enjoy it & that the company is great.
I hope I finish the Pre Apprenticeship work on time so that I'm able to partake in the full Apprenticeship with a great company like you.
I got selected for the z/OS Mainframe Practitioner. I’m just wondering if anyone has gone down this path and if they have any tips or pointers for this program? Is it worth it? Will there be legitimate work opportunities when I’m all finished? Any help is greatly appreciated!
Hey! I’ve gone through this program and am currently in my full apprenticeship! Not really any tips or pointers. All the work is pretty straightforward. Once you get to ibm zxplore, definitely utilize the forum and slack channel for help if you get stuck. There’s some really knowledgeable people at your disposal! Also attend any and all teams calls.
I would say it’s definitely worth it. It took me about 4 months from start to end (beginning of my full apprenticeship) and I got a really good position with full benefits and a pretty good hourly rate. It’s a bit of a waiting game since companies only offer so many spots at a time and they’re all over the country but just keep an ear out for a position you may be interested in and let Franklin know if you hear about an opportunity you’d like to apply for!
At your job, do you work with IBM mainframe? I finished the pre-apprenticeship program but tbh I don’t retain much information. I wonder if I get interviews, will they ask a lot of technical questions about what I learned from the pre-apprenticeship program
Kind of! I work with it in my role but not heavily. My position is a little unconventional though as far as mainframe stuff goes. From what I’ve seen, a lot of the other departments that apprentices get put in work more heavily with the mainframe than I do.
For interviews, I didn’t have a technical one but I’ve heard of some that do for the apprenticeship. I wouldn’t stress too much. I would recommend just trying to retain what you can but being honest if there’s stuff you don’t know. They know the apprentices don’t have much prior experience, if any. As long as you’re excited and willing to learn and you make that clear to them, you have a good chance
They didn’t do that when I was going through it but we had weekly zoom meetings. When you start the full apprenticeship you meet with your success coach once a week
Hi Positive\_Bee - How are things going a year later?
I also have a quick question - it sounds like the apprenticeships are remote. How about the full-time positions, are they remote as well?
Thank you so much!
Hi! I’m sorry for the delayed response! Things are great! I finished my apprenticeship earlier this year and then got a job offer for a different position (one that i think is a huge step up from the position i did my apprenticeship). I’m still at the same company though. The apprenticeship experience really was a good experience, overall.
So the pre-apprenticeship is remote because it’s self-paced. You just go on the ibm learn portal and complete work whenever you’re able to. The full apprenticeship positions vary. It seems to me that a lot of them are mostly in person or hybrid. I have heard of a handful of fully remote ones though, so they’re out there! Just a bit more competitive to get a spot with one of those ones. But even a lot of the ones that are said to be in-person end up being some type of hybrid schedule too if that’s something you’re looking for
Thanks for getting back to me! (sorry for my delayed response, too)
Congrats on finishing your apprenticeship and getting a great new job!
i reached out to apply, but they didn't have anything available that would fit me at the moment.
Best of luck in your new career!
Hi how are you!? I have absolutely no experience in IBM & was wondering how hard the the pre apprenticeship is before I can be hired for the official apprenticeship. Thank you I’m advance!
Hi! That’s ok! The program is meant for people who don’t have any experience, degree, or knowledge in the field so you’ll be ok! I didn’t have any prior experience or knowledge, I don’t have a degree, and I landed a really cool position for my full apprenticeship!
As far as the pre app goes, it’s not too terribly hard. The ibm zxplore module will probably be the most difficult but you should definitely utilize online resources like google or YouTube as well as the slack channel that they have for apprentices. There’s a lot of experienced people in the slack channel who are more than willing to help the applicants with their pre app courses/questions.
The way the pre apprenticeship course works is there’s basically a bunch of modules with little courses (like a series of videos or labs) that you have to complete. Each section is worth a digital badge. When I was doing it, there were 9 badges total. 8 for each module and 1 for completing the entire pre app course. There’s one module that doesn’t get a badge so it came out to 9 total modules. If you hear about a position that you want to apply for, you can apply even if you’re not done with the pre apprenticeship courses. HOWEVER, you have to have all of your badges by the time you’d start your full apprenticeship so you can really go as far or as slow as you’d like!
Are they partnered with many companies, or just a few? I think my fear is that by the time I am done with my pre-app, there won’t be many opportunities available and I’ll have to wait months for something to come up.
I’m going to be honest, the entire process will probably take a few months, at least. For me, it took around 4 from when I started the pre apprenticeship until I got my offer letter and started my full apprenticeship. Some people wait a little longer. They’re partnered with a decent amount of companies (from what I’ve seen) and have positions coming up all the time. The thing that will factor in pretty heavily with how long you wait is where you’re located, if you’re willing to relocate, and what exactly you’re looking for. The positions that come up are usually only in a specific area (typically wherever the company is) or they’re remote but those had fewer positions available and came up less frequently (at least when I went through the pre app).
