IBM launches apprenticeship program at Baton Rouge center

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IBM launches apprenticeship program at Baton Rouge center

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BATON ROUGE, La. - IBM launched its apprenticeship program at its Baton Rouge center on Tuesday as the company works to meet its job quote before its June deadline in order to receive funding from the state.

An IBM spokesperson said the technology company hired its first cohort of 50 technology apprentices in Louisiana. The apprentices receive on-the-job training to help them qualify for some of the more than half a million technology jobs across the U.S.

Thirty of the apprentices were hired for the Baton Rouge center and 20 were hired to work at the an application development center in Monroe.

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The program is an example of a company trying to close the job gap in information technology.

The Labor Bureau of Statistics Employment states computer and information technology jobs are projected to grow 13 percent from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all occupations. These occupations are projected to add about 557,100 new jobs, according to the department.

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IBM has thousands of jobs at any given time, and a number of those are new-collar positions at IBM’s technology centers in Baton Rouge and Monroe. We’re looking for skilled, talented workers, and this apprenticeship program offers a way to build those skills on the job while earning a paycheck.

The apprenticeships in Baton Rouge will expand new-collar opportunities to military veterans, high school graduates and other mid-career adults. Nationally, IBM has hired more than 200 apprentices since the program debuted, and we plan to add 450 apprenticeships per year over the next five years. In Baton Rouge and Monroe, we are starting with 50 apprenticeships and expect that number to grow.

The payoff for participants is substantial. IBM’s apprentices earn while they learn and are eligible to receive benefits, including matching 401(k) contributions, during the program. Nationwide, 91 percent of apprentices find employment after completing their program, with higher than average annual starting salaries.

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