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Building Bot Builders: RPA Accelerates Learning and Saves Businesses Time

RPA Development, Automation Anywhere, & Streamlining Processes

By MAXX Potential

  • Businesses
Sam Ardis, MAXX Apprentice, pictured here who's been working with RPA

“[Robotic Process Automation (RPA)] allows for so much work to get done in a short period of time and doesn’t require a lot of learning new languages or frameworks.” Sam Ardis, MAXX Apprentice, shares. “You can just hit the ground running a lot faster using RPA and because of that, I will always prefer RPA Development.”

Sam has worked on a RPA project for an Enterprise Customer for the last 9 months, and we had a chat with him. 

Let’s jump into the interview.

MAXX Potential: What were your initial thoughts about RPA? How has your perception of RPA changed over time, and what aspects of the process do you particularly appreciate?

Sam: When I first learned about the opportunity for an RPA assignment, I researched it and had reservations about whether delving into it would divert me from my established path or if it would truly involve coding. 

Once on the contract with the Customer, I was able to look through the code base for different projects and watch other developers code using RPA. I was surprised by how much could actually be done using RPA and how much easier it is to understand the code. 

I really appreciate how fast it is to have a request come in for a new bot, then outline, build, test, and push the bot into production within 1-3 months. That’s true even for beginner RPA Developers. 

MAXX Potential: Can you provide specific examples of tasks or processes that you successfully automated using RPA’s Automation Anywhere?

Sam: Recently I was tasked with developing a bot that does the formatting, balancing, and file management for the one of the Customer’s internal finance team. 

Basically the Bot takes deposits from customer policies and formats all of that data into excel spreadsheets based on certain criteria.

This bot is over 700 lines of code and took about 2-3 months for me to complete and get it running smoothly in production. It saves about 2 hours per business day and only takes 15 minutes or less to run each day.

MAXX Potential: What are some of the benefits that you have experienced as a developer through working with RPA’s Automation Anywhere?

Sam: Using Automation Anywhere has lots of benefits like a quick learning curve, fast development time, code ready at all times, and no complicated setup process just to name a few off the top of my head.

MAXX Potential: Can you talk about your interests before working on an RPA project? What sparked your curiosity to break into tech?

Sam: I have followed an untraditional path to get into the tech field. I started out in a completely different career path and soon realized it wasn’t going to provide me with the environment I wanted to be in. I started to rethink what I really wanted to do. 

I started putting together my love for technology, research, math, problem solving, and creativity. That led me to software development eventually in my early 20s. I immediately dove head first into all the websites, YouTube videos, and learning resources I could find. That led me to joining a full stack web development bootcamp called Lambda school (now called Bloom Institute of Technology). I completed that bootcamp after 40 hours per week for 9 months! 

I was ready to get a job at that point but I struggled to land any positions due to my experience. So I joined a college and started learning more about computer science and software development through that avenue. I also joined an IT program, ShiftUp, that helped me learn a lot of skills for other tech positions. 

Right after that I heard about Maxx Potential and was able to skip right into the interview process. And about 11 months later, here I am.

MAXX Potential: How do you compare your experience with RPA to more traditional development methods?

Sam: I think traditional development methods have advantages like more flexibility in how things are coded, more powerful and up to date systems, maybe better performance at times, and is best used towards interactive applications. 

RPA is specifically used for automating processes that are typically done manually by a human. Things that you would frequently do in a business or other profession that would save time if it was automated. Those are the main differences with traditional vs RPA development.

MAXX Potential: Do you have any final thoughts you want to share about RPA?

Sam: You can do pretty much anything you need to and all the tools are at your disposal. It’s really only limited by your coding skills, logic, and creativity.

I have learned a lot from using RPA and being able to help a large business save time and money, become more efficient, and reduce human error. I will always look to automate anything I can in the future.

Ready to partner with MAXX Potential on your next RPA project? We believe in transforming talent strategies and streamlining processes to drive efficiency and productivity. The future of your business awaits, and we are excited to be your trusted partner on this remarkable expedition. Contact us today at MAXXpotential.com/contact.

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Spellbinding Solutions: How AI and Automation are Conjuring Up Potential

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MAXX Potential Celebrates Finalist Nominations in Prestigious Richmond Technology Awards

Director of Emerging Technology, Tucker Mahan, named a finalist for the ELITE (Emerging Leader in Tech) Award

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Why the Push for More Tech Skills in Schools Might Be Misguided

New Job Seekers are Rated at 55.8% Readiness

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Building Bot Builders: RPA Accelerates Learning and Saves Businesses Time

RPA Development, Automation Anywhere, & Streamlining Processes

By MAXX Potential

  • Businesses
Sam Ardis, MAXX Apprentice, pictured here who's been working with RPA

“[Robotic Process Automation (RPA)] allows for so much work to get done in a short period of time and doesn’t require a lot of learning new languages or frameworks.” Sam Ardis, MAXX Apprentice, shares. “You can just hit the ground running a lot faster using RPA and because of that, I will always prefer RPA Development.”

Sam has worked on a RPA project for an Enterprise Customer for the last 9 months, and we had a chat with him. 

Let’s jump into the interview.

MAXX Potential: What were your initial thoughts about RPA? How has your perception of RPA changed over time, and what aspects of the process do you particularly appreciate?

Sam: When I first learned about the opportunity for an RPA assignment, I researched it and had reservations about whether delving into it would divert me from my established path or if it would truly involve coding. 

