"What we do sounded like a very radical idea coming into the crisis and now hopefully it's becoming mainstream," said Catalyte CEO Jacob Hsu.
That crazy idea he is referring to: hiring people for jobs in software engineering and technology without a college degree.
"So, if you ask a typical recruiter, what's the profile of an engineer? 'Well... the best engineers are people who went to Stanford or MIT and got a computer science degree.' And the reality is, it's not really true," Hsu said.
His company, Catalyte, has recently opened up a new training center for software engineers here in the Valley. They claim it is all possible to make the career change through artificial intelligence and a testing system they've created which can identify incredible talent. For you, it could mean a pivot into a higher-paying career.
Start the application process and take the test here.
"I'm not going to give away sort of the secret to this, but I'll say that... it's not really a test, in the sense that your answers are not as predictive as you think," said Hsu. "And for us, we're much more interested in how you're taking this test than... do you know the answer to a math question?"
If the test shows you may be a good fit, you will be able to start training. The training takes about five to six months and is free.
Hsu says you will receive a stipend halfway through the program.
"The only obligation is that you agree that you will work for us for two years after you complete training," Hsu explained. "So as long as you complete training, you're guaranteed a job on the back end of the training cycle."
Hsu said they are working now to get more and more employers on board with their idea of what makes a software engineer and how their training is producing people ready for those jobs.
"We've already been engaging with some of the biggest companies on the planet to actually start to experiment and prove this theory out within their organizations," Hsu explained. "Now, I think given the COVID crisis - it's accelerated all of that."
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