{"id":99790,"date":"2022-02-02T16:02:21","date_gmt":"2022-02-03T00:02:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/careerkarma.com\/blog\/?p=99790"},"modified":"2022-02-02T16:02:23","modified_gmt":"2022-02-03T00:02:23","slug":"tech-talent-south-guide-to-starting-a-tech-career","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/careerkarma.com\/blog\/tech-talent-south-guide-to-starting-a-tech-career\/","title":{"rendered":"A Complete Guide to Starting Your Tech Career with Tech Talent South"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The widening skills gap remains among the top 10 challenges<\/a> of the tech industry in 2021. CompTIA reports<\/a> that 93 percent of IT companies noticed a disparity between their IT staff\u2019s current and desired skill levels. This affects their business processes as IT companies require the right tech talent to develop innovative technologies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The diversity gap is another long-standing concern in the tech industry as nationally, minorities and women still make up a smaller percentage of the IT sector, according to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission\u2019s report<\/a>. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tech Talent South\u2019s<\/a> training programs aim to reconcile both gaps in the industry by upskilling thousands of tech specialists and career-switchers, as well as bridging the skills gap by championing diversity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tech Talent South (TTS) is a tech recruitment, training, and staffing company<\/a> with a talent network spanning 48 states. TTS offers foundational and advanced Web Development and Data Science training programs. With 89 percent of its talent database identifying as women or BIPOC, TTS believes everyone has the potential to do something big.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are three main steps to starting a tech career with TTS: apply, train, and deploy. Read on as we guide you through the TTS experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\nTech Talent South is a woman-owned tech recruitment, training, and staffing company offering immersive training to help you start a rewarding career in tech.<\/p>\nApply to Tech Talent South today.<\/a>\n<\/div>\n
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How to Start Your Tech Career with Tech Talent South<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We spoke with Mary Lachapelle<\/a>, the Vice President of Growth at Tech Talent South, to learn more about the admissions process. Below are the steps you need to follow to enroll in one of the Tech Talent South courses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Apply to Tech Talent South<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

First, you have to complete a short application form and schedule an interview with the TTS Talent Success Team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lachapelle recommends the applicants prepare for the interview after doing some research on Tech Talent South\u2019s website. \u201cCandidates who demonstrate a high level of professionalism, intellectual ability and curiosity, self-motivation and tenacity, strong communication skills, humility and coachability, and an authentic desire or willingness to pursue a tech career really stand out,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During this interview, the TTS Talent Success Team member will ask about your career goals and talk with you more about the company\u2019s courses and mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this step, you need to think about what kind of work you enjoy most and are curious to explore further. \u201cDo you want to work regularly with other people in a customer-facing role? Would you rather work independently? Do you enjoy visual design? Do you like wearing a lot of hats or would you prefer to focus on one thing? Are you really into math and crunching numbers?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make a list of all your previous work experiences and think about what you you loved most. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before starting the course you need to make sure you can invest enough time in your education. Lachapelle recommends applicants ask themselves the following questions: Are you prepared to commit to 10 to 20 weeks of class? Will you be able to make time for homework? Committing a sufficient amount of time to study will help you make the most out of the course and gain all the knowledge needed to start your tech career.     <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are applying to a special scholarship program, you may need to pass an aptitude assessment or fill out additional application forms. This step is not required for Tech Talent South\u2019s tuition-based courses. If both you and the Talent Success Advisor feel that the course is a good fit for you, the enrollment process will begin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is vital to spend some time figuring out how much you can invest in your education. \u201cCan you make a down payment? What is your budget for monthly installments? Do you need to wait to pay tuition until you land your next job? Knowing up front what can work for your budget will help our Talent Success Team find the best tuition payment plan for you,\u201d Lachapelle emphasizes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you plan to pay the tuition fee directly to Tech Talent South, you can make your deposit for the course online. If you are interested in an Income Share Agreement, you will be referred to Tech Talent South\u2019s partner organization to sign the necessary documentation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you are set up with your preferred financing option, Tech Talent South will enroll you in the course and send you the pre-course materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Get the Tech Training You Need<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Tech Talent South offers foundational and advanced training programs<\/a> in Web Development and Data Science. In response to the pandemic, classes are now conducted live online and led by experienced instructors. At Tech Talent South, you choose to study in the morning or evening based on your preferences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the training, you\u2019ll build knowledge and skills that will allow you to enter the tech job market with confidence. \u201cWe offer immersive educational experiences that are built around the demands of today’s businesses.  Whether it’s engaging with young learners, recent college grads, or career-changers, we deliver crafted experiences and relevant, high-value content\u201d, says Lachapelle.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the top hard skills that Tech Talent South graduates possess include Java, JavaScript,, HTML5, CSS, SQL, Python, R, pair programming, cloud technologies, and more.    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tech Talent South hires leading industry experts and senior technologists to design the curriculum and teach the most in-demand tech skills. \u201cOur instructors are experienced technologists with a passion for teaching and developing tech talent,\u201d says Lachapelle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among them is Gary Jackson<\/a>, Data Science Fundamentals Instructor at Tech Talent South. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gary believes that teaching is the way of learning. \u201cMy whole philosophy is if you can’t teach it, you don’t know what you’re doing,\u201d he says, adding that programmers must be able to articulate what they are trying to do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instructors and teaching assistants ensure that Tech Talent South students develop a strong knowledge of the course curriculum. \u201cI tell [students to] communicate first in the code to tell your future self what you’re writing or to tell future people who are going to be looking at the code [and] what it is. And then secondly, be able to communicate it to non-technical people. If you can tell your mom what you are working on and keep it in some simple forms, you’ve succeeded,\u2019\u201d Jackson shares. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

His teaching approach involves pairing a \u201cmath person\u201d with a \u201ccreative person\u201d so that they can come to an innovative way of solving problems, predicting trends, and, therefore, making a change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Students also get to engage with program managers, who provide students with professional development support. \u201cThey [program managers] host resume writing and LinkedIn workshops, arrange for guest speakers to visit the class, and host one-on-one coaching sessions with our students,\u201d says Lachapelle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Deploy: Start Your Career in Tech<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

During one-on-one sessions with the Tech Talent South team, students explore the roles they are most interested in, and, toward the end of the program, begin to apply to the relevant job openings with Tech Talent South and external career sites. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe recommend that students take an active approach in their job search while our team works simultaneously to identify opportunities in our partner network that may be a good fit for them,\u201d says Lachapelle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides professional preparation, students need to overcome their psychological barriers to enter the tech job market. As Jackson notes, many graduates are intimidated to apply for tech jobs after the bootcamp. \u201cJust go after it and jump in,\u201d he advises. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Graduates can also benefit from Tech Talent South\u2019s partnerships with leading employers, workforce development, and universities. \u201cWe work with companies across the country, ranging in size from VC-backed startups and SMBs to global consulting firms and Fortune 500s,\u201d says Lachapelle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tech Talent South connects their grads within the hiring partners’ network keeping in mind each student\u2019s skill level and career goals. Students also have an opportunity to apply to the openings on the Tech Talent South career page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When a student is matched with a position, Tech Talent South contacts the student first to confirm their interest in the role before sharing their resume with the hiring manager. \u201cIf selected by the client, we introduce the student directly to the hiring manager. From there, they undergo the client’s screening process. Ultimately, the client decides who they would like to hire for a role,\u201d Lachapelle adds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Common Career Paths for Tech Talent South Graduates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Below is an extensive list of the roles that Tech Talent South grads commonly land in the tech industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n