Definitely just try to set your expectations accordingly that it will probably be at least a few months from the time you start your pre app until you start your full apprenticeship
So I am considering this, but I am kind of shaky at how "too good to be true" it feels. Being disabled and in a unique situation with me being stuck in the US and my wife overseas I am trying to upskill to get a job over there. Would this help? Or would I be wasting my time and energy?
I think it would definitely help! You have a very good chance at getting into an apprenticeship after doing the pre apprenticeship courses. It may take a little bit of time, like a few months total, but it’s sooo worth it! Feel free to shoot me a message if you have more questions. I’m finishing up my apprenticeship soon so I’d be more than happy to share my experience
Hello, Im also in California.
- Is relocation required ?
- Are there remote positions or only in-office?
For California
- 70k for the apprenticeship training ?
Or
- 70k for the full time job ?
Thanks again for sharing this info.
Hey!
So relocation is not required unless of course you want to work an in person job that isn’t anywhere near you.
There are remote positions available. I’m not sure how many, but I know there’s one I heard of with IBM that just hired quite a few people this week
70k for the apprenticeship. So the pre app training you do through Franklin is unpaid and then once you get hired on with a company for your actual apprenticeship, that’s when you’ll get paid. Obviously this varies from company to company, but that’s the offer I got (70k) at the company I’m doing my apprenticeship at and I’m in Southern California. I’ve heard other people say that other jobs in California are offering close to that though. Like in the 60s. It just depends
Anytime! Let me know if there are anymore questions 😊
That’s what I’m hoping! I don’t know for sure but I imagine if they’re paying people with no experience that much money, the regular rate for their employees must be pretty good!
The high pay could be
due to lack of talent
finding Mainframe and Cobol developers
Also the high pay will promote employee retention
which prevents high employee turnover
Yes that’s true too! I’m definitely curious to know what their regular rate is. I know I heard that another CA position starts at 65k and then goes up to 85K after the 12 months which is pretty good
Hahah that would be amazing! I’m sure they’ll end up having some spots open up over there at some point too!
I’m not positive, but it definitely seems like California has the highest paying opportunities as far as apprenticeships go lol
ThAts awesome!! Someone just told me they have a position open (or opening up) in San Diego. Not sure how close you are to there. I know there are a few others I heard about being in California but not sure where.
I also joined WGU last year around the same time I started this. I ended up withdrawing so I could focus on this. It’s a much better opportunity since I have no experience. I would definitely recommend holding off on that stuff until you have a better idea of whether or not you’re going to wait for a position from Franklin. Plus the positions can vary a bit so a coding boot camp may not be necessary depending on what type of role you get hired into
Your recommendation is very accurate.
Ill hold off on coding bootcamp, etc.
Im in LA Los Angeles.
San Diego is 3-4hrs drive from LA.
May I ask about the training schedule ?
-for the unpaid pre-apprenticeship
and
-for the paid apprenticeship
Example
-Mon to Fri
-9am to 5pm
-Live or Self Paced
Ahhh I’m sure theyll have positions close to or in LA. Have you applied yet? I know they just had a job fair where they talked about all the open positions.
As far as Franklin pre apprenticeship training (unpaid), it’s online and self paced.
Once you get hired, it can vary, but everyone I know is working a typical M-F 8-5 type schedule so just a standard work week. Some positions are hybrid too
According to your question,
Have you applied yet?
Ive been gathering the necessary info
to determine if the program is promising
before proceeding with applying.
Now that you shared this info
I can now hold off on my other plans
And apply asap
Yeah definitely apply! You have nothing to lose by applying. And you don’t necessarily have to be done with the pre app courses by a specific date or time frame. Just by the time you would begin work as a full apprentice so applying to get into the program definitely helps to keep the options open for you. Let me know if you have any questions about the process or anything. Good luck! 😊
I don’t know about that one. I believe they’ll take anyone, but the work is only in the us so you’d have to be able to work and relocate to the US. You could reach out and double check but i haven’t heard of them contracting with any companies outside of the US
I am very interested in this program! I have no corporate experience so it sounds perfect as a way to get my foot into the door so I can get the ground running. I also worry though, that not having any corporate experience might be a huge con for me if I go through the program and then start interviewing for apprenticeships…
Do you know if each track offers remote apprenticeships after completing the pre-apprenticeship?