Once on the contract with the Customer, I was able to look through the code base for different projects and watch other developers code using RPA. I was surprised by how much could actually be done using RPA and how much easier it is to understand the code. 

I really appreciate how fast it is to have a request come in for a new bot, then outline, build, test, and push the bot into production within 1-3 months. That’s true even for beginner RPA Developers. 

MAXX Potential: Can you provide specific examples of tasks or processes that you successfully automated using RPA’s Automation Anywhere?

Sam: Recently I was tasked with developing a bot that does the formatting, balancing, and file management for the one of the Customer’s internal finance team. 

Basically the Bot takes deposits from customer policies and formats all of that data into excel spreadsheets based on certain criteria.

This bot is over 700 lines of code and took about 2-3 months for me to complete and get it running smoothly in production. It saves about 2 hours per business day and only takes 15 minutes or less to run each day.

MAXX Potential: What are some of the benefits that you have experienced as a developer through working with RPA’s Automation Anywhere?

Sam: Using Automation Anywhere has lots of benefits like a quick learning curve, fast development time, code ready at all times, and no complicated setup process just to name a few off the top of my head.

MAXX Potential: Can you talk about your interests before working on an RPA project? What sparked your curiosity to break into tech?

Sam: I have followed an untraditional path to get into the tech field. I started out in a completely different career path and soon realized it wasn’t going to provide me with the environment I wanted to be in. I started to rethink what I really wanted to do. 

I started putting together my love for technology, research, math, problem solving, and creativity. That led me to software development eventually in my early 20s. I immediately dove head first into all the websites, YouTube videos, and learning resources I could find. That led me to joining a full stack web development bootcamp called Lambda school (now called Bloom Institute of Technology). I completed that bootcamp after 40 hours per week for 9 months! 

I was ready to get a job at that point but I struggled to land any positions due to my experience. So I joined a college and started learning more about computer science and software development through that avenue. I also joined an IT program, ShiftUp, that helped me learn a lot of skills for other tech positions. 

Right after that I heard about Maxx Potential and was able to skip right into the interview process. And about 11 months later, here I am.

MAXX Potential: How do you compare your experience with RPA to more traditional development methods?

Sam: I think traditional development methods have advantages like more flexibility in how things are coded, more powerful and up to date systems, maybe better performance at times, and is best used towards interactive applications. 

RPA is specifically used for automating processes that are typically done manually by a human. Things that you would frequently do in a business or other profession that would save time if it was automated. Those are the main differences with traditional vs RPA development.

MAXX Potential: Do you have any final thoughts you want to share about RPA?

Sam: You can do pretty much anything you need to and all the tools are at your disposal. It’s really only limited by your coding skills, logic, and creativity.

I have learned a lot from using RPA and being able to help a large business save time and money, become more efficient, and reduce human error. I will always look to automate anything I can in the future.

Ready to partner with MAXX Potential on your next RPA project? We believe in transforming talent strategies and streamlining processes to drive efficiency and productivity. The future of your business awaits, and we are excited to be your trusted partner on this remarkable expedition. Contact us today at MAXXpotential.com/contact.

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Spellbinding Solutions: How AI and Automation are Conjuring Up Potential

AI-Assisted Work to Augment Your Team

READ MORE

MAXX Potential Celebrates Finalist Nominations in Prestigious Richmond Technology Awards

Director of Emerging Technology, Tucker Mahan, named a finalist for the ELITE (Emerging Leader in Tech) Award

READ MORE

Why the Push for More Tech Skills in Schools Might Be Misguided

New Job Seekers are Rated at 55.8% Readiness

READ MORE

How to Diversify my IT Team

Unlocking the Potential of Diversity to Drive Tech Innovation

By MAXX Potential

  • Businesses

Are you ready to drive innovation through diversity in your IT team? Diversity in tech is the key to unlocking untapped ideas and enhancing problem-solving capabilities.

In today’s fast-paced world, prioritizing diversity within your company benefits your entire organization from profitability to out-of-the-box solutions. Developing a diverse tech team requires consideration to celebrating employee diversity and recognizing potential cultural communication barriers.

What Does Tech Diversity Look Like

A diverse IT team brings together individuals from various backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. This diversity of thought allows for a more comprehensive approach to problem-solving, as different viewpoints can lead to creative solutions that may have otherwise been overlooked.

Diversity in the IT industry has been shown to increase profitability and revenue. A study conducted by McKinsey found that companies with diverse executive teams have a 25% higher likelihood of experiencing above-average profitability. Diverse teams have a wider range of skills and insights, enabling better connection with unique customer bases to drive business growth.

By embracing diversity in tech, companies can ignite innovation and position themselves for success.

5 Practical Steps to Diversify Your IT Team

To achieve diversity in tech and reap the benefits, your company needs more than to just hire people from all backgrounds and demographics. The point is to have a team that works well together, and that means developing a space where every voice is heard and barriers are mitigated.

Curate a Safe Space for Ideas

Psychological safety opens the doors to untapped ideas that can shape the future of technology. It encourages individuals to challenge the status quo, think outside the box, and push boundaries. By embracing diverse perspectives in the brainstorming process, companies can harness the full potential of their IT team and drive innovation forward.

Another mentality that can help companies with diverse teams win is promoting the concept that the “best idea at the table wins.” Expertise takes a backseat to creativity. This collaborative culture gives every voice equal weight during a brainstorming phase.

