Franklin CEO Shares Views on Tech Layoffs in Forbes

Why The Recent Tech Layoffs Do Not Signal The End Of The Tech Skills Gap

In her latest article for Forbes Business Council, Franklin Apprenticeships’ Founder and CEO, Kim Nichols, explores what the recent wave of tech layoffs means for the tech skills gap. She points to four reasons why the tech skills gap will persist until more companies think differently about the way they hire and develop talent.

1) The rebalancing in the tech sector is not as big as you might think.
2) A recession in 2023 is not a done deal and the labor market remains tight.
3) The supply and demand gap for tech talent continues to worsen.
4) Traditional tech recruitment is not keeping up and continues to restrict diversity

Read the full article here.

6 New Year’s Resolutions for Your Professional Life

By Meredith Millett, Director of Talent Solutions, Franklin Apprenticeships

The beginning of the new year is a great time to set some goals for yourself, personally and professionally. Below are some great New Year’s resolutions for your professional life, which you can use as inspiration to build out your career goals for 2023.

In your job search, it’s important to remember that if you’re looking to enter the tech field for the first time, you are starting from the beginning, and that’s okay! My top tip is to keep an open mind to any opportunity. You never know where it could lead.

Know your goals

Take the time to reflect on your long-term and short-term goals for your career. Consider any new skills you’d like to learn and where you see your career five years from now.

Practice your elevator pitch

You find yourself in an elevator with the CEO of your dream place of employment. What can you tell them about yourself in 60 seconds that could make you stand out? Practicing this will help you maintain concise and clear responses in an interview.

Never stop networking

Networking not only helps you find hidden opportunities, but it also allows you to work on your communication skills. Make these connections online and in person, and continue to build those relationships.

Focus on time management

Don’t overbook yourself when scheduling for interviews. Ensure that you’re giving yourself enough time to reflect after each interview and consider if the position and company are a good fit for you.

Keep learning

Keep up to date with the skills and qualifications employers are looking for in your field. Take advantage of Franklin Apprenticeship’s new SkillsBuild platform.

Give yourself a break

Job hunting can be stressful. Don’t forget to give yourself time to relax. Take the time to do things that you enjoy so you can show up to interviews feeling your best.

Celebrating 1000+ Participants served with Tech Quest

Franklin Apprenticeships and Tech Quest Apprenticeship celebrated serving over 1000 apprenticeship and pre-apprentices during National Apprenticeship Week 2022.

“We’re proud to collaborate with Tech Quest to offer these life-changing pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs which are expanding the tech talent pool nationwide,” says Kimberly Nichols, CEO, and founder of Franklin Apprenticeships. “It’s inspiring to see the growth these individuals have made both personally and professionally.”

Read here.

Franklin Certified as Women-Owned Small Business

(Baltimore – December 14, 2022) – Franklin Apprenticeships, the national tech apprenticeship company, today announced certification from the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce as a USWCC Federal: Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB). The certification is awarded to United States small businesses that are at least 51% owned and managed by women.  

“Expanding the diversity of the American workforce has been at the heart of Franklin’s mission from the very beginning,” said Kimberly Nichols, CEO and Founder of Franklin Apprenticeships. “We are delighted to receive this certification and support the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce as champions for women-owned small businesses nationwide.” 

Nichols founded Franklin in 2016, building on two decades of experience in business development as a CPA and finance leader in Fortune 1000 companies. Franklin’s Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, Jackie Griffin, is also a senior executive with extensive experience in large corporations in the Insurance and Financial Services industry.  

Through their leadership, Franklin has grown into a thriving small business, serving a client list of more than 25 Fortune 500 and large corporations, and helping individuals nationwide to build foundational technology skills through training and tech apprenticeship programs.  

“Our driving motivation has always been twofold,” explained Griffin. “To open a new way for people from underrepresented communities to launch rewarding tech careers while also solving an urgent business need to recruit and retain diverse talent.”   