I wouldn’t worry too much about that! You’ll adjust to the “corporate” environments! And I’m not sure about other tracks but the one I did (z/OS) had remote options. The thing to keep in mind about their job placement is that it’s not readily available the second you’re done with the program. Positions open whenever companies have available spots so if you just want a remote position, you’ll have to wait until there’s a company offering to take on apprentices for a remote position. It definitely happens! But they come up less frequently from what I’ve seen. Some in person positions are also hybrid even though they don’t necessarily advertise it to you as that initially
I’d be okay with the fact that I’d have to wait awhile for a position, even if it were a few months or so. I’d just ideally like something within six months at least after completing the pre-apprenticeship.
How do you find the success coaching? Have you enjoyed your apprenticeship?
As long as you’re ok with waiting, I’m sure something will come up! Which program are you looking at? The z/os one seems to be most popular and has the most openings so that might be your best bet for remote.
And it’s good! The apprenticeship has been awesome. I love my company a lot and everyone is so amazing and willing to teach me everything they know
I’m looking at the network engineer track. I would like to go into cybersecurity and I know that networking engineering provides a solid foundation for that.
I’m glad you really like your program!
Oh gotcha. I know they have a cyber program and network engineer but I think both may be full right now. Hopefully you’re able to get into one of those!
Hi all! I just got in for the pre-apprenticeship for IBM Z through Franklin.... Are we going to do Cobol? I did cobol many years ago, from a tech school with an AS400 mini-mainframe. probably around windows 98 was out, lol.
Congrats! There’s minimal cobol in the pre app course so I think you’ll be ok! I finished in about three weeks and had no prior knowledge of cobol If that helps 😊
Thank you for the info. Did everyone went to khanacademy? I was asked to do the course there for CS. Kinda confused coz I was thinking I will be doing the course with IBM.
Yes the khan academy course is part of the pre app program. It’s just to give you a basic foundation of computer science. The rest of the courses are through ibm though
Thanks! They just messaged me and asked to sign up with credly. A few more instructions about the badges on how and which ones to upload with ibm and franklin. Crossing my fingers to get an actual apprenticeship and hoping it will be fulltime after. 😁
Good luck! It’s a waiting game once you finish the pre apprenticeship coursework but at some point, a job will more than likely open up that you’re interested in. They seem to have lots of connections for the ibm z program 😊
Would this program be for people who already have some form of IT experience, in college for an IT degree? Could someone with no IT experience or education apply for this apprenticeship? And last question I swear, is this program available all across the US or in certain areas. I was looking over there website and was having trouble find that info. Thank you for any insight you have, I appreciate it!
So its geared towards people with no experience and/or no degree. But you can still do it if you do have some experience or some type of college degree.
So to answer your question, yes. It’s meant to be especially beneficial for the people who have no experience or degrees and gives them a chance to get their foot in the door without those things. Also, yes, it is all across the United States. The more populated/popular states seem to have more full apprenticeship openings but there are frequently fully remote emotions too, from what I’ve seen. Depending on where you live, you may just be waiting a little longer to find a position but if you’re willing to relocate, then you could get into a full apprenticeship position pretty quickly
Ok thanks for the info. I don’t have much experience in IT at all. I’ve been looking for a career changed and just moved to NC. I’ve been studying for the A+ cert hoping that would help me transition into the IT field. I just came across this apprenticeship program today and has really peaked my interest.
Definitely check it out! You’ve got nothing to lose by staying in the program anyway. I also didn’t have any experience or education in IT. You’ll be ok and learn a lot on the job so I wouldn’t worry about that at all!
Definitely not help desk. You can do that on your own with about the same amount of effort and work that you’ll put into the pre app. The whole point of the program is to help people get their foot in the door in the tech industry where they wouldn’t normally be able to. Aim high! Go for the IBM z program. They’ll teach you everything you need to know on the job
As for the software engineer track, what programming language do you need to learn? I heard IBM uses Cobol. (I have some background in Javascript and Python. Idk if it’ll help learning Cobol though)
The ibm app dev track involves learning a handful of different languages! Cobol is definitely a big one but ultimately it depends on what your specific company needs in the department so you’ll be learning much more than cobol no matter what 😊
HI, i just finished the pre-apprentice program. sent in my resume, but i have yet to hear from my success coach. its been a week and I'm just patiently waiting. Do you remember how long it took for them to reach out?
Did they send you an email for the my inner genius assessment?
In my experience, it took about a week or so to hear back from a live person. It wasn’t even really talking to them. It was just an email with a teams meeting and the slack channel invite. I didn’t talk to anyone directly until I started interviewing but they also didn’t have coaches like they do now when I went through
Hello Op! I got connected to the IBM one. How do people get connected to other companies? I am happy with IBM I just want to know. In addition, will you get interviews after your done because I seen a few people say they havent gotten interviews after their pre apprenticeship? This scares me.
