Every year, thousands of mothers put their jobs and careers on pause to have children or look after their family, often for an extended period of time. Every year, there’s also thousands of mothers who return to the workforce, arguably with more to offer than when they left.

As more companies start returnship programs, we look at how mothers can benefit from updating their skills, how to talk about their career breaks, and why mothers can have an advantage over other candidates for engineering positions.

In today's competitive job market, companies are constantly looking for new ways to find and develop tech talent. Many turn to internships as a way to identify promising candidates, providing them with work experience for a short period then hopefully recruiting them after they finish their degree.

While internships can be an effective tool for technical talent recruitment, relying solely on them limits a company's talent pool, is concerning from a diversity and equity point of view, maintains high recruitment costs, and puts a company at greater risk for high turnover. This is particularly true for companies that only offer internships.

On the other hand, software or tech apprenticeships offer a more comprehensive approach to talent development and can help companies find and develop talent from a broader range of backgrounds.

Many people in engineering leadership or HR haven't been exposed to key data points about technical talent training to truly understand the implications of only running internships. Below, we share key insights related to internships and highlight some of the benefits of implementing apprenticeship programs to improve a company's talent pool, ROI, and turnover.

In today's digital age, businesses are increasingly relying on cloud computing to power their operations and gain a competitive edge. As a result, the demand for cloud talent, especially in the area of DevOps, has skyrocketed in recent years. DevOps (short for Development Operations) is the practice of combining software development and IT operations to automate and streamline the delivery of applications and services, that are largely built in the cloud today, using cloud infrastructure. It requires a unique set of skills and experience that are in short supply, making it challenging for organizations to find and retain qualified professionals.

In this article, we'll explore the growing demand for DevOps talent and the challenges organizations face when trying to hire for these critical roles. We'll discuss the current state of the job market and the factors driving the need for DevOps professionals. We'll also examine the difficulties that companies encounter when trying to attract and retain top talent and the impact it can have on their bottom line. Finally, we'll share some tips and strategies that can help organizations overcome these challenges and build a strong DevOps team. Whether you're an IT leader, a hiring manager, or a DevOps professional, this article will provide valuable insights into the state of the industry and what you can do to succeed in this highly competitive field.

Software engineers play a critical role in the technology-driven world we live in today. They design, develop, and maintain the software systems that power our businesses, industries, and daily lives.

If you're interested in becoming a software engineer, you might be wondering what it takes to get started in this exciting and rewarding field. In this article, we'll explore the 7 key requirements to become a software engineer, including education and training, technical skills, and soft skills. We'll also discuss different career paths available to software engineers and provide resources for further learning and career development. So, let's dive in!

Two Qwasar students, Connor Cable and Thanh Ngo built a Discord bot to help facilitate student support within the Qwasar community. This independent project is already having positive impacts on the learning community. It’s an excellent example of the independent work Qwasar students engage in during their curriculum, and a testament to the creativity and initiative of Connor and Thanh.

Read on to learn about Squire and how the project came about.

Becoming a full-stack developer can be an exciting and fulfilling career choice for those who are interested in technology and programming. Fullstack development involves the creation of complete web applications, including both the client-side user interface and the server-side backend. As a full-stack developer, you must be proficient in several different technologies, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, server-side programming languages, databases, and more.

If you're interested in becoming a full-stack developer but have no prior experience, you might be wondering where to start. In this article, we'll walk you through the steps to become a full-stack developer, even if you have no previous experience in programming. We'll cover the basics of full-stack development, the skills to acquire, and the tools and resources available to help you on your journey.

The demand for full-stack developers is growing rapidly, as more and more companies require full-stack developers to create complex web applications. With the right training, practice, and resources, you can become a full-stack developer and enjoy a rewarding and challenging career in the tech industry. Whether you're just starting out in your career or looking to make a career change, this article will provide you with the knowledge and resources you need to become a successful full-stack developer.

Advanced Engineering Apprenticeships are apprenticeship programs in subject areas that require advanced technical training as opposed to other tech apprenticeships that focus on subject areas that are less technically difficult.

There is a significant difference in the level of technical skill between an “advanced” apprenticeship and a “normal” apprenticeship in industry today.

Examples of advanced engineering apprenticeships include:

• Embedded software engineering
• Backend software engineering (C/C++, Rust, Go, etc.)
• DevOps engineering
• AI/machine learning, including CUDA and similar performance engineering

The field of software engineering has been rapidly growing in recent years, and the demand for software developers continues to rise. Entry-level software development jobs are in high demand because companies need new talent to fill these positions and contribute to developing new software applications. With the increasing use of technology in almost every aspect of daily life, software developers are needed to create and maintain software for a wide range of industries, including healthcare, finance, transportation, and more. If you're interested in pursuing an entry-level software development job, there are several main steps you can take to increase your chances of success.

A lack of demand is not fluid across industries. While the recent news of large tech companies making cuts hangs in the air, many industries including insurance, aerospace, banking, green, retail, government, etc. are ramping up their hiring and even struggling to find talent to fill their positions. A few popular companies in the news headlines do not represent the majority. 

We sat down with one of our students, Luke D., to share more about his journey into the tech industry. We want to give you an idea of the depth and breadth of who is in our learning community.This interview is part of ongoing learner interviews with Qwasar students.