Accenture teams with Columbus State Community College to bring apprentices to company's innovation hub

Year-long apprenticeship program provides hands-on experience with advanced technologies, preparing students and graduates for digital economy jobs

COLUMBUS, Ohio; Aug. 6, 2018 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has welcomed its first class of apprentices to its innovation hub in Columbus. The company teamed with Columbus State Community College to recruit students and recent graduates to participate in the year-long program, which is designed to give the apprentices hands-on experience with advanced technologies. Upon completing the program, apprentices will have the potential opportunity to secure full-time employment with Accenture.

“Accenture is bringing a very forward-thinking approach to helping our students and recent graduates develop the skills they need to thrive in digital-economy jobs,” said Columbus State President David Harrison. “This program is also a model for deepening the alignment between academic institutions and employers in our communities and furthering the development of our technology workforce in Ohio.”

The first cohort of apprentices – who started with the company this month – will be part of Accenture’s innovation hub team, developing proficiency with the most advanced software engineering technologies, including agile, DevOps, cloud computing and robotic process automation. In addition to on-the-job learning, the program will also provide the apprentices with the opportunity to sharpen their leadership, communication and teamwork skills.

“The collaboration between Accenture and Columbus State will open doors to technology careers that otherwise might have not been available to students and recent graduates,” said Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther. “I’m grateful for Accenture’s continued commitment to Columbus and in helping us grow our thriving business and technology community.”

Joe Chenelle, office managing director for Accenture in Columbus, said, “Our apprenticeship program is intended to provide under-represented groups greater access to digital-economy jobs while building a pipeline of talent to address the skills gap many companies are facing. We are working with Columbus State to give students and recent graduates the opportunities to build the skills required to fill the technology jobs of today and tomorrow.”

Recently named by Columbus Business First as one of its 2018 Healthiest Employers, Accenture opened the innovation hub in Columbus in February, bringing 200 tech jobs to the community.

About Columbus State Community College

Founded in 1963, Columbus State currently enrolls more than 26,000 students. It is the only community college in the nation to earn the three key distinctions of a Guided Pathways college, an Achieving The Dream Leader College and a Right Signals Initiative college.