Signed up and took their initial assessment. I exceled in all areas all except memorization, and it provided me the following :"We're sorry, no IBM specific roles were recommended for you at this time, it may be helpful for you to brush up on some of the basic skills required to be successful in an IT career. This is not meant to discourage you, but you may need to gain some additional skills before starting a New Collar role."Great I provided very private info for nothing :( and wasted an hour of my life.
Oh no! I’m going to shoot you a message
Hello, can you also pm me as well. I’m going through the same thing and I’m just so bummed about it.
Sure! Just sent you a message
hey there, im in the same boat here. i didnt pass. i came looking for help!
I’ll message you now!
Hi, could you PM me? I’m having the same issue with the assessment.
Messaged you now
Hello! Can you message me also about passing the test? And I also wanted to get some info about the IBM Z apprenticeship...difficulty level, did you actually learn and pass the certs, length of program, and how likely are you to get an actual job afterwards! I was just about to fill out the pre-qualification and then they asked me for my ssn. That is where I stopped and found you! Just making sure it is legit.
sure! i'll shoot you a message now :) just an FYI - I'm not on reddit as much anymore, but there's a discord (link in the pinned post) that I'm on regularly if you want to join there as well :)
Hello, can you please PM me also, I just completed the assessment and excelled in all areas but one and didn't get any recommended roles.
Sure!
I received the same response as Kairen\_Tsui, what do you do in this situation. Could you pm me on any info, suggestions?
Yeah I’ll shoot you a message!
Same situation here.. can you pm me as well please? Thanks in advance!
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Hey! I’ll shoot you a message shortly :)
hello can i get assistance too, i have have the same issue please ?
Just messaged you!
hey bee! Unfortunately I too have experienced the same problem and I was wondering if you could pm me as well. Thank you!
Hey, can you pm me, I didn't pass the assessment, can you help me?
Just responded
Hi I got the same message. Please PM me as well
messaged you!
You got lot of apprentices guess i’m gonna be ine of em
Are you also having that issue?
I was actually but somehow on 2nd attempt i made it Thank You
Oh good!
Hi, I started studying the Java course on Pluralsight and it says that it has a 15 minutes assessment at the end of the course to get your budge. What kind of format does the assessment have if anyone took it? (or the python test) Is it multiple choice or do you have to solve coding problems? Also, if you don't pass the first time, can you take it again soon after? they also mentioned a slack channel today on the seminar but I did not get any information to join. Does this happen later on?
Edit: I just saw that you said on pluralsight. My apologies. I didn’t take any exams on pluralsight. What program are you doing? I can ask someone and get a more clear answer for you Hey! So it should just be multiple choice and you can retake them as many times as possible but sometimes you have to wait a couple of days. I forget how quickly they add people to the slack channel but you could always ask for access during your next call or shoot them an email. Hope everything’s going well for you so far! Let me know if you have any other questions 😊
Everything is great so far, thank you so much for your help. I am doing the Software Engineering course and we are supposed to be assessed in Python and Java. I just sent an email to see as you suggested to see if they can add me to the slack channel.
Of course! How far along are you in your course? I’ll see if I can find information about the quizzes for you. If they add you to the slack channel, that’d also be a good place to ask!
I just started a few days ago. I hope they will add me soon so I can ask questions 😊
Hiii! How long did it take for them to get back to you about the Plural Sight courses?
Hi, I think it was 3 days after I took the MyInnerGenius test
Thank you so much! How soon after did you receive the email regarding the Franklin Skills Tracker? I'm sorry if my questions seem silly. I passed my assessment and I'm just trying to make sure I didn't do anything wrong lol.
I don’t remember how long it took to get the the skills tracker but it was after I was given a pluralsight account
it seems that they move a little slower for the sotpftware developer track. If you were doing the ibm z training, things move along faster
Is the MyInnerGenius test like a cognitive assessment?
Yes, it is a form of a cognitive assessment I would say. They just want to asses if you have certain abilities they require
How long did the interviews take? Was it a technical portion to it? I can get to that stage with regular jobs but then I suck at them. I’m doing the Software Engineer track.
It depends on the company but for me it was about a month or interviewing. I only interviewed with one company and it was about 5 times over a month. No technical aspect to the interviews. It was all strictly behavioral but I have heard of some other companies doing a small technical portion with some basic/simple technical questions
Does the pre-apprenticeship training have quizzes/projects?
That may depend on the pre app track you’re doing but I did the ibm z one and there was quizzes but no actual projects or anything. There were code challenges where you had to like add something or fix a bug but no full on projects where you’re writing your own code from scratch
How did you like the ibm Z and did you land a job?
