Apprenticeships on Open Source Dave Hoover, Obtiva Brian Tatnall, Stark Investments Both in Chicago

Disclaimer!

Disclaimer! This talk is based on our experiences

This talk is based on our experiences

Disclaimer! This talk is based on our experiences We'd love to hear about yours!

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

You need talented, experienced people

What's Your Problem? You need talented, experienced people But you can't find enough of them

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

You need experience to get a job

What's Your Problem? You need experience to get a job But that's a Catch-22

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

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

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

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

Instant Gratification

Root of the Problem We want to hire a known quantity

We want to hire a known quantity

Root of the Problem We want to hire a known quantity Rather than develop one

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

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

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

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

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

I just spent 4 years paying to learn

computer science

A Related Problem I just spent 4 years paying to learn computer science Don't ask me to spend my free time learning another language

I just spent 4 years paying to learn

computer 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

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

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?

How does a philospher become a programmer?

Hmm...

Open Source FTW! Free Software

Free Software

Open Source FTW! Free Software + Google

Free Software

+

Google

Open Source FTW! Free Software + Google + Books

Free Software

+

Google

+

Books

Open Source FTW! Free Software + Google + Books + Online Communities

Free Software

+

Google

+

Books

+

Online Communities

Open Source FTW! Free Software + Google + Books + Online Communities + User Groups

Free Software

+

Google

+

Books

+

Online Communities

+

User Groups

==

==

Novice-level knowledge is cheap to acquire Open Source FTW!

Novice-level knowledge is cheap to acquire

Novice-level knowledge is cheap to acquire But what does that get us? Open Source FTW!

Novice-level knowledge is cheap to acquire

But what does that get us?

Opportunity

Hire an established craftsman Opportunity

Hire an established craftsman

Hire an established craftsman Then hire for potential over credential Opportunity

Hire an established craftsman

Then hire for potential over credential

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

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

Don't Feed the Glut

You could hire 4 mid-level developers Don't Feed the Glut

You could hire 4 mid-level developers

You could hire 4 mid-level developers And send them each to a 4 day training Don't Feed the Glut

You could hire 4 mid-level developers

And send them each to a 4 day training

||

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You could hire 1 craftsman Solve the Shortage

You could hire 1 craftsman

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)

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

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

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

Double-click to add text Stories

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Dave, a psychologist Stories

Dave, a psychologist

Dave, a psychologist Brian, a theologist Stories

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Brian, a theologist

Dave, a psychologist Brian, a theologist Kevin, an economist Stories

Dave, a psychologist

Brian, a theologist

Kevin, an economist

Dave, a psychologist Brian, a theologist Kevin, an economist Fred, a philosopher Stories

Dave, a psychologist

Brian, a theologist

Kevin, an economist

Fred, a philosopher

Dave, a psychologist Brian, a theologist Kevin, an economist Fred, a philosopher Jake, a physics teacher Stories

Dave, a psychologist

Brian, a theologist

Kevin, an economist

Fred, a philosopher

Jake, a physics teacher

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 :-) [email_address] #TODO

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 :-)

[email_address]