Getting into the tech industry can be challenging, especially for non-traditional students who lack work experience. Unlike college students who often have access to internships, non-traditional students face difficulties in obtaining relevant experience. However, there are various ways to gain valuable experience in the tech field.

In addition to working on personal projects or starting a software business, internships, apprenticeships, and joining established organizations offer structured approaches to gaining experience. It’s important to note that there are diverse paths available, catering to the specific needs and preferences of individuals.

If you’re interested in a more structured approach, we’ve compiled a list of opportunities that provide valuable experience, regardless of whether or not you have a college degree. This list will be regularly updated throughout the year, so be sure to bookmark or join our newsletter to stay informed about new opportunities.

By exploring these options, you can overcome the challenge of limited work experience and pave your way into the tech industry. Remember, rejection is a normal part of the process, and each experience serves as a valuable learning opportunity. Keep pushing forward!

2024 Fellows Program (closed)

The Fellows Program is an intensive career accelerator for Black and Latinx college and graduate-level computer science students.

  • Location: San Francisco, CA / Remote, US
  • Length: 9 weeks
  • Application is now open

Accenture’s Entry Level Apprenticeship Program

The program provides mentorship, formal learning, on-the-job training, and on-going coaching to help build skills with the opportunity to advance into a career with Accenture.

This is for candidates without either a US 4-year college degree or a foreign degree that is equivalent from an education and skills perspective who are curious, creative, detail oriented and collaborative. This program requires you to be in person at your local office.

  • Locations and stipends:
    • California: $23.44 – $36.06
    • Colorado: $23.44 – $31.25
    • New York: $21.74 – $36.06
    • Washington: $24.96 – $33.18

Tips for success: The Accenture recruitment process by Accenture

Apprenti

Apprenti creates alternative pathways to access diverse tech talent. They provide training and on the job experience with their hiring partners.

Tips for success: Apprenti Applicant Video Guide

Allstate Apprentice Program – Technology (closed)

Allstate has been protecting families and their belongings for over 90 years. As the Good Hands company, we offer affordable, simple and connected coverage to our customers. Today, were expanding our product offerings to continue our mission of protecting people from life’s uncertainties.

  • Stipend: $25-$30 hourly
  • Location: Remote (Home Based Worker)
  • Length: 24 months
  • Start date is August 2024

Apprentice Engineer at Pinterest (closed)

Pinterest’s mission is to bring everyone the inspiration to create a life they love – and that includes our employees. They empower team to take on the most inspiring challenges of their working lives.

  • Stipend: $8,100 – $9,500 monthly
  • Location: San Francisco, CA / Remote, US
  • Length: 3 months
  • Applications will close on Monday, January 29 
  • Start date will be May 6, 2024

Tips for success: Launching your career as an apprentice engineer at Pinterest by Alberto Carreras Carrasco

AsanaUP Software Engineer Apprentice (closed)

Asana is a work management platform that helps organizations coordinate work and collaborate to achieve their biggest goals together.

  • Stipend: $64.75 per hour
  • Location: San Francisco
  • Length: 6 months

Collab Lab

The Collab Lab increases access to web development jobs for early-career developers and, in particular, people in under-represented groups in tech by providing experiential skills training in software team collaboration and career management.

  • Length: 40 hours per developer (5 hours/week over 8 weeks)
  • Applications starts July 21 – 28, 2024

Tips for success: Tips on applying to the Collab Lab in 2023 by Shangguan Wang

Engineering Apprentice, Connect Program at Airbnb (closed)

to over 4 million Hosts who have welcomed more than 1 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, Hosts offer unique stays and experiences that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way.

  • Stipend: $42/Hour
  • Length: 6 months
  • Applications opens until February 20 at 8am PST
  • Program is on April 22, 2024 – November 1, 2024

Google Summer of Code (closed)

Google Summer of Code is a global, online program focused on bringing new contributors into open source software development. GSoC Contributors work with an open source organization on a 12+ week programming project under the guidance of mentors.

  • Stipend: $3000 – $6600
  • Length: 6 months
  • Applications open from March 18th to April 2

Tips for success: Advice for People Applying for GSoC by GSoC

iOS Engineer Apprentice at Fetch (closed)

  • Stipend: $40 per hour 
  • Length: 3 months
  • Location: Madison WI

LinkedIn’s REACH Apprenticeship Program (closed)

REACH is a technical apprenticeship program at LinkedIn that bridges the opportunity gap for individuals with non-traditional backgrounds.

Application starts March 1 ends on March 6

Niantic’s Bootcamp and Apprenticeship program (new)

Niantic’s believe they can use technology to lean into the ‘reality’ of augmented reality — encouraging everyone to get outside and connect with the world around us. It’s their responsibility to consider user privacy, responsible use, inclusive development processes, and AR’s potential impact on the world now, not after the fact.

Voyager Bootcamp Program

  • Stipend: $3,000/month for the 3 months of the bootcamp
  • Location: Virtual
  • Length: 12 weeks
  • Application deadline is on May 13, 2024.
  • Bootcamp begins July 2024

Apprenticeship program

  • Location:  San Francisco, Seattle or Sunnyvale offices
  • Program is in October 2024-April 2025

Product Design Apprentice at Asana

Asana is a work management platform that helps organizations coordinate work and collaborate to achieve their biggest goals together.

  • Stipend: $57.50 per hour
  • Location: San Francisco
  • Length: 6 months

Shopify’s Apprentice Product Manager program (closed)

During their 12-month APM program, you’ll gain the skills you need to become a product manager, while working alongside some of the best in the business.

  • No academic requirements
  • No previous experience is needed, but you must have less than one year of experience as a full time Product Manager
  • Must be eligible to work in the US and Canada and will reside in North America for the duration of the program

Tips for success:

Spotify (closed)

Spotify is a purpose-driven company, using our strong values and beliefs to guide us in our strategies as well as our everyday decisions.

Tips for success:

Talent for Good

Talent for Good (TFG) is Cloud for Good’s paid apprenticeship program. The program provides full-time employment for career-starters and career-changers looking to build a Salesforce career and includes relevant training and certification preparation, on-the-job experience with clients, and on-going mentorship.

  • Stipend:  $50,000 salary during the initial training phase. $60,000 upon successful completion of training
  • Location: Remote
  • Length: 3 months

The Home Depot Software Engineer Apprenticeship (Remote) (closed)

Helping doers in their home improvement projects.

  • Length: 90 days

Outreachy (closed)

Outreachy offers internships in open source for individuals who face systemic bias and are affected by underrepresentation in the tech industry in their respective locations.

  • Stipend: $7,000 USD total
  • Location: Remote
  • Length: 3 months
  • Applications open mid January 2024

Tips for success:

When considering these opportunities, keep in mind that they often receive a large number of applications. It’s important not to be discouraged by rejections, as they are a normal part of the process and can provide valuable learning experiences.

Before you go, remember that we regularly share similar opportunities in our newsletter every Sunday. If you want to stay updated on the latest opportunities, don’t forget to subscribe here. Best of luck with your job search!

Categorized in:

Diversify, Equity & Inclusion