Celebrate Employee Diversity

Creating a diverse and inclusive team is not just about ticking boxes or meeting quotas; it’s about celebrating the vibrant tapestry of talent and perspectives that each individual brings. In the world of diversity in tech, embracing employee diversity and encouraging everyone to bring their whole selves to work changes problem solving in beneficial ways.

By valuing and recognizing employee contributions, we create an environment where everyone feels seen, heard, and empowered to make a difference.

Identify and Solve Communication Barriers

In the book Outliers by Max Gladwell, he shares a story of how cultural backgrounds and communication norms caused plane crashes. Communication matters. When multiple people from different cultures, societies, and backgrounds work together, they may all be talking, but they are likely relying on different norms.

Diverse people create diverse solutions, so to work together, companies must identify and address any barriers that inhibit actual understanding between parties. This could mean providing resources and support for individuals who might have language differences, and it also may mean developing a script for passing information between coworkers.

Develop Clear Work Expectations and Flexible Arrangements

Setting clear work expectations and boundaries can help ensure that everyone on the team feels respected and included. This includes understanding and accommodating diverse cultural practices and allowing for flexible work arrangements when possible. When employees and managers are clear on work goals and measurements, everyone succeeds.

By establishing consistent practices and expectations, diversity in tech can thrive as each individual is given an equal chance to contribute, regardless of their position or background. This mitigates power imbalances and ensures equitable opportunities for all team members. 

Build External Partnerships and Networks

Building external partnerships and a diverse tech talent pipeline expands your connection to communities and resources outside of your company. External partnerships allow you to collaborate with organizations that are committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in the tech industry. Access mentorship programs, workshops, and events that focus on increasing diversity in tech.

Networking with diverse individuals and communities can also help you build a more inclusive IT team. By reaching out to underrepresented groups, attending industry conferences and events, and actively engaging with diverse communities, you interact with talented individuals who may bring unique perspectives and skills to your team.

Diversify Your Tech Team with a MAXX Potential Partnership

At MAXX Potential, we believe in the power of diversity in tech. We understand that by partnering with organizations like ours, you can take a significant step towards creating an inclusive and innovative IT team. Our mission is to support businesses in diversifying their tech workforce and reaping the benefits that come with it.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to partner with MAXX and take your IT team to new heights of diversity and success. Together, we can create a future where inclusivity is the driving force behind innovation in the tech industry.

Ready to partner with MAXX Potential? Reach out today at MAXXpotential.com/contact.

MORE POSTS

Spellbinding Solutions: How AI and Automation are Conjuring Up Potential

AI-Assisted Work to Augment Your Team

READ MORE

MAXX Potential Celebrates Finalist Nominations in Prestigious Richmond Technology Awards

Director of Emerging Technology, Tucker Mahan, named a finalist for the ELITE (Emerging Leader in Tech) Award

READ MORE

Why the Push for More Tech Skills in Schools Might Be Misguided

New Job Seekers are Rated at 55.8% Readiness

READ MORE

How to Diversify my IT Team

Unlocking the Potential of Diversity to Drive Tech Innovation

By MAXX Potential

  • Businesses

Are you ready to drive innovation through diversity in your IT team? Diversity in tech is the key to unlocking untapped ideas and enhancing problem-solving capabilities.

In today’s fast-paced world, prioritizing diversity within your company benefits your entire organization from profitability to out-of-the-box solutions. Developing a diverse tech team requires consideration to celebrating employee diversity and recognizing potential cultural communication barriers.

What Does Tech Diversity Look Like

A diverse IT team brings together individuals from various backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. This diversity of thought allows for a more comprehensive approach to problem-solving, as different viewpoints can lead to creative solutions that may have otherwise been overlooked.

Diversity in the IT industry has been shown to increase profitability and revenue. A study conducted by McKinsey found that companies with diverse executive teams have a 25% higher likelihood of experiencing above-average profitability. Diverse teams have a wider range of skills and insights, enabling better connection with unique customer bases to drive business growth.

By embracing diversity in tech, companies can ignite innovation and position themselves for success.

5 Practical Steps to Diversify Your IT Team

To achieve diversity in tech and reap the benefits, your company needs more than to just hire people from all backgrounds and demographics. The point is to have a team that works well together, and that means developing a space where every voice is heard and barriers are mitigated.

Curate a Safe Space for Ideas

Psychological safety opens the doors to untapped ideas that can shape the future of technology. It encourages individuals to challenge the status quo, think outside the box, and push boundaries. By embracing diverse perspectives in the brainstorming process, companies can harness the full potential of their IT team and drive innovation forward.

Another mentality that can help companies with diverse teams win is promoting the concept that the “best idea at the table wins.” Expertise takes a backseat to creativity. This collaborative culture gives every voice equal weight during a brainstorming phase.

Celebrate Employee Diversity

Creating a diverse and inclusive team is not just about ticking boxes or meeting quotas; it’s about celebrating the vibrant tapestry of talent and perspectives that each individual brings. In the world of diversity in tech, embracing employee diversity and encouraging everyone to bring their whole selves to work changes problem solving in beneficial ways.

By valuing and recognizing employee contributions, we create an environment where everyone feels seen, heard, and empowered to make a difference.

Identify and Solve Communication Barriers

In the book Outliers by Max Gladwell, he shares a story of how cultural backgrounds and communication norms caused plane crashes. Communication matters. When multiple people from different cultures, societies, and backgrounds work together, they may all be talking, but they are likely relying on different norms.

Diverse people create diverse solutions, so to work together, companies must identify and address any barriers that inhibit actual understanding between parties. This could mean providing resources and support for individuals who might have language differences, and it also may mean developing a script for passing information between coworkers.