By removing the requirements for college degrees and prior experience in tech, Franklin has supported thousands of people from all different backgrounds to launch tech careers. Franklin’s candidate pool is comprised of 34% women, much higher than the industry average for the occupations Franklin offers, including cybersecurity, help desk, IBM Z, software engineering and network engineering. Many of these candidates choose Franklin because of the support the company provides to women who are changing careers and juggling caregiving responsibilities. 

In addition to women founders, Franklin’s leadership team is nearly two-thirds female and the company is dedicated to being an inclusive employer. 

 “A diverse team generates more creativity, more debate, and ultimately better decision-making,” Nichols declared. “Diversity is not a nice to have, it is a business imperative.” 

Franklin Success Coaches Featured on Forbes

Franklin Apprenticeships Success Coaches, Marlon Carcamo, Britt Launius, and Cable Rose were recently featured in a article by Forbes contributor, Michael Arthur, on Forbes.com.

“The article introduces three success coaches, all employed by Franklin Apprenticeships, a pioneer in the US apprenticeship space. It provides examples of the range of interactions a success coach can have with their clients. It further describes the kinds of support a success coach needs in order to be effective.”

Read here.

Franklin Apprenticeships Unveils New Podcast

(Baltimore – November 21, 2022) – Franklin Apprenticeships today announced a new podcast about tech apprenticeships and early careers called, Frankly Speaking – Adventures in Tech Apprenticeships. The publication of the first three episodes came during National Apprenticeship Week, which ran November 14-18, 2022. 

Frankly Speaking gives listeners a behind-the-scenes view from the real people and organizations that are building tech skills on-the-job with apprenticeships and trailblazing a new way to develop America’s tech talent pool. Episodes are available on Franklin’s website and on major streaming services including Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Podcasts. 

“Tech apprenticeships are transforming lives and filling critical skills gaps nationwide, but they are still a relatively new concept in the United States,” says Kimberly Nichols, CEO and Founder of Franklin Apprenticeships. “We are on a mission to make tech apprenticeships as well-known as computer science degrees. That’s what this podcast is all about – providing a platform for our hardworking apprentices, dedicated employer clients and exceptional partners to tell their stories and share their experiences.”  

Hosted by Franklin Apprenticeships Professional Success Coach, Cable Rose, Frankly Speaking guests include employers, apprentices, success coaches, and industry leaders who are involved with tech apprenticeship programs. “Every day as a Professional Success Coach, I get to see moments of gold working with apprentices, managers, and tech leaders,” says Rose. “I am excited to share these stories and adventures, and let everyone across America know that apprenticeships are another path for people who want to jump into a tech career and great way for companies to build exceptional tech teams.” 

The first episode, Building Tech Talent for the Long Term, features Angie Voght, HR Manager, Black Knight Inc. She manages the IBM Z Apprenticeship program and sees it as a long-term solution to fill critical roles in the company’s tech team.  

Voght explains, “When you’re combining those technical skills with refined soft skills in professionalism, it’s really a manager’s dream.” 

The second episode features Oscar H., an IBM Z Apprentice in M&T Bank’s Z Development Program (ZDP) in Buffalo, NY. Oscar, a former youth worker for a detention center, describes how his apprenticeship changed his life in the episode called, The Turning Table. In 2020, M&T Bank launched its ZDP tech apprenticeship in collaboration with IBM, Franklin Apprenticeships, and The Urban Institute to expand access to tech careers for people with little to no technology experience. With a special focus on recruiting candidates from traditionally underrepresented communities in technology, M&T has recently welcomed its third cohort of IBM Z Apprentices. 

“My apprenticeship was literally the turning table for my life and never in a million years would I have thought that I would be here,” Oscar says. 

The third episode, The Truth Behind “Potential Unlocked,” explores the views of Tim Fry, Professional Success Coach and Veteran Outreach Manager for Franklin Apprenticeships. Tim is a veteran of the United States Air Force who holds the distinction of being the first graduate in the United States of the Professional Success Coach Registered Apprenticeship. Tim talks about his transition from the military and his role in helping apprentices reach their potential. 

“Unlocking your potential is easy to say,” says Fry. “But in reality, you have to challenge yourself and become vulnerable.” 

