Tech giant SAS’s continued partnership with Code the Dream has yielded jobs for another cohort of software engineers. Ten Code the Dream associate developers began the next phase of their tech careers at SAS in January, via CTD’s Tandem Apprenticeship program.
“Partnering with SAS has been a great fit,” said Daisy Magnus-Aryitey, Code the Dream’s Co-Executive Director. “They’ve seen the benefits in bringing in skilled apprentices from Code the Dream who are ready to start working.”
About the Tandem Apprenticeship
Code the Dream’s associate developers come from our free code school. Top students earn a spot at CTD Labs, where they work alongside senior software developers to build tech-for-good tools for CTD clients across the country. Some associate developers also have the opportunity to work for companies partnering with CTD through the organization’s Tandem Apprenticeship program. The program provides companies with skilled associate developers launching careers while Code the Dream shares the administrative and mentorship load. At the end of the Tandem Apprenticeship term, companies partnering with CTD have had a chance to assess them and offer them a full-time position. In addition to SAS, other participating companies have included Lenovo and Cisco.
Magnus-Aryitey said that SAS’s decision to hire the latest group of CTD developers is a testament to the value of the Tandem Apprenticeship program.
“Their decision to hire all ten apprentices at the end of this cycle speaks to the quality and hard work of CTD’s associate developers,” she said. “This is the third cohort of apprentices that SAS has worked with, and they’ve hired 29 out of the 30 developers who have participated since the partnership began in 2023. That result demonstrates the excellence of the program and the developers it produces.”
READ MORE ABOUT TANDEM APPRENTICESHIPS HERE
CTD Tandem Apprentices Share Their Experience
Vadim Dmitrochenko was hired by SAS after completing his Tandem Apprenticeship as part of the third cohort of CTD Tandem Apprentices.
“The CTD-SAS Apprenticeship was especially valuable because it operates in a real production environment,” said Dmitrochenko. “I learned how to work within an existing codebase, follow established standards, use modern tools, communicate with teams across the world, and ship incremental improvements. That experience made the transition into my current role much smoother, because I was already comfortable with real-world team workflows and expectations.”
CTD’s associate developer program—a United States Department of Labor-registered apprenticeship—is one of the ways that the organization is prepping students for work in a tech marketplace facing an increasing shortage of entry-level positions. To date, Code the Dream has supported nearly 140 apprentices through the first years of their careers. Over 90% of those apprentices have gone on to become software developers and earn at least $80,000 per year.
“This job has changed my life in quiet, meaningful ways,” said Anuja Bujurge, one of the recent SAS hires. “It’s brought stability to my family, pride to my kids when they ask what I’m working on, and a daily reminder that growth is possible at any stage. Being at SAS has given me space to keep learning, the trust to take ownership, and a community that believes in my potential. I carry a lot of gratitude—for CTD, for the apprenticeship, and for the chance to keep building a career that feels true to me.”
Dimitrochenko said that working in CTD Labs as an associate developer complemented his experience as a CTD student, preparing him to make the most of the Tandem Apprenticeship.
“Code the Dream gave me much more than technical knowledge,” he said. “It taught me how to think like an engineer, how to break down complex problems, write clean and maintainable code, and collaborate effectively in a strong team environment. Working on real projects, collaborating closely with the team, discussing ideas, implementing improvements, and receiving consistent feedback helped me build both confidence and professional discipline.”
READ MORE
- Breaking Down Barriers in Tech with Code the Dream | SAS Blog
- An apprenticeship program combined with intensive mentorship is developing underrepresented tech talent | WorkingNation
- Tandem Apprenticeship Provides Path to Tech Job
- CTD’s Tandem Apprenticeship Model highlighted in webinar with partners Cisco and SAS
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