Navigate Training Pathways | Digital Careers Toolkit

Digital Careers at a Glance

Welcome! The Toolkit activities help you navigate and investigate careers. Plan your path to a digital career.

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Plan Your Path

Get Oriented to Digital Careers

Consider AI in your Career Plan

Navigate Workforce Training Pathways

How Certifications Fit In

Weigh Your ROI

Make Your Plan

You may be looking for a training program that fast-tracks you to your first job
You may be looking to defer college until you are already working in a career field
You may be looking for tuition-free or low cost training programs, and you aren’t sure how to tell which have value and which are scams
You want to understand the outcomes of a training program to be sure that your investment - time and money and effort - is worthwhile to the goal of building your career

Workforce Training Programs

There are three common training paths to a digitally-enabled career:

1. Bootcamps

Bootcamps are an increasingly common way to learn the skills that you need for a digitally-enabled career. The term ‘bootcamp’ refers to a program that has an intense focus on acquiring new skills quickly. The outcome is to learn as much as possible in a short period of time with a focus only on what is most essential to get a job and get started in a career.

There are several advantages to bootcamps in the digital space:

They focus on teaching technical skills, and are appropriate for beginners who have had no formal training in tech
They teach up-to-date technical skills that align to jobs for which employers are currently looking to hire talent
They are relatively short - typically less than 6 months - so the time commitment is brief compared to other options
They go deeply into one field that opens doors to an entry level job that can springboard into other roles
There are lots of options, which makes it possible to weigh factors like cost, or length of training or preference for in-person or online learning

2. Apprenticeships

While apprenticeships are a common way to get training in the building trades and manufacturing, there are a growing number of apprenticeships in the tech space. Apprenticeships are a form of on-the-job learning, often guided by a mentor. Apprenticeships can provide a range of hands-on work experiences. Typically, apprenticeships are:

Full time and paid
A year or so
Hands-on training that can yield knowledge to earn relevant certifications
Job experience in one area or rotations through multiple departments
Can be registered by the state as a formal apprenticeship, or unregistered through a company or training provider
A way for companies to source talent and a way for individuals to gain experience

In tech apprenticeships can be offered:

Through an apprenticeship coordinating intermediary like Multiverse, Apprenti, Career Wise
Through a college, like SUNY Apprenticeship Program
Directly through an company, like the IBM New Collar Apprenticeship Program
As a follow-up to a training bootcamp, like the IT Generalist Apprenticeship Program provided by NPower

3 Colleges

The widest number of options to access digital careers are through earning a college degree. Colleges offer majors and minors in all digital fields. There are an incredibly wide range of college choices - community colleges, technical colleges, liberal arts colleges that have technical majors, universities, online colleges, continuing education programs, etc.

The focus of this Toolkit is alternatives to college to underscore that there are multiple pathways to a career. A college degree can - and should be - an option in everyone’s career pathway at some point in time.

How to Research Training Bootcamps

There are many considerations when researching training providers in the digitally-enabled careers space. These are some factors to consider and questions to ask:

Job Alignment. Are the programs offered in demand in the current job market? Are the skills being taught related to positions that employers are currently hiring for? Are there lots of job openings? Does the training include both technical and career coaching?
Outcomes. What are the tangible outcomes for completing the program? Is there a certification and/or will graduates have products to show to an employer in an interview? Who hires graduates and are they working in jobs related to their training? How soon after graduation are graduates finding their first job?
Time. What is the daily and weekly time commitment? How long does it take to complete the program? Are there flexible start dates?
Cost. What is the tuition? Are the cost of certifications, materials, etc. included? If it is a tuition-free program does that mean there is no pay-back once you start earning - known as an Income Share Agreement? Is technology equipment provided? Is there a stipend? Are there emergency funds available?
Culture. Is the program offered in person, online or a hybrid? Is there a cohort with opportunities for peer learning? Are there codes of conduct that are important to know? What is the typical age range, gender balance, and diversity of program participants?
Completion Rate. Of the people who start the program, how many complete it within the time expected? Are there any factors for dismissal that are important to know?
Alumni Services. What services are provided after completing the program? Are there upskilling opportunities to learn new technology skills? Are there coaching opportunities to apply for promotions?
Admissions. What are the criteria for acceptance? What does the training provider weigh most heavily? Are there special considerations that are important to know, for example, eligibility to work in the US?

What’s it like to attend a bootcamp? Many training providers offer information sessions to help applicants get a feel for their culture. Listen to these graduates from Per Scholas, a workforce training program, talk about their experiences: Jarred Gaines, Iris Otano

Do you live in the NYC metro area?

Download a list of Workforce Training Programs

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