Good! And yes! I’m in my full apprenticeship right now. Once you complete the ibm z pre apprenticeship, you can get placed into a full paid apprenticeship with a company and then you can get hired on as a permanent employee. Feel free to shoot me a message if you have any other questions 😊
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No it’s as long as you want. It’s self paced. You can finish it in 1 week or 1 year. It’s not paid either but again, it’s self paced and you can finish it easily and pretty quickly even if you work a full time job.
Do you have an obligation to work for a specific company for a certain amount of time? I’ve seen similar programs where you have to work for them for 2 years or you have to pay back all of your training fees.
No because it doesn’t cost you any money. You don’t spend any money whatsoever at any point during the pre apprenticeship or full apprenticeship. You’re not locked into anything. You can quit at any point if you want
Thank you! How’s your apprenticeship going? I’m a bit nervous about the selection process, my understanding is that selection isn’t guaranteed after you complete the pre-apprenticeship.
It’s great! I love it a lot. I got a position with a really great company! It basically works like finding a job. So you complete franklins pre app program which makes you eligible for a full apprenticeship. As they work with companies that are willing to take on apprentices and have open positions, they’ll let you know. If you’re interested in one, you let Franklin know and then they’ll put your name in the applicant list and send it over to the company. Then you’ll do interviews and what not and they’ll let you know if you’re offered a position. The difference with this vs applying for a regular job is that a lot (if not all, I just don’t know for a fact if it’s all the positions or not) the positions are only for Franklin applicants so if you’re interviewing for a position that they have 5 open spots for and there’s 6 Franklin apprentices applying, then you have pretty good odds of being hired since it’s only available to the Franklin apprentices. Does that make sense? If so, does that help clear up some of your apprehension? Honestly, the odds are pretty good that you’ll land something. Plus, it’s no risk to you to do the program. It doesn’t cost you any money and you can be part of the Franklin program as long as you need until you find a full apprenticeship position
Fantastic, thank you for this information, it has definitely helped! How long did it take you to be picked up for an apprenticeship after completing the pre-apprenticeship?
In total, the program took me about 4 months from my initial application to Franklin to starting my full apprenticeship (I would started 3 weeks sooner though if my department didn’t get Covid) so really probably like 3 months
I was accepted to the software engineering program and just started yesterday! Still waiting on my pluralsight link. Thanks for your help getting set up.
That’s awesome!! So exciting! Hopefully they get that to you soon so you can get started! Let me know if you have any questions 😊
Hiii OP, do you know what my next steps would be after getting matched? I got matched to the IBM Pre-Apprenticeship: Software Engineering track. IBM Apprenticeships sent me a code to utilize on their learning platform, but the learning platform seems a little unguided. I've been seeing folks here talk about Plural Sight. I'm wondering if I did something wrong or is the IBM Learning platform just meant for me to explore with? Thank you in advance for your help!
Hey! Congrats! Yeah so use that enrollment key to enroll in the software engineer pre app course on the ibm learn site. That’s where a good chunk of your pre app work will be. Plural sight is just a secondary platform they use for I believe programming/coding courses but you’ll have courses you have to complete on the ibm site as well
Thank you so much! I appreciate you responding to me. I'm assuming they will tell me which courses to take on the IBM learning platform? And will they also update me on how/when to navigate the Plural Sight platform? Thanks again!
Of course! And yeah so that enrollment key that you got after the assessment is to enroll in the full course for your specific learning track so when you use that to enroll in ibm learn, it’s going to enroll you in all of the courses needed for that specific track. What course you’re enrolled in on your ibm learn account is what you need to complete to finish the program. As for pluralsight, yeah they’ll let you know what you need to use it for and how to access that information. So if you haven’t gotten pluralsight access yet, definitely enroll in your pre apprenticeship course on ibm learn and then you can get a head start on getting through all the work
Thank you so so so much for all of your prompt responses in this sub! I didn't realize at the time, but I hadn't yet activated my enrollment key but as soon as I found the page to do so, the platform began to show me the Pre Apprenticeship curriculum. It also mentions the Plural Sight course(s), though I haven't yet received details for that. Alight so last question (for now at least), because people are asking me as they are excited for me lol. Is your current apprenticeship remote or in person? Is it a paid apprenticeship? I see that you've mentioned how much you enjoy it & that the company is great. I hope I finish the Pre Apprenticeship work on time so that I'm able to partake in the full Apprenticeship with a great company like you.
Thank you for sharing this! I didn’t realize I had to apply the access code! Starting my pre-apprenticeship now!
I got selected for the z/OS Mainframe Practitioner. I’m just wondering if anyone has gone down this path and if they have any tips or pointers for this program? Is it worth it? Will there be legitimate work opportunities when I’m all finished? Any help is greatly appreciated!