Develop Clear Work Expectations and Flexible Arrangements

Setting clear work expectations and boundaries can help ensure that everyone on the team feels respected and included. This includes understanding and accommodating diverse cultural practices and allowing for flexible work arrangements when possible. When employees and managers are clear on work goals and measurements, everyone succeeds.

By establishing consistent practices and expectations, diversity in tech can thrive as each individual is given an equal chance to contribute, regardless of their position or background. This mitigates power imbalances and ensures equitable opportunities for all team members. 

Build External Partnerships and Networks

Building external partnerships and a diverse tech talent pipeline expands your connection to communities and resources outside of your company. External partnerships allow you to collaborate with organizations that are committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in the tech industry. Access mentorship programs, workshops, and events that focus on increasing diversity in tech.

Networking with diverse individuals and communities can also help you build a more inclusive IT team. By reaching out to underrepresented groups, attending industry conferences and events, and actively engaging with diverse communities, you interact with talented individuals who may bring unique perspectives and skills to your team.

Diversify Your Tech Team with a MAXX Potential Partnership

At MAXX Potential, we believe in the power of diversity in tech. We understand that by partnering with organizations like ours, you can take a significant step towards creating an inclusive and innovative IT team. Our mission is to support businesses in diversifying their tech workforce and reaping the benefits that come with it.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to partner with MAXX and take your IT team to new heights of diversity and success. Together, we can create a future where inclusivity is the driving force behind innovation in the tech industry.

Ready to partner with MAXX Potential? Reach out today at MAXXpotential.com/contact.

MORE POSTS

Spellbinding Solutions: How AI and Automation are Conjuring Up Potential

AI-Assisted Work to Augment Your Team

READ MORE

MAXX Potential Celebrates Finalist Nominations in Prestigious Richmond Technology Awards

Director of Emerging Technology, Tucker Mahan, named a finalist for the ELITE (Emerging Leader in Tech) Award

READ MORE

Why the Push for More Tech Skills in Schools Might Be Misguided

New Job Seekers are Rated at 55.8% Readiness

READ MORE

Upskilling: the Key to Tech Employee Retention

Developing and Retaining High Performers in Technology

By MAXX Potential

  • Businesses
A white man in a black shirt sits in front of a laptop with a person with short hair and checkered shirt to help the checkered shirt human learn new tech skills for company upskilling

As technology evolves and advances, your team needs to keep up and that’s where upskilling comes in. Just because many companies foresee the increase of AI and automation that doesn’t mean that humans will stop being a vital part. Employers have an important role of reskilling and upskilling their workforce.

“Upskilling is not just an investment in individual skills, it’s an investment in the collective future of a team, a business, and the customers it serves.” Tucker Mahan, MAXX Potential Talent Director, said. He pointed out that upskilling future-proofs the workforce, attracts high caliber professionals, and fosters innovation through continuous learning. Upskilled employees better serve customers.

PluralSight polled a number of tech managers about their perception of upskilling, and they discovered that 83% of tech managers believe team members are more likely to be motivated and engaged in their tech skill development process when given paid time to learn.

Wise employers are finding ways to strategically incorporate upskilling within their ecosystem. An upskilling strategy boosts employee morale, decreases attrition, and avoids the risk and cost of a bad hire. Here’s what we do at MAXX Potential.

The Observational-Based Selection Process

“You don’t know anyone by a resume.” John Spauls, MAXX Potential Director of Operations, said. And he couldn’t be more right. Resumes are the highlight reel of a person’s career, and it doesn’t begin to showcase whether that person is a great collaborator or curious problem solver. That’s why we use an observational-based selection process that looks beyond the resume. 

An upskilling selection process recognizes the scope of current to future needs within the organization. From there, it’s important to identify employees who are ready to upskill, and consider each employee’s desire to learn. Selecting eager and enthusiastic employees for upskilling means that you have a group who is ready to learn.

The observation doesn’t stop at the selection process but continues throughout the learning segments into the application process.

“Direct behavioral observation in a hands-on training environment reveals what they truly can do.” Tucker Mahan said. “It provides insight into an individual’s aptitude, collaboration, perseverance, curiosity, authenticity, and initiative—attributes that are crucial in the rapidly evolving technology sector. It’s in the act of doing, not telling, that someone’s potential for upskilling in the tech world shines.”

Employees who are offered the opportunity to upskill often remain with the original company for longer than those who have no opportunity to grow. According to BCG and The Network’s survey, almost seven in ten employees are open to reskilling. The nature of work is changing, and employers and employees both know it.

Hands-On Tech Learning

Hands-on tech learning within an upskilling session boosts employee engagement. 

“It hones skills in real-time problem-solving and delivering business value within diverse tech stacks. It’s not just about crafting flawless applications in a vacuum, but about diving in, learning how to navigate ever-changing environments, and turning theory into tangible solutions for the industries we serve.” Tucker Mahan shared.

Developing new work skills are best retained via practice and application, and that’s why MAXX Potential leans heavily on the advantages of on the job training over traditional classroom methodologies. 

Practical hands-on learning helps employees to be curious, discover, and understand theoretical knowledge that is the foundation of the subject area. Doing this learning in the workplace means that employers train employees for the role they need, and the employee earns while they learn.

“It can help create the talent you need when that talent is not available otherwise.” John Spauls “If you can’t afford that person with five years of experience or you can’t find that person, what else are you going to do except train them.”

