Post on 01-Nov-2014
description
Apprenticeships on Open Source
Dave Hoover, ObtivaBrian Tatnall, Stark
InvestmentsBoth in Chicago
Disclaimer!
Disclaimer!
This talk is based on our experiences
Disclaimer!
This talk is based on our experiences
We'd love to hear about yours!
What's Your Problem?
What's Your Problem?
You need talented, experienced people
What's Your Problem?
You need talented, experienced people
But you can't find enough of them
What's Your Problem?
What's Your Problem?
You need experience to get a job
What's Your Problem?
You need experience to get a job
But that's a Catch-22
What's Our Problem?
What's Our Problem?
We have a dissconnect between demand for quality people and our ability to find these people
What's Our Problem?
We have a dissconnect between our desire to become top-notch
developers and our ability to reach that level
Abundance and Shortage
We can take the time needed to nurture apprentice developers because we are faced with the problem of abundance, rather than scarcity. We do not need hordes of software engineers, as software craftsmanship focuses on using small teams of good developers. Today we have more developers than needed, but we have a shortage of good developers. That is, we are in a Catch-22 situation: We don't have enough good developers, so we must find lots of warm bodies we can train. Because we need to train so many people, however, we cannot afford to train them properly.
Pete McBreen, Software Craftsmanship, Chapter 12
Root of the Problem
Root of the Problem
Root of the Problem
Instant Gratification
Root of the Problem
We want to hire a known quantity
Root of the Problem
We want to hire a known quantity
Rather than develop one
Root of the Problem
Root of the Problem
We want to make as much money much as we can right now
Root of the Problem
We want to make as much money much as we can right now
Rather than set ourselves up for the long-term
A Related Problem
A Related Problem
I just spent 4 years paying to learn
computer science
A Related Problem
I just spent 4 years paying to learn
computer science
Now it's time to get paid
A Related Problem
I just spent 4 years paying to learn
computer science
A Related Problem
I just spent 4 years paying to learncomputer science
Don't ask me to spend my free time learning another language
An Interesting Problem
An Interesting Problem
I'm a philosophy major turned programmer
An Interesting Problem
I'm a philosophy major turned programmer
I assume I will be learning languages on my own time
Wha?
Wha?
How does a philospher become a programmer?
Hmm...
Open Source FTW!Free Software
Open Source FTW!Free Software
Open Source FTW!Free Software
+Books
Open Source FTW!Free Software
+Books
+Online Communities
Open Source FTW!Free Software
+Books
+Online Communities
+User Groups
==
Novice-level knowledge is cheap to acquire
Open Source FTW!
Novice-level knowledge is cheap to acquire
But what does that get us?
Open Source FTW!
Opportunity
Hire an established craftsman
Opportunity
Hire an established craftsman
Then hire for potential over credential
Opportunity
A key task for all master software craftsmen is taking apprentices and journeymen under their wing and providing an environment in which they can practice their craft.
Pete McBreen, Software Craftsmanship, Chapter 11
Opportunity
Don't Feed the Glut
You could hire 4 mid-level developers
Don't Feed the Glut
You could hire 4 mid-level developers
And send them each to a 4 day training
Don't Feed the Glut
||
You could hire 1 craftsman
Solve the Shortage
You could hire 1 craftsman(who makes more than you, but makes you look like a superstar)
Solve the Shortage
You could hire 1 craftsman(who makes more than you, but makes you look like a superstar)
and 2 apprentices
Solve the Shortage
You could hire 1 craftsman(who makes more than you, but makes you look like a superstar)
and 2 apprentices
And watch the apprentices quickly surpass your old mid-level
developers
Solve the Shortage
Double-click to add text
Stories
Dave, a psychologist
Stories
Dave, a psychologistBrian, a theologist
Stories
Dave, a psychologistBrian, a theologist
Kevin, an economist
Stories
Dave, a psychologistBrian, a theologist
Kevin, an economistFred, a philosopher
Stories
Dave, a psychologistBrian, a theologist
Kevin, an economistFred, a philosopher
Jake, a physics teacher
Stories
Expand potential vs. credential?Specifics about how open source culture faciliatates apprenticeships
prerequisites to establish apprenticeship model:•people who want to grow and reach the next level•people who want to mentor•a culture of learning (as opposed a culture of competency)•technology flexilibility (use the best tools, cuz the apprentices will find them and show them to you)
and lots more :-)
dave@obtiva.com
#TODO