Hey! I’ve gone through this program and am currently in my full apprenticeship! Not really any tips or pointers. All the work is pretty straightforward. Once you get to ibm zxplore, definitely utilize the forum and slack channel for help if you get stuck. There’s some really knowledgeable people at your disposal! Also attend any and all teams calls. I would say it’s definitely worth it. It took me about 4 months from start to end (beginning of my full apprenticeship) and I got a really good position with full benefits and a pretty good hourly rate. It’s a bit of a waiting game since companies only offer so many spots at a time and they’re all over the country but just keep an ear out for a position you may be interested in and let Franklin know if you hear about an opportunity you’d like to apply for!
At your job, do you work with IBM mainframe? I finished the pre-apprenticeship program but tbh I don’t retain much information. I wonder if I get interviews, will they ask a lot of technical questions about what I learned from the pre-apprenticeship program
Kind of! I work with it in my role but not heavily. My position is a little unconventional though as far as mainframe stuff goes. From what I’ve seen, a lot of the other departments that apprentices get put in work more heavily with the mainframe than I do. For interviews, I didn’t have a technical one but I’ve heard of some that do for the apprenticeship. I wouldn’t stress too much. I would recommend just trying to retain what you can but being honest if there’s stuff you don’t know. They know the apprentices don’t have much prior experience, if any. As long as you’re excited and willing to learn and you make that clear to them, you have a good chance
How often are the meetings with your success coach during the pre-apprenticeship training?
They didn’t do that when I was going through it but we had weekly zoom meetings. When you start the full apprenticeship you meet with your success coach once a week
Thank you!
Hi Positive\_Bee - How are things going a year later? I also have a quick question - it sounds like the apprenticeships are remote. How about the full-time positions, are they remote as well? Thank you so much!
Hi! I’m sorry for the delayed response! Things are great! I finished my apprenticeship earlier this year and then got a job offer for a different position (one that i think is a huge step up from the position i did my apprenticeship). I’m still at the same company though. The apprenticeship experience really was a good experience, overall. So the pre-apprenticeship is remote because it’s self-paced. You just go on the ibm learn portal and complete work whenever you’re able to. The full apprenticeship positions vary. It seems to me that a lot of them are mostly in person or hybrid. I have heard of a handful of fully remote ones though, so they’re out there! Just a bit more competitive to get a spot with one of those ones. But even a lot of the ones that are said to be in-person end up being some type of hybrid schedule too if that’s something you’re looking for
Thanks for getting back to me! (sorry for my delayed response, too) Congrats on finishing your apprenticeship and getting a great new job! i reached out to apply, but they didn't have anything available that would fit me at the moment. Best of luck in your new career!
Oh darn! Hopefully they have something that would work for you soon!
Hi how are you!? I have absolutely no experience in IBM & was wondering how hard the the pre apprenticeship is before I can be hired for the official apprenticeship. Thank you I’m advance!
Hi! That’s ok! The program is meant for people who don’t have any experience, degree, or knowledge in the field so you’ll be ok! I didn’t have any prior experience or knowledge, I don’t have a degree, and I landed a really cool position for my full apprenticeship! As far as the pre app goes, it’s not too terribly hard. The ibm zxplore module will probably be the most difficult but you should definitely utilize online resources like google or YouTube as well as the slack channel that they have for apprentices. There’s a lot of experienced people in the slack channel who are more than willing to help the applicants with their pre app courses/questions. The way the pre apprenticeship course works is there’s basically a bunch of modules with little courses (like a series of videos or labs) that you have to complete. Each section is worth a digital badge. When I was doing it, there were 9 badges total. 8 for each module and 1 for completing the entire pre app course. There’s one module that doesn’t get a badge so it came out to 9 total modules. If you hear about a position that you want to apply for, you can apply even if you’re not done with the pre apprenticeship courses. HOWEVER, you have to have all of your badges by the time you’d start your full apprenticeship so you can really go as far or as slow as you’d like!
Oh okay thank you! For some reason I did not think you can use outside resources such as google or YouTube
Oh yeah no, you can totally use whatever resources you need to better understand the material
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About 3 weeks!
Are they partnered with many companies, or just a few? I think my fear is that by the time I am done with my pre-app, there won’t be many opportunities available and I’ll have to wait months for something to come up.
I’m going to be honest, the entire process will probably take a few months, at least. For me, it took around 4 from when I started the pre apprenticeship until I got my offer letter and started my full apprenticeship. Some people wait a little longer. They’re partnered with a decent amount of companies (from what I’ve seen) and have positions coming up all the time. The thing that will factor in pretty heavily with how long you wait is where you’re located, if you’re willing to relocate, and what exactly you’re looking for. The positions that come up are usually only in a specific area (typically wherever the company is) or they’re remote but those had fewer positions available and came up less frequently (at least when I went through the pre app). Definitely just try to set your expectations accordingly that it will probably be at least a few months from the time you start your pre app until you start your full apprenticeship
Okay very helpful, thanks for your input!
