IBM Apprenticeship Program
Updated November 20, 2023
- What Is the IBM Apprenticeship?
- IBM New Collar Apprenticeship
- How Long Is the IBM Apprenticeship?
- What Are the Benefits of an IBM Apprenticeship Program?
- IBM Apprenticeship and Internship Programs
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- How to Apply to an IBM Apprenticeship Program
- Tips for the IBM Apprenticeship Application Process
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Final Thoughts
IBM apprenticeships are about realizing opportunities for a wider workforce and increasing accessibility to technology careers in an industry-leading company.
With a view to narrowing the skills gap in IT, IBM apprenticeship programs open pathways for candidates who may not have degrees. This guide will explain what an IBM apprenticeship is, as well as provide practical advice to help you succeed.
Hosted by the International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), IBM apprenticeships work to open up career avenues within the technology industries that may not have previously been available to wider parts of the workforce.
An IBM apprenticeship will provide training and education for prospective candidates to grow and broaden their skill sets in chosen career paths while still receiving a salary.
In this guide, we will explore what the apprenticeship entails and how you can apply.
What Is the IBM Apprenticeship?
An IBM apprenticeship is a program for people without college degrees to learn new skills while they earn. The apprenticeship is designed to provide an entry point into IBM for a wider range of people and to diversify the IBM workforce.
As a multinational technology company, IBM has a wide range of apprenticeships available. IBM is preparing workers to land full-time jobs in these areas with one of the biggest tech companies in the US.
Alongside skills training and accessibility, an IBM apprenticeship offers the opportunity to learn about the company culture firsthand from IBM veterans, allowing fresh candidates to quickly pick up skills to operate in the new work environments.
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IBM New Collar Apprenticeship
Programs that focus on skills-based candidates are called new collar. These apprenticeships offered by IBM look for people to take on junior roles within the company. These tend to be candidates who are looking to work in a specific career.
An IBM degree apprenticeship is a program developed to grow skills that are essential for future roles within IBM itself, or broader tech companies. As well as traditional apprenticeships, IBM offers tech re-entry programs to provide paths for employees to return to full-time employment after taking career breaks.
For those looking for career pathways without advanced degrees, IBM offers a diverse range of programs. To help close the opportunity gap between graduates and those without a degree, IBM is investing $250,000 into new collar programs by 2025.
How Long Is the IBM Apprenticeship?
Depending on the position, an IBM apprenticeship can last between 12 months and three years. An IBM new collar apprenticeship can cover a wide range of positions alongside a wide range of contract types and lengths.
The good thing about these schemes is that many of these IBM degree apprenticeships can offer positions to stay at IBM, or enable candidates to pursue opportunities with other companies when they end.
What Are the Benefits of an IBM Apprenticeship Program?
There are many benefits to enrolling in the IBM apprenticeship program.
First and foremost, IBM apprenticeships provide opportunities for candidates to take the initiative to broaden their skill sets without having to achieve education at the degree level.
The ‘earn as you learn’ nature of these programs provides specific skills to advance careers in tech, while candidates are paid at the same time.
The number of jobs is broad and varied, and so are the available salaries. These are often listed on the apprenticeship advertisement alongside the contract length and the location.
As one of the biggest companies in the US, and a leader in IT and tech services, IBM can open up exciting opportunities. The company has connections to many other companies, allowing for career progression pathways to open up in many areas.
IBM Apprenticeship and Internship Programs
IBM currently offers many different programs and apprenticeships. Below is a small roundup of what to expect when looking for IBM careers.
Security and Threat Management Apprenticeships
Taking on an IBM cybersecurity apprenticeship will have you working towards designing solutions for IBM Threat Management System Software alongside building relationships with IBM clients and collaborating with people across various IBM business and sales teams.
These are big roles that will provide challenges for candidates in career pathways.
In this apprenticeship, you will be working with experienced cybersecurity teams who will help you broaden your already deep understanding of cybersecurity systems and technologies.
The social aspect of the IBM cybersecurity apprenticeship will be just as important, and you’ll be developing relationships with business executives with a focus on consultancy and sales.
Technical Support Apprenticeships
Technical support apprenticeships at IBM will see you working around handling incoming support calls from external customers and internal employees.
