2014 Schedule
Interactive: March 7–11  •  Film: March 7–15  •  Music: March 11–16

Web Apprenticeships: How & Why We Do Them

#sxsw #growtheweb

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The web industry needs to grow talent—not just consume it.

For the would-be web developer, getting started in the trade can be an intimidating process. The traditional education system has been unable to keep pace with innovation, leaving interested coders on their own to learn. For the employer, finding hands equipped and ready to contribute to a team is an equally painstaking process due to a shallow and scattered talent pool.

An apprenticeship framework is a great solution for both problems. At Sparkbox, we’re resurrecting this ancient practice, retrofitting it for our fast-moving industry, and we're eager to share the things we've learned on the journey so far.

Presenters

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Drew Clemens

UX Dir

Sparkbox

As Director of User Experience for Sparkbox, Drew is a steadfast voice for creating usable and useful work. With background in design, content strategy, and project management, Drew capitalizes on a love for people and content to drive projects toward clear communication. He has made a living on empathy, charm, and an uncanny ability for telling bad jokes.

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Neil Renicker

Web Developer

Sparkbox

As a converted print designer, Neil brings a design sensibility to his role as a frontend developer. He's fascinated with the process of teaching and learning programming, and writes regularly about working on the web at neilrenicker.com. Neil is an admitted nerd, a voracious reader of stuffy nonfiction, and has an unhealthy fixation on workflow automation

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