¡Hola! Twilio’s Software Engineering Apprenticeship Program Arrives in Madrid

Many Twilions — our name for someone who works at Twilio — come to us with years of experience in software development, project management, sales, and other disciplines. But some of the most magnificent accomplishments here, and many of our best ideas, come from people who haven’t followed a traditional career path and weren’t given the opportunities to nurture their talent elsewhere.

We feel that expanding the candidate pool organically and sustainably will make the industry better in the long term. And, by adding diverse role models to the industry, those who desire a career in tech but don’t know how to go about it, can see a way forward.

A pathway to apprenticeship

Hatch is a software engineering apprenticeship program designed to identify and grow exceptional talent from sources that other technology companies may not be considering. Think of it as a bridge to a potential career in tech for job seekers who might not rise to the top of a typical candidate search. If you’re a self-taught developer, have a non-traditional technical background or education, and are part of a group that’s underrepresented in tech, Hatch may be for you.

For six months, Hatch apprentices work closely with mentors and engineers to fine-tune their skillsets, attend coding bootcamps, get on-the-job experience, and prepare for a possible full-time software engineer role with Twilio.

To date, there have been six Hatch programs, all based in the United States. And they’ve been super successful, helping us keep on track with our commitment to hiring 100 apprentices by 2023. Since the program’s start in 2017, 43 apprenticeships have been offered, and 96% of our apprentices have converted to full-time SWE roles. Over half identify as female and 48% identify with an underrepresented group.

Hatch comes to Spain

We’re launching our first Hatch program abroad this fall, choosing to do so in Madrid, Spain’s capital – and home to a small but vibrant Twilio outpost.

Although Madrid is a growing international engineering hub, most job applicants from Madrid tend to be male and from traditional backgrounds. When the local Twilio team communicated that some candidates have not been able to attend university for various reasons, we knew that Hatch would allow us to remove some barriers and help us diversify the engineering talent in our Madrid office – especially concerning our needs for teams focused on machine learning and platform engineering.

Ivan Gracia, a Twilio Tech Lead and assistant for Hatch Madrid, agrees. He feels that bringing diverse talents together to work on a common goal and apply their different skill sets to achieve more creative solutions helps a company avoid becoming stagnant. “I want to be challenged by people who think differently,” he says. “And I’m a firm believer in hiring for talent and training for skills, and talent is talent, no matter where it comes from.”

How does Hatch work?

Hatch apprentice applicants participate in an online coding exercise that allows Twilio to identify talent well before even meeting the applicant. Selected candidates are invited to interview. Those who show promise are extended an offer to join the train-to-hire program and hopefully convert to full-time software engineers by the end of the six months.

During this first phase of Hatch Madrid, apprentices learn about Twilio’s technology platform, products, systems, and processes. They work with other apprentices on an internal tool or product offering while also designing and building their own unique Twilio app.

Apprentices will then join a product engineering team delivering customer-facing software features. To accelerate growth, we pair each apprentice with an engineering manager and a technical mentor while also providing formal training to develop technical and interpersonal skills.

“Coaching and mentoring is the art of unleashing the potential of team members, helping them find their limits and how to overcome them,” says Twilio software engineer Joaquin Miguel Garcia Sastre. “Hatch is a great opportunity to learn from the best — not only about cutting-edge technologies but to learn how to integrate with a productive and innovative software engineering team.”

Partnering with Coding Bootcamps In Madrid

Tech apprenticeships are not a typical career path in Spain, but our commitment to developing and supporting diverse talent and Hatch’s proven ability to impact the talent pipeline just made sense. This became especially apparent once we researched the vast developer and coding community found in Madrid. We identified and built relationships with four tech-focused bootcamps that will help us conduct skill-building sessions, provide mentorship for ongoing engagement, and lay the foundations for a top-shelf talent pipeline.

The bootcamps we’re working with for Hatch Madrid are:

• 4 Geeks Academy is recognized as one of the top 35 bootcamps in the world. This coding bootcamp is just a 5-minute ride from the Twilio Spain office.
• Adalab specializes in digital training for women and is dedicated to women having a more significant presence in the technology sector. This makes it a stand-out partner for the Hatch Madrid launch.
• CodeOp is an international tech school for women, transgender, and gender non-conforming students looking to upskill or transition into tech.
• LeWagon is a well-regarded global coding bootcamp with an outpost located in Madrid’s business-focused Retiro district.

Apply to Hatch Madrid today

We created the Hatch software engineering apprenticeship for underrepresented developers eager for a chance to prove their skills. But success in IT is not only about IT skills. We are also looking for passion!

Leandro Fernández, an Engineering Manager at Twilio Madrid, summed it up nicely, “The Hatch program will help us to reach passionate people with great potential that normally do not have access to the traditional IT job market.”

If you’re based in Madrid – and looking for a pathway to a tech career – don’t miss this opportunity. Hatch Madrid starts in September, but applications are accepted only until July 1, so don’t delay. Here’s what you need to do:

• Apply online.
• We’ll be in touch if you’ve been selected for the next steps, during which we’ll want to hear more about why you’re interested in a career in software engineering and the Hatch apprenticeship in particular. You should start thinking about how previous jobs or activities make you a good candidate and review our Twilio Magic values.
• We’ll also do a technical assessment via HackerRank. For tips, watch the on-demand webinar replay of Twilio Unplugged: Coding Challenges.
• Final decisions will be shared no later than July 15, 2021.
• Hatch Madrid begins on September 13, 2021. Once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, apprentices will work out of our office at Paseo de la Castellana, 77 in Madrid.

Have questions? Email hatch@twilio.com.