Transcription
What if I told you there are seven major companies right now that will pay you a full salary, benefits included, while they train you and certify you in a tech career? No degree required, no experience required in most cases, just your application. And what if I told you that most people chasing free certifications online have no idea these programs exist, and that the application windows on some of them close in less than 24 hours after they open.
I'm going to show you seven employer-sponsored programs that pay you to get certified, what each one pays, what tracks they offer, and exactly how to apply. These are not side projects, these are full-time paid positions with benefits from companies you have heard of. So, stay with me for the entire list. Number four on here is the one that most people never find. Now, let's get into it.
Here is the market reality that makes this possible. Studies have found that the vast majority of employers say they prioritize skills over degrees, but the way they actually hire barely reflects it. There is a massive gap between what employers claim and what they execute. The companies on this list are the ones actually closing that gap. They built programs because they cannot find enough qualified people through the traditional hiring route. And the result is one of the most underreported opportunities in the current job market.
Now, quick note before we start. Pay figures come from Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, and direct company disclosures. These are ranges and not guarantees. Program availability varies by cohort and region. Verify current status at links that I give you, and you must verify them. These windows open and close. What's open today may not be open in 30 days.
Program one, IBM New Collar Apprenticeship. And this is where I start because IBM has been running this longer than almost anyone. IBM offers over 30 apprenticeship tracks, cybersecurity, software development, data science, and cloud engineering, UX design, and more. The program is full-time. It is salaried with benefits, and the average pay is around $52,000 a year based on ZipRecruiter data. You earn an industry-recognized credential and a Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship Certificate. No four-year degree required. IBM built these explicitly for workers with skills but no traditional credentials.
Here's the one thing you need to know about applying. Some IBM application windows are open for as little as 24 hours. That is not a typo. IBM post certain cohorts and closes them fast. If you are serious about this, you go to ibm.com/careers, search for apprenticeship, and you check on it regular every single day. Missing the window by a day means waiting for the next cohort. I give this one a nine out of 10. The pay, the credibility, and a track variety are all there. The short application window is the one catch, and you need to take it seriously.
Program two, Accenture. One of the largest professional services firms in the world. Accenture has scaled their apprenticeship program across dozens of US cities, thousands of apprentices trained. Tracks include app development, cybersecurity, cloud engineering, business architecture, project management, and data analytics. The program runs 6 to 12 months and is full pay with benefits from day one. At the end, Accenture makes full-time offers. Apprenticeships make up a significant share of Accenture's entry-level US hires. That is not a pilot. That is actually a good strategy. Some cybersecurity track completers report offers around $115,000 a year, according to Glassdoor disclosures. The requirements, you have to be 18 and older, a high school diploma, and have a work authorization to work in the United States. That is the bar. I give this one a 9 and 1/2 out of 10 because of the scale, the pay, and pathway to a career level offer make this one one of the strongest programs on this list.
Program three, LinkedIn Reach. And this one is the hidden gem. LinkedIn runs an internal apprenticeship program for their own engineering and data teams. The tracks are AI and machine learning engineering, back-end engineering, cybersecurity, and data science. The pay runs roughly $47,000 to $68,000 a year with full-time employee benefits, health, 401k, and a portion of your paid time is dedicated to your own development. That is paid learning time built into your compensation package. Here's what makes Reach different. They do not review your resume first. They are evaluated on essays and take-home technical projects. Your career history is not what gets you in. Your thinking and your work do. The catch though, this program runs a small number of spots per cycle. That is intentionally small, which means competition is very high. But if you are someone who has the skills and not the pedigree, this is the program built for you. I give this one a 10 out of 10 for people who have been hiring. The evaluation model alone makes this one worth applying.
Now, quick pause. Of the first three, IBM, Accenture, or LinkedIn Reach, which one fits your situation right now? Drop it in the comments. I read every single one, and it helps me understand where you actually are. And while you're down there, three out of four people watching this channel are not subscribed. If this is useful, make sure you hit the subscribe button. I put out free breakdowns like this every single week.