National Apprenticeship Week focused on highlighting the benefits of Registered Apprenticeships in the United States. The podcast is part of Franklin’s commitment to championing Registered Apprenticeship Programs as an official Department of Labor Apprenticeship Ambassador. 

“Need another reason to listen?” says Rose. “Check out the new podcast trailer here.” 

About Franklin Apprenticeships  

Franklin Apprenticeships is a women-owned company that helps employers fill mission-critical tech roles with undiscovered, diverse talent. By removing the barriers of a college degree and prior experience, Franklin finds outstanding candidates from all walks of life with an aptitude for tech, helps them to become job-ready, and matches them with employers. Franklin’s Professional Success Coaches support them and their employers every step of the way through “earn and learn” apprenticeship programs.   

Franklin unlocks the potential within people and organizations. Franklin’s employers report their apprentices are 80% productive within six months, and 100% competent by the end of their apprenticeships. Franklin offers apprenticeship occupations for the most in-demand tech roles, including cybersecurity, helpdesk, IBM Z, software engineering and network engineering. Learn more at www.franklinapprenticeships.com.  

About National Apprenticeship Week 

National Apprenticeship Week is a nationwide celebration where industry, labor, equity, workforce, education, and government leaders host events to showcase the successes and value of Registered Apprenticeship for re-building our economy, advancing racial and gender equity, and supporting underserved communities. NAW is an opportunity to highlight how Registered Apprenticeship, a proven and industry-driven training model, provides a critical talent pipeline that can help to address some of our nation’s pressing workforce challenges such as rebuilding our country’s infrastructure, addressing critical supply chain demands, supporting a clean energy workforce, modernizing our cybersecurity response, and responding to care economy issues. Read more at  https://www.apprenticeship.gov/national-apprenticeship-week  

Episode 00 – Introducing Frankly Speaking

Franklin Apprenticeships today announced a new podcast about tech apprenticeships and early careers called, Frankly Speaking – Adventures in Tech Apprenticeships. Frankly Speaking gives listeners a behind-the-scenes view from the real people and organizations that are building tech skills on-the-job with apprenticeships and trailblazing a new way to develop America’s tech talent pool. Episodes are available on Franklin’s website and on major streaming services including Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Podcasts.

The Role of Coaching in Apprenticeships

While coaching has long been embraced at the executive level in business, more organizations are now recognizing its value for all levels of their workforce and embracing a culture of coaching. Here’s a brief look at how coaching fits into the picture for tech apprenticeships.

Separating the concept of coaching from managing can be conceptually difficult. The best managers are also strong coaches, using that skill set to get the most out of their teams.

For our purposes, we’ll consider management to be a process of review, assessment and improvement on the ‘nuts and bolts’ of a given role. These tend to be items that lend themselves to being measured, for example deadlines met or customer satisfaction ratings.

While coaching may have similar end goals, it takes a more holistic approach that encompasses not only the business outcomes but the human interactions that lead to them. A manager, for instance, might point out to an employee that he or she is behind on tech implementation project. A coach will seek to understand the attitudes and behaviors that are causing that to be the case, and work with the employee to map out an improvement plan.

An obvious differentiator is that coaching requires a more individualized approach. An IT manager will have certain quotas or goals they need their each team member to meet, but the coaching process to achieve that goal will differ from person to person. A coach is there to extract the talent that already lies within the person.

Franklin designed our tech apprenticeship model with coaching as a central component, we call it our “secret sauce” because it is what ensures the success of each apprenticeship. Each apprentice participates in weekly one-on-one sessions with a Professional Success Coach, who is qualified themselves by via a Registered Apprenticeship Program with the U.S. Department of Labor.

The key here is that those sessions do more than track progress on technical skills. They are focused on building technically competent tech workers who are also well-rounded employees, set up for a successful career at their companies.

Our Success Coaches work with apprentices on the professional skills that lead to better interactions with clients, team members and managers. These include problem-solving skills, solution-focused thinking, communication, time management and even managing stress.

Employers offer tech apprenticeship programs because they are looking for a long-term solution to building their tech talent pipelines. They are looking for their apprentices to have successful careers within their company. Thanks to comprehensive coaching throughout our program, Franklin Apprentices graduate with both the professional and technical foundations for a successful career in tech, and loyalty to their employers for providing them with the opportunity to develop both as a technical expert and a productive team member.

