Industry: Technology / Software
Challenge: Skills shortage in junior development roles, risk of onboarding at scale, and talent acquisition in competitive locations
Solution: Pilot programme with trial deployments, all-woman diversity initiative (ASPIRE program), and customised AWS/Java training curriculum
Results: 89% FTE conversion rate from 2022 cohort of 20 deployments, 40 total alumni placed across Chicago, Tampa, and Plano, and scaling to two 20-person cohorts per year with ongoing AWS and React skills development.
> The background
A technology company sought to significantly expand their junior developer workforce while implementing a risk-mitigation strategy for full-time hiring. The organisation needed to balance rapid scaling with cost-effectiveness and wanted to establish a sustainable pipeline that could operate across multiple competitive locations.
The client recognised the value of implementing a structured approach that would allow them to evaluate programme effectiveness before making larger commitments, while also advancing their diversity and inclusion goals.
> The challenges
1. Skills shortage
The client wanted to increase the number of Junior Developers with the right mindset and relevant background. Traditional recruitment approaches were not delivering candidates with the appropriate combination of technical skills and cultural fit needed for their development teams.
2. Risk of onboarding at scale
The client wanted to scale in a cost-effective way and mitigate the risk of bringing new recruits on as Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) immediately. They needed a proven model that could validate candidate performance before making permanent hiring commitments.
3. Tough locations
Finding and retaining junior talent in competitive locations like Plano, TX and Tampa, FL presented ongoing challenges. These markets required strategic approaches to attract and retain quality junior developers in highly competitive talent environments.
> The solution
We implemented a trial run with 20 deployments onsite across three locations in January 2022 to see how our programme would align with the client's team strategy. This pilot approach allowed for careful evaluation and refinement before scaling the programme.
Key programme elements
Talent Sourcing & Diversity Initiative
Given the success from the pilot programme and the drive to increase the presence of diverse thought, we offered candidates a chance to partake in a new diversity initiative with the ASPIRE programme: an all-woman cohort for Jr Developers to start on site in 2023. 20 talented female graduates signed on, demonstrating strong market appeal for diversity-focused programmes.
Tailored Training Programme
AWS is a technology the client has started working with and will eventually move into entirely. The client's engineering team sat down with our in-house academy to customise the full-stack Java curriculum by incorporating an AWS Cloud and AWS Practitioner Certification. Most early talent have little to no exposure with AWS and this helps mthree Alumni get up to speed with confidence in the cloud environment.
Future Partnership Expansion
The team is working on increasing their ability to run two 20-person cohorts per year. This scaling demonstrates the programme's success and the client's confidence in expanding the partnership to meet growing demand.
0%
conversion to FTE in 2022
Exceptional Conversion Success
20 deployments in 2022 had 89% conversion rate to FTE. The 2023 cohort of 20 are in training, indicating sustained programme momentum and strong client satisfaction with graduate quality and performance.
Multi-Location Deployment Achievement
Client has Alumni placed in Chicago (6), Tampa (6) and Plano (9), successfully addressing the challenge of talent acquisition and retention across competitive locations while maintaining consistent programme quality.
Continuous Skills Development
Additional training for Alumni after starting on site include AWS and React skills, ensuring ongoing professional development and alignment with evolving technology requirements. This approach supports both retention and career progression.
Sustainable Growth Framework
The programme has evolved from a 20-person pilot to a scalable model capable of supporting two 20-person cohorts per year, demonstrating successful risk mitigation and operational effectiveness.
Diversity Leadership
The successful implementation of the ASPIRE programme with 20 talented female graduates showcases the organisation's commitment to diversity while maintaining high technical standards and conversion rates.
> The Conclusion
This case study demonstrates how a carefully structured pilot approach can effectively scale junior developer recruitment while minimising hiring risk. The 89% FTE conversion rate from the initial cohort validates the programme's effectiveness in identifying and developing high-quality talent.
The success of the ASPIRE all-woman cohort shows that diversity initiatives can deliver exceptional results when properly designed and executed. Combined with specialised AWS training and ongoing skills development, the programme addresses both immediate staffing needs and long-term technology evolution requirements.
The scaling from a single pilot cohort to two annual cohorts of 20 participants each demonstrates the programme's sustainability and the client's confidence in its continued value delivery.