MAXX Potential has helped companies transform and develop their talent pipeline strategy through upskilling and apprenticeship. For one client, we customized a selection process, tailored a Career Lab upskilling experience, designed an application funnel, and offered ongoing tech mentorship and support. The client was able to upskill and hire from within their company, filling a few key tech roles.

Upskilling Cost Savings and Return on Investment

“Work-based learning creates professionals who can adapt, and be more efficient, effective, and reliable in the services they provide. These professionals will continue growing, and draw upon their previous hands-on experiences to better solve future challenges.” Tucker Mahan shared that when a company prioritizes ongoing learning, employees often align with those values and strive to continue their own development.

The competitive landscape of IT demands that organizations continue to seek that edge, and it can often be found within their team. 

LinkedIn’s Workplace Learning Report revealed that 94% of employees said they would have stayed with their employers longer if career development was prioritized. That’s no joking matter when companies can spend twice a role’s salary on hiring that one role. If companies can retain their employees longer with career development, they will not only upskill their current employees, but they will avoid the high costs of hiring for longer.

“Upskilling invests in employee potential, nurturing not just their capabilities, but also their loyalty. It fosters a sense of purpose and growth, reducing turnover by creating a workforce that’s engaged and ready for the next challenges.” Tucker Mahan emphasized. “The cost of hiring and onboarding new talent is often far greater than developing the talent already within the organization.”

Some of the heaviest costs for tech companies come from the hiring process as well as the risk of making a bad hire. Upskilling, reskilling, and hiring from within for tech roles develops ongoing employee trust and fills important positions with people who have already demonstrated their values, professional skills, and work ethic.

Retain Your Employees and Power the Future of Your Company

“For any individual who sees their company is investing a certain amount of money and time into helping them learn, that generates a certain level of loyalty.” John Spauls said.

Treat your employees well, and they will stay. This requires a company that is tapping into their employee experience via regular check-ins, anonymous surveys, and opportunities for career development. The hiring process is challenging for everyone so develop a company culture that invites employees to stay.

At MAXX Potential, we partner with companies so they never need to list an entry-level role again, whether they choose our customizable Upskilling program or our Apprenticeship approach. Ready to learn more? Reach out at MAXXpotential.com/contact.

MORE POSTS

Spellbinding Solutions: How AI and Automation are Conjuring Up Potential

AI-Assisted Work to Augment Your Team

READ MORE

MAXX Potential Celebrates Finalist Nominations in Prestigious Richmond Technology Awards

Director of Emerging Technology, Tucker Mahan, named a finalist for the ELITE (Emerging Leader in Tech) Award

READ MORE

Why the Push for More Tech Skills in Schools Might Be Misguided

New Job Seekers are Rated at 55.8% Readiness

READ MORE

Upskilling: the Key to Tech Employee Retention

Developing and Retaining High Performers in Technology

By MAXX Potential

  • Businesses
A white man in a black shirt sits in front of a laptop with a person with short hair and checkered shirt to help the checkered shirt human learn new tech skills for company upskilling

As technology evolves and advances, your team needs to keep up and that’s where upskilling comes in. Just because many companies foresee the increase of AI and automation that doesn’t mean that humans will stop being a vital part. Employers have an important role of reskilling and upskilling their workforce.

“Upskilling is not just an investment in individual skills, it’s an investment in the collective future of a team, a business, and the customers it serves.” Tucker Mahan, MAXX Potential Talent Director, said. He pointed out that upskilling future-proofs the workforce, attracts high caliber professionals, and fosters innovation through continuous learning. Upskilled employees better serve customers.

PluralSight polled a number of tech managers about their perception of upskilling, and they discovered that 83% of tech managers believe team members are more likely to be motivated and engaged in their tech skill development process when given paid time to learn.

Wise employers are finding ways to strategically incorporate upskilling within their ecosystem. An upskilling strategy boosts employee morale, decreases attrition, and avoids the risk and cost of a bad hire. Here’s what we do at MAXX Potential.

The Observational-Based Selection Process

“You don’t know anyone by a resume.” John Spauls, MAXX Potential Director of Operations, said. And he couldn’t be more right. Resumes are the highlight reel of a person’s career, and it doesn’t begin to showcase whether that person is a great collaborator or curious problem solver. That’s why we use an observational-based selection process that looks beyond the resume. 

An upskilling selection process recognizes the scope of current to future needs within the organization. From there, it’s important to identify employees who are ready to upskill, and consider each employee’s desire to learn. Selecting eager and enthusiastic employees for upskilling means that you have a group who is ready to learn.

The observation doesn’t stop at the selection process but continues throughout the learning segments into the application process.

“Direct behavioral observation in a hands-on training environment reveals what they truly can do.” Tucker Mahan said. “It provides insight into an individual’s aptitude, collaboration, perseverance, curiosity, authenticity, and initiative—attributes that are crucial in the rapidly evolving technology sector. It’s in the act of doing, not telling, that someone’s potential for upskilling in the tech world shines.”

Employees who are offered the opportunity to upskill often remain with the original company for longer than those who have no opportunity to grow. According to BCG and The Network’s survey, almost seven in ten employees are open to reskilling. The nature of work is changing, and employers and employees both know it.

Hands-On Tech Learning

Hands-on tech learning within an upskilling session boosts employee engagement. 

“It hones skills in real-time problem-solving and delivering business value within diverse tech stacks. It’s not just about crafting flawless applications in a vacuum, but about diving in, learning how to navigate ever-changing environments, and turning theory into tangible solutions for the industries we serve.” Tucker Mahan shared.

