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Apply for free developer apprenticeship program

Posted at 5:43 AM, Jan 26, 2016
and last updated 2016-01-26 08:05:33-05

If you have the desire to be a software developer—but have little to no experience, a rare opportunity may be your golden ticket to the job of your dreams.

Grand Circus, the training institute on a mission to elevate the tech community in the city of Detroit, is offering a free tech apprenticeship program.

This computer programming bootcamp of sorts is six weeks and available to Detroit, Highland Park and Hamtramck residents 18 and up.

About 15 to 20 applicants will be selected for the intensive training that’s set to begin March 28.

After the initial bootcamp, students will have the opportunity to interview for a paid apprenticeship position at a local company.

If hired, they will then spend 10 to 12 months working as developers and gaining real-world experience. Following completion, Grand Circus says the apprentices will receive their credentials with a Journeyman’s Card.

This is the second cohort of its kind. The first bootcamp had 22 graduates in early January.

The class was nearly split between women and men--and 47 percent of the students were not employed before the start of the program. We're told the 22 students already had interviews for apprenticeships at big companies like DTE Energy, Quicken Loans and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

“The need for IT jobs in Metro Detroit is growing at an astounding rate but there is still a considerable talent gap,” said Grand Circus CEO and co-founder Damien Rocchi in a press release. “At Grand Circus we are determined to close that talent gap, and the apprenticeship program is just one of many examples of how we are going to ensure Detroit residents have the training and skills needed to compete for these high-paying jobs.”

People interested in applying to the second training class can submit an application from February 1 through February 12. Click here for more information.