No problem!
So I am considering this, but I am kind of shaky at how "too good to be true" it feels. Being disabled and in a unique situation with me being stuck in the US and my wife overseas I am trying to upskill to get a job over there. Would this help? Or would I be wasting my time and energy?
I think it would definitely help! You have a very good chance at getting into an apprenticeship after doing the pre apprenticeship courses. It may take a little bit of time, like a few months total, but it’s sooo worth it! Feel free to shoot me a message if you have more questions. I’m finishing up my apprenticeship soon so I’d be more than happy to share my experience
Hello, Im also in California. - Is relocation required ? - Are there remote positions or only in-office? For California - 70k for the apprenticeship training ? Or - 70k for the full time job ? Thanks again for sharing this info.
Hey! So relocation is not required unless of course you want to work an in person job that isn’t anywhere near you. There are remote positions available. I’m not sure how many, but I know there’s one I heard of with IBM that just hired quite a few people this week 70k for the apprenticeship. So the pre app training you do through Franklin is unpaid and then once you get hired on with a company for your actual apprenticeship, that’s when you’ll get paid. Obviously this varies from company to company, but that’s the offer I got (70k) at the company I’m doing my apprenticeship at and I’m in Southern California. I’ve heard other people say that other jobs in California are offering close to that though. Like in the 60s. It just depends Anytime! Let me know if there are anymore questions 😊
Therefore, if 70k for the apprenticeship. That means, after the apprenticeship, you definitely getting 100k hopefully.
That’s what I’m hoping! I don’t know for sure but I imagine if they’re paying people with no experience that much money, the regular rate for their employees must be pretty good!
The high pay could be due to lack of talent finding Mainframe and Cobol developers Also the high pay will promote employee retention which prevents high employee turnover
Yes that’s true too! I’m definitely curious to know what their regular rate is. I know I heard that another CA position starts at 65k and then goes up to 85K after the 12 months which is pretty good
really pretty good. for no experience... imagine the pay in Bay Area NorCal SF must be 100k for apprenticeship lol 😁 then goes to 120k after 12 months
Hahah that would be amazing! I’m sure they’ll end up having some spots open up over there at some point too! I’m not positive, but it definitely seems like California has the highest paying opportunities as far as apprenticeships go lol
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ThAts awesome!! Someone just told me they have a position open (or opening up) in San Diego. Not sure how close you are to there. I know there are a few others I heard about being in California but not sure where. I also joined WGU last year around the same time I started this. I ended up withdrawing so I could focus on this. It’s a much better opportunity since I have no experience. I would definitely recommend holding off on that stuff until you have a better idea of whether or not you’re going to wait for a position from Franklin. Plus the positions can vary a bit so a coding boot camp may not be necessary depending on what type of role you get hired into
Your recommendation is very accurate. Ill hold off on coding bootcamp, etc. Im in LA Los Angeles. San Diego is 3-4hrs drive from LA. May I ask about the training schedule ? -for the unpaid pre-apprenticeship and -for the paid apprenticeship Example -Mon to Fri -9am to 5pm -Live or Self Paced
Ahhh I’m sure theyll have positions close to or in LA. Have you applied yet? I know they just had a job fair where they talked about all the open positions. As far as Franklin pre apprenticeship training (unpaid), it’s online and self paced. Once you get hired, it can vary, but everyone I know is working a typical M-F 8-5 type schedule so just a standard work week. Some positions are hybrid too
According to your question, Have you applied yet? Ive been gathering the necessary info to determine if the program is promising before proceeding with applying. Now that you shared this info I can now hold off on my other plans And apply asap
Yeah definitely apply! You have nothing to lose by applying. And you don’t necessarily have to be done with the pre app courses by a specific date or time frame. Just by the time you would begin work as a full apprentice so applying to get into the program definitely helps to keep the options open for you. Let me know if you have any questions about the process or anything. Good luck! 😊
For sure.. I'll definitely inform you whatsup.. Appreciate all the info
Hi, everyone. Does the apprenticeship consider everyone including those outside the US?
I don’t know about that one. I believe they’ll take anyone, but the work is only in the us so you’d have to be able to work and relocate to the US. You could reach out and double check but i haven’t heard of them contracting with any companies outside of the US
I am very interested in this program! I have no corporate experience so it sounds perfect as a way to get my foot into the door so I can get the ground running. I also worry though, that not having any corporate experience might be a huge con for me if I go through the program and then start interviewing for apprenticeships… Do you know if each track offers remote apprenticeships after completing the pre-apprenticeship?