Developing new work skills are best retained via practice and application, and that’s why MAXX Potential leans heavily on the advantages of on the job training over traditional classroom methodologies. 

Practical hands-on learning helps employees to be curious, discover, and understand theoretical knowledge that is the foundation of the subject area. Doing this learning in the workplace means that employers train employees for the role they need, and the employee earns while they learn.

“It can help create the talent you need when that talent is not available otherwise.” John Spauls “If you can’t afford that person with five years of experience or you can’t find that person, what else are you going to do except train them.”

MAXX Potential has helped companies transform and develop their talent pipeline strategy through upskilling and apprenticeship. For one client, we customized a selection process, tailored a Career Lab upskilling experience, designed an application funnel, and offered ongoing tech mentorship and support. The client was able to upskill and hire from within their company, filling a few key tech roles.

Upskilling Cost Savings and Return on Investment

“Work-based learning creates professionals who can adapt, and be more efficient, effective, and reliable in the services they provide. These professionals will continue growing, and draw upon their previous hands-on experiences to better solve future challenges.” Tucker Mahan shared that when a company prioritizes ongoing learning, employees often align with those values and strive to continue their own development.

The competitive landscape of IT demands that organizations continue to seek that edge, and it can often be found within their team. 

LinkedIn’s Workplace Learning Report revealed that 94% of employees said they would have stayed with their employers longer if career development was prioritized. That’s no joking matter when companies can spend twice a role’s salary on hiring that one role. If companies can retain their employees longer with career development, they will not only upskill their current employees, but they will avoid the high costs of hiring for longer.

“Upskilling invests in employee potential, nurturing not just their capabilities, but also their loyalty. It fosters a sense of purpose and growth, reducing turnover by creating a workforce that’s engaged and ready for the next challenges.” Tucker Mahan emphasized. “The cost of hiring and onboarding new talent is often far greater than developing the talent already within the organization.”

Some of the heaviest costs for tech companies come from the hiring process as well as the risk of making a bad hire. Upskilling, reskilling, and hiring from within for tech roles develops ongoing employee trust and fills important positions with people who have already demonstrated their values, professional skills, and work ethic.

Retain Your Employees and Power the Future of Your Company

“For any individual who sees their company is investing a certain amount of money and time into helping them learn, that generates a certain level of loyalty.” John Spauls said.

Treat your employees well, and they will stay. This requires a company that is tapping into their employee experience via regular check-ins, anonymous surveys, and opportunities for career development. The hiring process is challenging for everyone so develop a company culture that invites employees to stay.

At MAXX Potential, we partner with companies so they never need to list an entry-level role again, whether they choose our customizable Upskilling program or our Apprenticeship approach. Ready to learn more? Reach out at MAXXpotential.com/contact.

MORE POSTS

Spellbinding Solutions: How AI and Automation are Conjuring Up Potential

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MAXX Potential Celebrates Finalist Nominations in Prestigious Richmond Technology Awards

Director of Emerging Technology, Tucker Mahan, named a finalist for the ELITE (Emerging Leader in Tech) Award

READ MORE

Why the Push for More Tech Skills in Schools Might Be Misguided

New Job Seekers are Rated at 55.8% Readiness

READ MORE

How to Cultivate Company Culture in a Virtual Workplace

Staying People-Focused and Flexible in an AI World

By MAXX Potential

  • Businesses
three cartoon characters paddle a canoe together, representing cultivating company culture in a virtual space

As work from home becomes more common, companies and employees alike wonder how to maintain company culture in a virtual workplace. When everyone was in the office, the glue of workplace culture solidified during watercooler chats, lunchroom overlap, and “do you have a second?” conversation starters.

Employers and employees alike benefit from the virtual workplace, and the list of benefits for the employer who employs virtual workers includes streamlined communication, higher productivity, larger talent pool, lower turnover rates, reduced overhead costs, and improved inclusivity. Yet, some worry about the loss of company culture without in-person interactions.

The future of work is flexible, and personal connection can thrive virtually. Get your work done in a way that’s best for your people and your company whether that’s in person or virtual. 

The Future of Work is People-Focused

While AI streamlines many aspects of our jobs, it’s important to understand the measurements of great work. ChatGPT provides the data in response to targeted prompts, and yet, while it’s faster, it does need a person to check its work. 

People with the skills, experience, and judgment to understand how a process works have the ability to troubleshoot. AI can help work get done, and it needs to be managed by people with strong mental models.

With many people working from home, it’s important that managers define clear success criteria for projects. This ensures that work is completed whether in the office or at home.

Now is the time to be investing in your team of people. The MAXX Apprenticeship program teaches MAXX Apprentices different processes around technology, Artificial Intelligence, learning, mental models, and decision-making. 

Defining and Communicating Company Core Values

Beyond mission and vision statements, many companies have defined core values to guide company and employee behavior as well as overall alignment. These core values are key to ensuring that your team understands what qualities are applauded. 

For MAXX Potential, these values are Initiative, Curiosity, Collaboration, Authenticity, and Perseverance. We hire people who demonstrate these values. We talk about these values in meetings, training, and interviews. They are part of annual reviews, and they are what Apprentices are measured by for Apprentice of the Month social posts. 

Each person who joins MAXX Potential already embodies our company values. As Kim Mahan, MAXX Founder, likes to say, “For lasting change, you want believers. Start by being the change, while focusing on common ground (like “productivity” rather than “social”) and make it safe for people to watch and learn. Attitudes and opinions will then progress and evolve much faster on their own.”