You will be tasked with testing, planning, monitoring and troubleshooting various IBM systems software to aid with your clients’ technical requirements.
Alongside support tickets, you may be involved in the design of new products, devices and services offered by IBM. In improving technology, you will likely work with veteran teams in the company to improve or configure existing systems, or to create entirely new ones.
IBM colleagues are always working with clients and contractors, and this role is no different. With technical support apprenticeships you will be expected to liaise with these vendors.
IBM Data Science Apprenticeship
Data scientists at IBM work towards transforming client data into valuable information. This transformation is a complex process that helps to solve problems faced by clients in their respective industries.
IBM data science apprenticeship and internship opportunities will ensure candidates work under large consultancy teams consisting of data scientists, software engineers and IBM partners.
Your role will include designing, inventing, developing and implementing various machine learning techniques to provide solutions to large problems faced by businesses.
Data scientists at IBM will use cloud platform technologies alongside data analysis skills to develop value for industry clients and business developers.
IBM Software Engineer Apprenticeship
During an IBM software engineer apprenticeship, you’ll have the opportunity to work under an elite team of engineering professionals who underpin the technology utilized by IBM.
You will be able to utilize your skills to work on some of the most advanced technologies and systems used by IBM.
This apprenticeship will allow you to work with some of the best engineers in the industry to take you on a deep dive into fundamental programming concepts, utilizing tools for developmental software.
As part of the role, candidates will be expected to design and specify contents for devices, as well as test and develop improvements for new software, alongside various building and unit processing tasks.
Technology Sales – Cloud Apprenticeship
IBM sales apprenticeships will have you leading prospective clients towards the IBM cloud technologies, allowing them to utilize the newest hybrid cloud technologies to develop and manage executive business functions.
You will get the opportunity to work under a collaborative and bright sales team. You will learn from people who are keen to help your career development while you get to spearhead new technologies into your clients’ businesses and IBM itself.
In this apprenticeship you will also be able to directly deal with the teams who are working on designing, developing, managing and expanding these products.
As a key member of the team, you will be working towards a collaborative effort to generate high-quality products and services for IBM.
How to Apply to an IBM Apprenticeship Program
Applying for IBM apprenticeship jobs is a simple process. Simply visit the IBM careers page and filter for 'entry level careers'. From here you can select your preferred country and location and browse the listings.
To summarize, IBM degree apprenticeship opportunities are offered through a wide variety of departments, including:
- Data analytics
- Security
- Software development
- Cloud
- Consulting
When applying for an IBM apprenticeship, you can select your preferred areas of work to curate your ideal career path.
Once you have chosen your apprenticeship area, you must fill out the IBM application and upload your resume to the system.
For the best chance of being accepted, you should ensure that your education and skill levels match the required levels for the specified apprenticeship.
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Tips for the IBM Apprenticeship Application Process
When applying for an IBM apprenticeship program, you must ensure you take your time and do not rush. This is a big step in your career journey, and you should curate the best application possible.
Below are some tips to help you during the application process.
Step 1. Apply Early
Prospective candidates should plan ahead and ensure there is plenty of time for an application to be submitted early.
To the busy recruitment team at IBM, a thoughtful and well written application is much more likely to be taken seriously than a rushed, generic one submitted for lots of positions.
Occasionally, popular apprenticeships only accept applications for 24 hours, so you should ensure you register on the IBM careers website to receive notifications when new apprenticeships go live.
This way, you can submit your application before the window closes.
Step 2. Research
The application is your chance to show IBM why you want to do an apprenticeship with the company.
You should make it clear how you would be a valuable asset to the company.
In your research, look at how the IBM mission and values align with you. Stating how they align in your cover letter can show IBM why you would be the perfect candidate.
Another tip is to make sure to convey your passion for technology in your application. The recruitment team needs to see that careers at IBM interest and excite you.
Step 3. Upsell Your Skills
It is easy to overlook your skills, but you need to highlight them in your application.
Don’t downgrade your experiences – make sure that you convey appropriate skills for the apprenticeship position that you are applying for.
Think about how your education or work experience aligns with the responsibilities that the position requires.