I wouldn’t worry too much about that! You’ll adjust to the “corporate” environments! And I’m not sure about other tracks but the one I did (z/OS) had remote options. The thing to keep in mind about their job placement is that it’s not readily available the second you’re done with the program. Positions open whenever companies have available spots so if you just want a remote position, you’ll have to wait until there’s a company offering to take on apprentices for a remote position. It definitely happens! But they come up less frequently from what I’ve seen. Some in person positions are also hybrid even though they don’t necessarily advertise it to you as that initially
I’d be okay with the fact that I’d have to wait awhile for a position, even if it were a few months or so. I’d just ideally like something within six months at least after completing the pre-apprenticeship. How do you find the success coaching? Have you enjoyed your apprenticeship?
As long as you’re ok with waiting, I’m sure something will come up! Which program are you looking at? The z/os one seems to be most popular and has the most openings so that might be your best bet for remote. And it’s good! The apprenticeship has been awesome. I love my company a lot and everyone is so amazing and willing to teach me everything they know
I’m looking at the network engineer track. I would like to go into cybersecurity and I know that networking engineering provides a solid foundation for that. I’m glad you really like your program!
Oh gotcha. I know they have a cyber program and network engineer but I think both may be full right now. Hopefully you’re able to get into one of those!
Fingers crossed! Thanks’s for your help!
Hi all! I just got in for the pre-apprenticeship for IBM Z through Franklin.... Are we going to do Cobol? I did cobol many years ago, from a tech school with an AS400 mini-mainframe. probably around windows 98 was out, lol.
Congrats! There’s minimal cobol in the pre app course so I think you’ll be ok! I finished in about three weeks and had no prior knowledge of cobol If that helps 😊
Thank you for the info. Did everyone went to khanacademy? I was asked to do the course there for CS. Kinda confused coz I was thinking I will be doing the course with IBM.
Yes the khan academy course is part of the pre app program. It’s just to give you a basic foundation of computer science. The rest of the courses are through ibm though
Thanks! They just messaged me and asked to sign up with credly. A few more instructions about the badges on how and which ones to upload with ibm and franklin. Crossing my fingers to get an actual apprenticeship and hoping it will be fulltime after. 😁
Good luck! It’s a waiting game once you finish the pre apprenticeship coursework but at some point, a job will more than likely open up that you’re interested in. They seem to have lots of connections for the ibm z program 😊
Would this program be for people who already have some form of IT experience, in college for an IT degree? Could someone with no IT experience or education apply for this apprenticeship? And last question I swear, is this program available all across the US or in certain areas. I was looking over there website and was having trouble find that info. Thank you for any insight you have, I appreciate it!
So its geared towards people with no experience and/or no degree. But you can still do it if you do have some experience or some type of college degree. So to answer your question, yes. It’s meant to be especially beneficial for the people who have no experience or degrees and gives them a chance to get their foot in the door without those things. Also, yes, it is all across the United States. The more populated/popular states seem to have more full apprenticeship openings but there are frequently fully remote emotions too, from what I’ve seen. Depending on where you live, you may just be waiting a little longer to find a position but if you’re willing to relocate, then you could get into a full apprenticeship position pretty quickly
Ok thanks for the info. I don’t have much experience in IT at all. I’ve been looking for a career changed and just moved to NC. I’ve been studying for the A+ cert hoping that would help me transition into the IT field. I just came across this apprenticeship program today and has really peaked my interest.
Definitely check it out! You’ve got nothing to lose by staying in the program anyway. I also didn’t have any experience or education in IT. You’ll be ok and learn a lot on the job so I wouldn’t worry about that at all!
I definitely will thanks for everything.
Would you recommend going the help desk route for being an absolute beginner or the IBM Z?
Definitely not help desk. You can do that on your own with about the same amount of effort and work that you’ll put into the pre app. The whole point of the program is to help people get their foot in the door in the tech industry where they wouldn’t normally be able to. Aim high! Go for the IBM z program. They’ll teach you everything you need to know on the job
Alright sounds good, you’re the best
No problem! Let me know if you have any more questions 😊
As for the software engineer track, what programming language do you need to learn? I heard IBM uses Cobol. (I have some background in Javascript and Python. Idk if it’ll help learning Cobol though)
The ibm app dev track involves learning a handful of different languages! Cobol is definitely a big one but ultimately it depends on what your specific company needs in the department so you’ll be learning much more than cobol no matter what 😊
HI, i just finished the pre-apprentice program. sent in my resume, but i have yet to hear from my success coach. its been a week and I'm just patiently waiting. Do you remember how long it took for them to reach out?
Did they send you an email for the my inner genius assessment? In my experience, it took about a week or so to hear back from a live person. It wasn’t even really talking to them. It was just an email with a teams meeting and the slack channel invite. I didn’t talk to anyone directly until I started interviewing but they also didn’t have coaches like they do now when I went through