Clear company values with associated behaviors builds company culture and Customer trust. If your employees’ behavior aligns with company values, then Customers know what to expect for their partnerships with your company.

Virtually Connected Company Culture

Company culture is more than watercooler conversations. A couple of key elements for inspiring strong company culture include a strong onboarding process, clear expectations, and tactile elements, such as company swag.

Engaged remote workers demonstrate a high morale and high productivity. It’s even better when virtual employees feel like they have autonomy, flexibility, and agency within their role.

At MAXX Potential, we encourage regular communication and feedback through virtual meetings, specified stand-up meetings, and communication channels. Periodic one-on-one meetings offer a great check-in on projects, morale, and other items.

A great way to boost morale is to highlight outstanding employees, and MAXX Potential does this every month with a nominated Apprentice of the Month who has exhibited the MAXX core values. The announcement is celebrated in our monthly Town Hall gathering, on Slack with emojis, comments, gifs, and a social media post. 

While our offices may be separate, technology connects each of us. 

“When I joined MAXX Potential, I was astounded that my supervisor and the founders of the company encouraged me to set up 30-min chats with my coworkers just to get to know them.” Barbara Brutt, Content Marketer, said. “I’ve been working remotely since 2017, and this was the first company who saw these conversations as an important part of my workday.” 

Many tools exist to support the remote workplace and company culture. Some ideas to build company culture include Slack donut, gaming groups, specific channels for different interests, virtual coffee breaks, and online stretches or workouts. 

When employees connect about life interests or in real life, this creates pathways for future collaboration and great teamwork. 

WFH in Co-working Spaces

Co-working spaces have existed for years as the entrepreneur’s best friend, and in the last few years, these spaces gained momentum and popularity for corporate workers who no longer work at the office.

At Durham’s American Underground, a co-working space, a researcher intended to interview entrepreneurs. Instead, he met corporate employee after corporate employee. While he wasn’t meeting his research goals, he observed something interesting: remote employees were seeking community.

Co-working spaces have become a haven and a hub for corporate workers and entrepreneurs. Workers choose co-working for a variety of reasons, whether it’s to find a quiet space or to be with others.

“We’ve had a few Apprentices make frequent use of ReCity,” John Spauls, MAXX Potential Director of Operations, said. He pointed out that the co-working space provided a quiet, focused working space for Apprentices who’s families had grown, houses were under construction, or needed community.

“I enjoy ReCity because of the connections it provides us in the Durham community.” Spauls shared. “ReCity is a local shared working space, not part of a larger national chain. As such, they have favorable pricing for non-profits and other socially conscious companies, and so we are able to rub shoulders and network with a lot of community good focused companies and individuals around Durham. It helps us connect more locally.”

At MAXX Potential, we offer our local Apprentices the option of working at Gather or ReCity, and we have Apprentices who work in person at Customer offices.

Virtual employees build their own network and community, becoming ambassadors for their company in their coworking spaces.

Are you ready to partner with a company who’s figured out the in-person and virtual workplace? MAXX Potential transforms company talent strategies, allowing you to tap into your company’s full potential when you’re not busy worrying about your next hire. Reach out today at MAXXpotential.com/contact to find out what we can do for you and your team!

MORE POSTS

Spellbinding Solutions: How AI and Automation are Conjuring Up Potential

AI-Assisted Work to Augment Your Team

READ MORE

MAXX Potential Celebrates Finalist Nominations in Prestigious Richmond Technology Awards

Director of Emerging Technology, Tucker Mahan, named a finalist for the ELITE (Emerging Leader in Tech) Award

READ MORE

Why the Push for More Tech Skills in Schools Might Be Misguided

New Job Seekers are Rated at 55.8% Readiness

READ MORE

How to Cultivate Company Culture in a Virtual Workplace

Staying People-Focused and Flexible in an AI World

By MAXX Potential

  • Businesses
three cartoon characters paddle a canoe together, representing cultivating company culture in a virtual space

As work from home becomes more common, companies and employees alike wonder how to maintain company culture in a virtual workplace. When everyone was in the office, the glue of workplace culture solidified during watercooler chats, lunchroom overlap, and “do you have a second?” conversation starters.

Employers and employees alike benefit from the virtual workplace, and the list of benefits for the employer who employs virtual workers includes streamlined communication, higher productivity, larger talent pool, lower turnover rates, reduced overhead costs, and improved inclusivity. Yet, some worry about the loss of company culture without in-person interactions.

The future of work is flexible, and personal connection can thrive virtually. Get your work done in a way that’s best for your people and your company whether that’s in person or virtual. 

The Future of Work is People-Focused

While AI streamlines many aspects of our jobs, it’s important to understand the measurements of great work. ChatGPT provides the data in response to targeted prompts, and yet, while it’s faster, it does need a person to check its work. 

People with the skills, experience, and judgment to understand how a process works have the ability to troubleshoot. AI can help work get done, and it needs to be managed by people with strong mental models.

With many people working from home, it’s important that managers define clear success criteria for projects. This ensures that work is completed whether in the office or at home.

Now is the time to be investing in your team of people. The MAXX Apprenticeship program teaches MAXX Apprentices different processes around technology, Artificial Intelligence, learning, mental models, and decision-making. 

Defining and Communicating Company Core Values

Beyond mission and vision statements, many companies have defined core values to guide company and employee behavior as well as overall alignment. These core values are key to ensuring that your team understands what qualities are applauded. 