All right, let's get back to the list. Program four, Aon. And this is the one almost nobody knows about. Aon is one of the largest professional services firms in risk management and insurance. And their apprenticeship programs runs 2 years. You get a full salary from day one, around $46,000 to start, with raises every 6 months, plus paid health insurance. And you earn a full associate degree. Tuition, books, and fees all covered by Aon, while you work. Let that sit for a second. You finish this program with zero debt, a degree, and 2 years of professional experience at a major company. The degree requirement that kept you out of certain jobs is gone before you even finish. Tracks are in business, insurance, technology, and data analytics. The requirements, just a high school diploma. That is it. And here's the timing that you need. Applications open in January. The actual positions get posted in March, and the cohorts begins in August. So, if you are watching this, search Aon apprenticeship 2026. Get on the interest list now, and watch for the March posting. Miss March, and you are waiting a full year. I give this one a 10 out of 10. No other program on this list eliminates the debt and the degree barrier simultaneously while paying you to be there.
Program five, Boeing Technical Apprenticeship Program. And this one is for the career changers who have looked at cybersecurity and wondered if they are too late. This is the one for you. Boeing's BTAP puts apprentices into active cybersecurity tracks, incident response, and threat hunting, cloud security architecture, and classified information system security. They pay starting around $45,000 with step increases climbing above $60,000. Department of Labor registered credential upon completion. Higher education credits that count towards future degrees. No degree required. Boeing selects based on aptitude and documented interest. If you have been self-studying cybersecurity, have done any labs, have a CompTIA cert, or can demonstrate that you have been building toward this, you are a candidate. Apply at jobs.boeing.com and search cybersecurity apprenticeship. I give this one a nine out of 10. Starting pay is lower than some others, but the clearance track credentialing that comes out of classified systems work has no ceiling. Defense sector cybersecurity professionals max out well above $100,000 with experience.
Program six, Microsoft LEAP. 16 weeks, four weeks virtual classroom, 12 weeks embedded on actual Microsoft product teams. Azure, Xbox, Bing, and Office 365. The tracks, cloud engineering, data analytics, UX design, software engineering, product management. Full-time paid. Microsoft reports that the large majority of LEAP graduates move into tech roles after completing the program. Microsoft LEAP is designed for people with non-traditional backgrounds who have a base technical foundation, not a degree, not a formal credential, but demonstrable foundational knowledge. If you have been doing Microsoft Learn courses and can show that work, you are in the target profile. I give this one a 9 out of 10 for career trajectory. 12 weeks inside of a real Microsoft product team is a resume event that opens doors well beyond Microsoft itself.
Program seven, Google. Full-time, 40 hours a week, 12 to 24 months depending on the track. Tracks include data analytics, IT support, UX design, software development, and project management. Competitive stipend from day one. Department of Labor recognized national credential upon completion. Requirements, high school diploma or GED and less than one year of relevant experience. Google built these for people entering the industry, not people already in it. Apply at google.com/about/careers/buildyourfuture/apprenticeships. I give this one a 9 out of 10. The Google name on your resume is a door opener everywhere else, not just inside Google.
Now, here's how to think about this. These programs are not mutually exclusive with free certifications. The strongest approach is build your free credential foundation while you apply. Trailhead, IBM SkillsBuild, Google Career Certificates, whatever matches your track. Then apply to every program on this list that fits your geography and timeline. Most people apply to one. The ones who get in apply to all of them.
Application timing matters. IBM, check frequently, windows move fast. Accenture, rolling applications through the year. LinkedIn reach, watch their career page for your next cycle. Aon, apps open in January and Rose post March cohorts begins in August. The March posting is your moment. Boeing, check jobs.boeing.com regularly. Microsoft leap, check microsoft.com/leap. Google, check google.com/careers and search apprenticeship.
If you want the direct application links, the timeline tracker for when each program opens and the resume framework built for the skills-based applications, that is inside the Heights on Patreon. Over 200 members are already using it. Link is in the description and to be clear, this does not guarantee you get in. These programs are competitive. It is a resource and not a promise.
Seven programs, seven companies, full pay, full benefits, no degree required. The coordinated economy is shrinking. The builder economy is who these programs are building. The question is whether you are still on the sideline when the next cohort opens. Hit subscribe if this helped you. And if you want daily intelligence on what is moving the job market this week, The Way Report goes live every weekday at 7:25 a.m. Central. Link is in the description. This is Antoine Wade. Keep climbing and we'll see you in the next video.