Interested in a career in tech? Consider applying to Perficient’s Bright Paths Program.
At Perficient, we’re committed to bringing more diverse insights and skillsets into the conversation to drive true innovation forward. Our Bright Paths Program is designed to advance STEM education and career opportunities for underrepresented constituencies and communities while closing the gap in the technology industry. We’re proud to offer this program for individuals to pursue careers in tech who may not otherwise have access. To date, 67 Bright Paths graduates have joined Perficient in the software engineering and development field.
Are you or someone you know interested in a career in tech? We’re currently accepting applications for the next two cohorts in Detroit and Minneapolis launching in June.
To learn a bit more about Bright Paths from an insider’s point of view, we are publishing a three-part blog series inspired by our second Bright Paths Program graduates, now Perficient colleagues. In this first blog of the series, we will learn how some colleagues got involved in the program and why they decided to apply.
Changing Career Paths
Daravy DeRouen
The Bright Paths Program offers more than new opportunities – it brings new beginnings. Lafayette, La., Bright Paths Program graduate, Daravy DeRouen, saw Bright Paths as an opportunity to grow and initiate change in her life. Daravy had a hard fight with COVID-19 and had just gotten out of isolation when she saw an ad for the Bright Paths Program. She stated, “I promised myself if I made it through COVID, I would start a new chapter. Do something that truly inspires me and makes me happy every day. When I saw the ad, I knew this was the perfect opportunity to start that chapter.”
Now an associate technical consultant at Perficient, Daravy is training to become an Appian developer. “Bright Paths provided a great foundation for my first role in the tech industry,” said Daravy. “I now have an endless amount of learning at my fingertips, and I am constantly growing as an individual and a team member.”
Turning Hobbies to Careers
For some, Bright Paths opens a door to an unfamiliar, yet exciting world of new opportunities. For others, Bright Paths is the perfect opportunity to turn a hobby or passion into a lifelong career in technology.
Steven Epstein
“I enjoyed playing with technology, and knew I’d like working with technology,” said Steven Epstein, Detroit Bright Paths Program graduate and associate technical consultant at Perficient. “I liked that continuing education wasn’t just encouraged, it was actively supported by Perficient. Having mentors from Perficient as I worked through the bootcamp and when I started working seemed like a great way to ease into my new position – and it was!”
Bright Paths students attend a 16-week custom coding bootcamp designed to grow their skills, but the learning doesn’t stop when the program ends. Graduates who become Perficient colleagues have several resources available to continue growing their skills and knowledge throughout their careers.
Enhancing Skillsets
People apply to Bright Paths to establish or grow their software talent. Such was the case for one program graduate, now a Perficient associate technical consultant.
“I have previous experience in the industry but wanted to re-enter with additional technical skills,” the student said. “While searching for opportunities to enhance my skillset, I discovered the Bright Paths Program and decided to apply.”
Throughout the custom coding bootcamp, students learn a wide variety of coding programs. This student specifically learned HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Express, and Axios – which they used to build a custom application at the end of the 16 weeks.
Whether you’re interested in pursuing a career change, turning a hobby into a career, or looking to enhance your technical skillsets, Perficient’s Bright Paths Program could be the perfect opportunity for you. If you or someone you know aspires for a career in tech, we’re currently accepting applications for our upcoming Bright Paths Program in Detroit and Minneapolis. The application window closes May 10, and classes begin June 20.
Stay tuned for the next two blogs of this three-part series to learn what advice graduates would give to incoming Bright Paths students, and see what possibilities lie within the program by learning about the custom applications they developed.
At Perficient, we continually look for ways to champion and challenge our talented workforce with interesting projects for high-profile clients, encourage personal and professional growth through training and mentoring, and celebrate our people-oriented culture and the innovative ways they serve Perficient and the community.
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