About the program
Apprenticeship is a six-month earn-and-learn training program - a way to learn about being a professional software developer. It's about learning to model yourself after skilled developers by working alongside them and seeking their guidance.
The program is designed for people who:
- Want to master the craft of shipping quality software
- Haven't found a clear path into the tech industry yet
- Come from non-traditional work and educational backgrounds
Working with us provides real-world experience where you will:
- Work on actual projects with a team and pair with a mentor throughout the program
- Develop professional skills through feedback and performance reviews from peers, mentors, and managers
- Access additional learning resources and opportunities
What you will learn & explore
During your six months with us, you'll collaborate with our Dwarves on these key areas:
Part 1: Catch up with the state of the art
Learn modern software engineering practices from foundational principles to cutting-edge tech stacks.
Engineering
- Work with multiple programming languages
- Master your editor of choice
- Apply DevOps practices: containerization, continuous integration/delivery
- Build APIs that comply with REST/GraphQL and HTTP semantics
- Practice readme-driven development
- Conduct effective code reviews
- Pair program with experienced developers
- Understand the difference between engineering and programming
- Set up efficient development environments
- Monitor production applications
- Build your software engineering foundation
- Create effective software models
- Navigate the software development lifecycle
- Apply the 12-factor methodology for building quality software
Design
- Implement design thinking principles
- Understand design processes within the software development lifecycle
- See software development from designer, developer, and product manager perspectives
- Address human needs through the ideas and value chain
- Use the domain research framework
- Work with business models and lean canvas
- Apply the AARRR funnel
- Use UX design frameworks
- Structure information architecture
- Implement atomic design principles
- Apply visual design principles
- Work with design systems
- Follow platform-specific design guidelines
Part 2: Be a team player
Learn to collaborate effectively with different stakeholders.
- Understand software engineering team structures
- Navigate team development stages
- Measure software team performance
- Master team communication
- Manage expectations effectively
- Develop professional work habits
- Follow the software engineering code of ethics
Part 3: Factors of quality software
Learn to measure and improve the quality of your deliverables.
- Understand your working domain
- Navigate the software development triangle
- Apply software approach manifestos
- Define what makes software well-crafted
- Manage risks and avoid common pitfalls
- Master the art of software delivery
Part 4: Software industry movements
Stay current with industry trends by understanding past developments and participating in future directions.
Revolution of software industry
- Hardware & operating systems: kernel development
- Network, internet and dotcom evolution
- Cryptography, network security & deep web
- The transition from developer to engineer
- Traditional processes vs. agile approaches
- Products vs. services
- The era of mobility
- Virtualization & cloud computing
- Internet of things & wearable devices
- Big data & data mining
- Data privacy considerations
- Human-computer interaction, AI/ML & deep learning
- Blockchain technology & decentralization
- Quantum computing fundamentals
Startup knowledge
- Overview of startups, business models, enterprises, and fundraising
Part 5: Exploring your strength
Identify your strengths to build a sustainable career in tech. This is essential for working with the Dwarves - a group of innovation advocates and high-potential professionals.
- Software distribution and impact measurement
- Shipping your own software projects
- Understanding career path options
- Developing your T-shaped career profile
Program timeline
Here's what you'll experience during your six months:
Your first month: Warming up
- Pre-assessment & performance calibration
- Group training: Catch up with our tech stack, workflow, and practices through bi-weekly sessions led by seniors
- Pairing: Team up with an assigned peer and practice what you've learned by working on their project
- First checkpoint review session
Next three months: Performing
- On your own feet: Join one of our product teams as an official member to learn teamwork in action
- Mentoring sessions: Participate in bi-weekly one-on-one mentoring to process feedback and improve together
- Second review session
The following months: Exploring
Experience the various ways we help our engineers grow to the next level:
- Group study: Learn from peers to continuously improve
- Tech radar: Explore specific topics and evaluate cutting-edge technologies
- Apply your knowledge by shipping impactful software
- Group presentation & final review session
- Reach the final checkpoint to qualify as a Dwarf
How to apply
Remember, this program is designed for people who:
- Want to master the craft of shipping quality software
- Haven't found a clear path into the tech industry yet
- Come from non-traditional work and educational backgrounds
Submit your application through this form, and we'll get in touch.
