Capturing the Realities of Recruiting Tech Talent
American Apprenticeships Work
The Problem
Historically, apprenticeships have helped people gain access to higher wage jobs in trade careers. In recent years, apprenticeships have created pathways to higher-paying technology careers, while helping companies diversify and strengthen their talent pipeline. Despite growing commitments from employers to close the talent gap and launch DEI initiatives, barriers to tech apprenticeships still prevail. Rising startup American Apprenticeships Work (AAW) engaged us to address these barriers and become a trusted talent partner for U.S. employers.
The Insight
Each year, U.S. companies spend millions, if not billions of dollars updating the technology on which their businesses run. Yet the need for skilled talent to operate those technologies remains largely unmet. Simply put, there is a disconnect between the skills needed to succeed and the talent with the right skills. And business leaders are feeling the impact on their people, their products and their profits. We made the case that, more than technology, it was our talent strategies and systems that urgently needed an upgrade.
The Solution
Through multiple interactive workshops with AAW’s executive team, we were able to prioritize target audiences, assess their competitive differentiation and uncover their core business purpose. Our insights around the tech-talent disconnect became the basis of a fully formed brand position, narrative and tailored messages to engage key decision-makers.This foundational work was used to inform AAW’s sales and marketing materials, investor relations and ongoing strategic business development. Recently, the company was selected by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) to launch the nation’s first-ever digital media apprenticeship program.