In a tech-driven world, it should come as no surprise that the tech business sector is on a constant upward trajectory across the globe. Governments are heavily investing in the development of their tech industries, and are subsidizing various startup programs while creating educational platforms for aspiring tech professionals. As a result, the global tech sector is continuously expanding, creating new and exciting opportunities for talented individuals and job-seekers in the space. 

That said, the need for skilled workers is always on the rise as well, and there is a clear gap between the supply and the demand in the sector. While many companies still want to see a four-year degree minimum from their candidates, the tech apprenticeship programs are looking to shift the paradigm and create a more sustainable model for companies and talented workers alike.

Let’s explore the potential of tech apprenticeships and take a look at the key considerations all future workers and business leaders should keep in mind.

Rethinking the college degree

There are many reasons why business leaders in the modern tech sector should rethink their base requirements and qualifications for their open job positions. The first and most obvious one being that the tech sector is constantly evolving and innovating and that in many instances a college degree does not guarantee you’ll get a skilled and up-to-date candidate for your needs. On the other hand, academic education also prolongs the period in which new talent will hit the demanding job market, and so talent can be difficult to come by.

This inherent scarcity in talent and skilled cadre can spell disaster for growth-oriented tech startups and established brands, which is why apprenticeship has been booming in recent years. While the concept has been around throughout history, tech apprenticeship is a relatively new field that is making waves in the sector, driven by the need for new talent. Aspiring tech professionals should also look into apprenticeship programs in this sector in order to avoid college debt and join the competitive job market faster.

Keeping up with the ever-changing skill demands

There’s no denying that the tech industry is developing at a rapid pace and that innovation in this sector is skyrocketing with new investments, incentives, and big-picture ideas pitched by ambitious startups as well as global corporations. The opportunities for growth here are virtually endless, but only for the companies that keep up with the rapidly-changing tech landscape and secure the skills necessary to keep innovation moving forward.

This is difficult to achieve in the current climate because academic curriculums keep falling short of the mark and are perennially trailing behind the new trends. To be successful in the fast-paced tech sector, talented individuals need to stay ahead of the curve, and this is something that only apprenticeship programs can achieve. 

Because apprenticeships are structured in such a way to deliver skilled and talented individuals quickly, apprentices have access to the latest training and the latest tech, ensuring they stay on top of the trends. This is possible because the companies themselves are investing in these programs by cutting out the outdated and unnecessary, and sticking with the most relevant methodologies and solutions. 

Filling the increasing skill gap in telecommunications

While the tech sector is expanding in many different directions such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, let’s not forget that one of the oldest tech niches boasts the biggest career prospects – telecommunications. Telecommunications is a subsector of the tech industry that will continue to rise in the decades to come, as all trends point to the further development of internet technologies, 5G networks, and another communication tech.

This is why aspiring professionals can find numerous telecommunications apprenticeship programs nowadays that focus on in-demand skills like managing internet-based applications and configuring high-end equipment in convergence technologies, among many others. In the years to come, telecommunications is going to rise along with global digital transformation and tech innovation, so this sector, in particular, should be of interest to business leaders and aspiring professionals. 

Practical experience combined with education

Formal education can often fall short when trying to teach practical, real-world experiences in a dynamic tech workplace, which is why so many companies are nowadays trialing new positions and candidates with internships or paid trial periods. However, a far more cost-effective solution to this and many other problems that formal education can cause is to establish apprenticeship programs that will bring the best of both worlds to the aspiring tech professional.

Good apprenticeship programs will combine the right education with real-world work environments to fully prepare the individual for the road ahead, and ensure a thriving career in the years to come. This not only brings more value to the company and the individual, but it also eliminates the risk of carrying cumbersome student debt that so often comes with a college degree.

Boosting employee retention with apprenticeships

Finally, it’s important to consider the fact that apprenticeship programs all but guarantee that the employee will stay with the company over the long term. Now more than ever before, talent retention has become a pain point for many tech businesses, due to the lack of skilled workers but also due to the fact that the most talented professionals are spoiled for choice.

If you’re a tech leader who wants to keep the best of the best by their side, then you should build employee loyalty through your apprenticeship program. This program will ensure the candidate fully internalizes all your processes and gets the training and education necessary to take your company to new heights. During this process, they will develop a sense of loyalty and brand commitment that you simply can’t expect to get from a new hire.

Over to you

The tech sector is booming across the globe, and business leaders are faced with many new challenges – one of them being the growing scarcity of talented workers. Apprenticeship might be one of the solutions to this and many other problems, paving the way to a brighter future for aspiring professionals and growth-oriented companies.