You likely have many skills that will be useful for a career at IBM. For the best chance of a successful application, relate your abilities to the apprenticeship you are applying for.
For example, if you used to tutor math, you could say that you used different problem-solving skills to provide solutions to learning that were tailored to each client’s needs.
A skill like this is highly valuable to IBM and shows that you already have the capability to succeed.
These parts of your application should be cross referenced with the apprenticeship advert itself to ensure you are hitting key areas of the job specification. This is your chance to market your skill set, and to show a willingness to develop.
Step 4. Draft Your Application
Before you send it off, draft the application to check for spelling and grammatical errors, and also to check you have filled the word count.
A strong application will have filled the word count available, which should set you apart from others who did not sell their skills as much.
If you are under the word count, consider whether there is anything else that you may have missed. You may be surprised that you have a lot of experience that you can draw on to make your application stand out.
Step 5. Proofread Your Form
If you can, ask someone you know to proofread your application. Someone else may be able to catch any spelling or grammatical errors that you may have missed.
It sounds trivial, but small details like this can be indicative of skills such as attention to detail and taking pride in your work.
A friend, colleague or family member can also give you some feedback on your form or make suggestions if you are struggling to think of some of your skills.
The IBM apprenticeship program provides access to tech industry jobs to candidates without bachelor's degrees. The apprenticeships are unique opportunities for people without higher education to gain access to jobs that provide training and skills development while at the same time enabling them to earn money.
IBM apprenticeships cover a wide range of subjects. Over five years the program has expanded to over 25 apprenticeship roles including software research, data science, technology sales, technical support, cybersecurity and many more. You can find the full range of available apprenticeships on the IBM website.
The IBM apprenticeship programs are competitive and difficult to get into. Candidates should ensure they do everything that they can to make their application stand out. This includes utilizing online courses, coding bootcamps and training programs.
IBM apprenticeships encompass a wide range of roles, and so will come under a wide range of salaries and locations. Glassdoor reports salaries between $37,000 and $55,000.
Candidates can apply online at the IBM careers page. They will need to complete an online application and then upload a resume. IBM apprenticeships are very competitive, so candidates should ensure that they take their time with an application. Some application windows are only open for 24 hours, so it is a good idea to regularly check the website for opportunities.
Many IBM apprenticeships will offer an employee the opportunity to continue their contract as a full-time employee on completion of their apprenticeship. Other candidates may go on to secure lucrative careers elsewhere, at other large companies in the industry such as Microsoft or Meta.
IBM apprenticeships can lead to very lucrative career paths with either IBM or other large tech companies. As such, the apprenticeships can be quite difficult to get into. Employees will have opportunities to continue careers within IBM itself, or to work elsewhere following their apprenticeship.
IBM has been a launch pad for thousands of careers and represents a valuable opportunity for candidates who fit the categories and want to pursue careers in tech.
IBM apprenticeship programs can last anywhere between 12 months and three years. Due to the large variety of programs available, candidates will have to check the duration on each job advertisement.
There are a large variety of IBM apprenticeships, and each role will have specific requirements due to the nature of the programs themselves. Some positions will need a year's experience in customer service, and some will request experience working with specific systems or in specific industries.
Most roles will require a high school diploma or GED.
Candidates should carefully examine the requirements for each apprenticeship before submitting an application.
IBM is an industry leader in tech, so working with such an established company will bring benefits in terms of networking and experience. Candidates will be working beneath industry veterans, and working with some cutting-edge tech.
A significant benefit of the IBM apprenticeships is that they allow candidates to learn on the job while at the same time receiving a salary.
Final Thoughts
Having removed the requirement for degree-level education for many positions, IBM apprenticeships open the doors to a wider range of candidates. They help thousands of people in the workforce to start on the path of a progressive career in one of the leading companies within the technology industry.
These apprenticeships and internships help to equip candidates with invaluable skills by directly learning from IBM veterans. They serve as an introduction to IBM culture and expand existing skills within IT, all while earning a competitive salary.
With a large variety of teams available to join, IBM offers unique opportunities for candidates to advance their skills and to develop a deeper understanding of technological concepts across an extensive range of categories.
