ARMONK, N.Y., Nov. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM)
today announced an expansion of the company's IBM Z skills
initiatives to include a new nationwide IT Infrastructure
apprenticeship accelerator program – establishing an onramp for IBM
Z Ecosystem clients looking to hire new collar talent across system
administrators, system programmers and application developer
roles.
In keeping with IBM's commitment to make the digital era an
inclusive one by expanding opportunity for people from all
backgrounds and communities to build skills for in-demand careers,
this new collar IBM Z skills training program will recruit and
develop candidates from across the United
States with no previous technology experience required.
Delivered in collaboration with Franklin
Apprenticeships and the Urban Institute, the program
provides participating IBM Z clients with a no-charge
apprenticeship accelerator. Coupled with IBM's apprenticeship model
serving to establish foundational knowledge, clients and new
apprentices can gain the benefit of Franklin Apprenticeships
experience as an intermediary. Throughout the program, apprentices
receive learning paths based on joint client-defined competency
standards, more than 300 hours of virtual training, access to
subject matter expertise and mentorship from IBM, and dedicated
success managers.
IBM also is announcing today that M&T Bank has signed on as
the inaugural employer partner for this program. As part of the
program – which M&T has branded as its Z Development Program
(ZDP) Mainframe Apprenticeship – M&T Bank plans grow their
skilled, diverse talent pool in the Buffalo, New York area and will accelerate the
bank's digital transformation with the hire of 10 apprentices
anticipated to start in January
2021.
"In Buffalo, our regional tech ecosystem has continued to gain
momentum, even as we've navigated the challenges of the pandemic.
Working collaboratively, business, government and nonprofit leaders
are focused on developing, retaining and attracting tech talent to
buildout our city's innovation corridor and strengthen our regional
economy," said Mike Wisler, Chief
Information Officer at M&T Bank. "Our goal for the ZDP
initiative is to ensure M&T Bank has the depth of talent
necessary to efficiently operate our IBM Z systems, which are
essential to banking functions our customers rely on, and it can
contribute to the wider, regional efforts underway in Western New York to build an inclusive
workforce equipped with the skills necessary to compete in the
global economy. In a historically blue-collar city, IBM's
new-collar apprenticeship program serves as another mechanism to
help build a resilient, skilled workforce and foster a more
inclusive economic recovery."
"As companies accelerate their journey to hybrid cloud,
unlocking the full value of digital transformation including
resiliency, security, and application modernization will require
cultivating a vibrant, skilled and inclusive workforce," said
Meredith Stowell, Vice President,
IBM Z Ecosystem. "IBM created this accelerator program to help our
ecosystem grow these skills, not only with the inaugural employers
but as a scalable model to help simplify apprenticeship adoption
for clients and provide another path to a sustainable, diverse
workforce."
IBM has stepped forward with multiple initiatives to promote an
inclusive workforce with a focus on skills aligned with new collar
jobs: well-paying roles that require specific, in-demand skills but
not necessarily a traditional bachelor's degree. These programs
range from 21st century apprenticeships, innovative
approaches to high-school career and technical education, coding
camps, community college partnerships, returnships and more.
As part of the pre-apprenticeship program that IBM will provide
in support of each client's IBM Z apprenticeship initiative, each
candidate will receive an introduction to computer science,
complete Master the Mainframe levels one and two, and complete
a curriculum of z/OS practitioner training – all remotely.
Following the pre-apprenticeship, candidates will be presented to
employers for hiring into a one year earn-while-you-learn
apprenticeship with additional technical and on-the-job training.
Upon successful completion, all apprentices will earn a credential
recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor.
"Franklin's employers find tech and new collar apprenticeships
to be a valuable and cost effective tool in bringing talent and
diversity to their organization, but in the U.S., IT
apprenticeships are largely a well-kept secret" said Kim Nichols, Chief Executive Officer at Franklin
Apprenticeships. "IBM, who has been a pioneer and innovator in the
apprenticeship space is now leading the way with their customer
base. It's exciting to work with this group of IBM Z
pre-apprentices as they take the first steps towards a tech
career."
"This is an important collaboration that will expand the IT
workforce through apprenticeships in high-demand occupations," said
Diana Elliott, Principal Research
Associate at Urban Institute. "In hiring apprentices for their
potential, rather than their credentials, this program will help
open up opportunities to countless candidates who otherwise might
not have had the chance to pursue such careers."
IBM's new collar apprenticeship program, launched in 2017,
provides learn-while-you-earn skills training and career
development opportunities for both students and working
professionals. The program grew twice as fast as anticipated in its
first year and has expanded from three career tracks at launch to
more than twenty today. The apprenticeship accelerator builds on
these successful programs and partnerships to expand IBM's model to
additional employers and create more opportunities for Americans to
build in demand skills.
Media Contact
Elizabeth Banta
Elizabeth.Banta@ibm.com
732-996-4159
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SOURCE IBM