Event: IBM Z ® Apprenticeships for the Military Community

This is an excerpt of blog published on the Fans of IBM zSystems Hub to promote a Franklin event that IBM is sponsoring for the Military Community on June 29, 2022, at 12:30 EST. Register for the event here. 

By: Tim Fry, Success Coach and Military Community Outreach Manager, Franklin Apprenticeships

“As a 17-year combat veteran of the United States Airforce, I speak from firsthand experience when I say that the transition from the military to civilian life is one of the toughest challenges that men and women who serve our country will ever face.

The career paths in the military don’t always neatly translate to civilian life and the idea of starting over and learning a new field or pursuing a college degree can be daunting. For military dependents and spouses, it’s equally challenging. Unfortunately, many employers don’t want to hire someone who is going to be relocated every few years or who has the pressure of family commitments due to military deployments.

Over the past 18-months of being involved in the IBM Z® US Apprenticeship Accelerator program as part of the delivery team at Franklin Apprenticeships, I’ve had the opportunity to coach and support dozens of members of the military community – from veterans, transitioning service members and reservists to military spouses and dependents. In fact, one in five of the students that have been hired into IBM Z Apprenticeships are veterans. They have used the IBM Z Apprenticeship program to translate their military-learned skills and excel in a civilian career, while earning certifications.”

Read more on the Fans of IBM zSystems Hub. 

Register for the event here.

Franklin Awarded $520K To Expand Tech Apprenticeships in PA

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf recently announced awards totaling more than $11 million for 26 apprenticeship programs, including Franklin Apprenticeships which will receive $520,000 to deliver technology pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs to employers and residents of the state.

The grants are part of Governor Wolf’s PA Statewide Movement for Accountability, Readiness and Training (PAsmart) framework, which is “designed to better align education, workforce and economic development initiatives and funding,” according to the Governor’s website.

“We applaud the State of Pennsylvania for making this significant, strategic investment in building its tech workforce by helping people with no formal experience in technology transition to well-paid, high-demand roles in the state,” Kim Nichols, CEO and Founder of Franklin Apprenticeships explains. “Our team at Franklin is thrilled to build on the work we are already doing in the state, and expand access to our apprenticeship programs for employers and tech career seekers.”

Franklin’s Pre-Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship Programs currently include: IBM Z, Software Engineering, Network Engineering, Cybersecurity and Helpdesk. There is an accelerating demand from employers for Franklin’s job ready, pre-apprentice graduates as many companies are increasingly leveraging apprenticeships as a tool for building their own pipeline of tech talent given the high-demand for people with these skills.

“Throughout history, apprenticeships have been a vital and necessary part of career education in certain fields,” Gov. Wolf said in the press announcement. “By expanding these important programs to more occupations and industries, we are offering Pennsylvania workers opportunities to train for family-sustaining jobs while helping businesses develop a workforce that will strengthen our economy and our communities.”

Grant Details: Franklin Apprenticeships | $520,000

Tech Talent for PA

Franklin Apprenticeships will establish and enroll participants into non-traditional, competency-based registered apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships using a non-traditional service delivery process. The proposed Franklin statewide program will prioritize 240 new pre-apprenticeships and 40 apprenticeships expanding into non-traditional occupations parallel to the growing workforce-need within the IT sector. The program has a special focus on prioritizing the recruitment of diverse populations and historically underserved participants (including minorities, low-income populations and women).

Franklin Apprenticeships will establish and enroll participants into non-traditional, competency-based registered apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships using a non-traditional service delivery process. 

Interested in Getting Involved?

• Career Seekers in Pennsylvania: Explore Franklin’s Pre-Apprenticeship Programs which currently include: IBM Z, Software Engineering, Network Engineering, Cybersecurity and Helpdesk.
• Employers in Pennsylvania: Ready to start a tech apprenticeship program to build your talent pipeline? Franklin will make it easy to get started. Get in touch at info@franklinapprenticeships.com.