For MAXX Potential, these values are Initiative, Curiosity, Collaboration, Authenticity, and Perseverance. We hire people who demonstrate these values. We talk about these values in meetings, training, and interviews. They are part of annual reviews, and they are what Apprentices are measured by for Apprentice of the Month social posts. 

Each person who joins MAXX Potential already embodies our company values. As Kim Mahan, MAXX Founder, likes to say, “For lasting change, you want believers. Start by being the change, while focusing on common ground (like “productivity” rather than “social”) and make it safe for people to watch and learn. Attitudes and opinions will then progress and evolve much faster on their own.”

Clear company values with associated behaviors builds company culture and Customer trust. If your employees’ behavior aligns with company values, then Customers know what to expect for their partnerships with your company.

Virtually Connected Company Culture

Company culture is more than watercooler conversations. A couple of key elements for inspiring strong company culture include a strong onboarding process, clear expectations, and tactile elements, such as company swag.

Engaged remote workers demonstrate a high morale and high productivity. It’s even better when virtual employees feel like they have autonomy, flexibility, and agency within their role.

At MAXX Potential, we encourage regular communication and feedback through virtual meetings, specified stand-up meetings, and communication channels. Periodic one-on-one meetings offer a great check-in on projects, morale, and other items.

A great way to boost morale is to highlight outstanding employees, and MAXX Potential does this every month with a nominated Apprentice of the Month who has exhibited the MAXX core values. The announcement is celebrated in our monthly Town Hall gathering, on Slack with emojis, comments, gifs, and a social media post. 

While our offices may be separate, technology connects each of us. 

“When I joined MAXX Potential, I was astounded that my supervisor and the founders of the company encouraged me to set up 30-min chats with my coworkers just to get to know them.” Barbara Brutt, Content Marketer, said. “I’ve been working remotely since 2017, and this was the first company who saw these conversations as an important part of my workday.” 

Many tools exist to support the remote workplace and company culture. Some ideas to build company culture include Slack donut, gaming groups, specific channels for different interests, virtual coffee breaks, and online stretches or workouts. 

When employees connect about life interests or in real life, this creates pathways for future collaboration and great teamwork. 

WFH in Co-working Spaces

Co-working spaces have existed for years as the entrepreneur’s best friend, and in the last few years, these spaces gained momentum and popularity for corporate workers who no longer work at the office.

At Durham’s American Underground, a co-working space, a researcher intended to interview entrepreneurs. Instead, he met corporate employee after corporate employee. While he wasn’t meeting his research goals, he observed something interesting: remote employees were seeking community.

Co-working spaces have become a haven and a hub for corporate workers and entrepreneurs. Workers choose co-working for a variety of reasons, whether it’s to find a quiet space or to be with others.

“We’ve had a few Apprentices make frequent use of ReCity,” John Spauls, MAXX Potential Director of Operations, said. He pointed out that the co-working space provided a quiet, focused working space for Apprentices who’s families had grown, houses were under construction, or needed community.

“I enjoy ReCity because of the connections it provides us in the Durham community.” Spauls shared. “ReCity is a local shared working space, not part of a larger national chain. As such, they have favorable pricing for non-profits and other socially conscious companies, and so we are able to rub shoulders and network with a lot of community good focused companies and individuals around Durham. It helps us connect more locally.”

At MAXX Potential, we offer our local Apprentices the option of working at Gather or ReCity, and we have Apprentices who work in person at Customer offices.

Virtual employees build their own network and community, becoming ambassadors for their company in their coworking spaces.

Are you ready to partner with a company who’s figured out the in-person and virtual workplace? MAXX Potential transforms company talent strategies, allowing you to tap into your company’s full potential when you’re not busy worrying about your next hire. Reach out today at MAXXpotential.com/contact to find out what we can do for you and your team!

MORE POSTS

Spellbinding Solutions: How AI and Automation are Conjuring Up Potential

AI-Assisted Work to Augment Your Team

READ MORE

MAXX Potential Celebrates Finalist Nominations in Prestigious Richmond Technology Awards

Director of Emerging Technology, Tucker Mahan, named a finalist for the ELITE (Emerging Leader in Tech) Award

READ MORE

Why the Push for More Tech Skills in Schools Might Be Misguided

New Job Seekers are Rated at 55.8% Readiness

READ MORE

Want to Future-Proof Your Business? Diversify Your Tech Talent Strategy

By MAXX Potential

  • Businesses
Two men sit in front of laptops, working together to figure out a transformative tech talent strategy

No time like the present to consider steps to building a diverse and sustainable tech talent pipeline in light of the pace of advancement in artificial intelligence (AI) and automation. We need flexibility, innovation, and versatility in our talent strategies. 

Disruption punctuates tech conversations, and we believe the answer is anchored in upskilling and apprenticeship.

The shifting tech landscape offers so much potential for positive changes, and in this post, we’ll explore options for responding to how the tech industry is transforming and how MAXX Potential is supporting organizations in embracing the opportunities ahead.

The AI Conundrum: Job Replacement vs. Job Creation

While AI and automation advancements raise job displacement concerns, these technologies also generate new roles with distinct skill sets. 

“Tech didn’t replace its human counterparts – it actually led to more people in work, not less.” HCAmag.com pointed out in a recent article, “The ‘common sense conundrum’ for workplace AI: Which roles will fall to robotics?” They shared an example of Amazon’s largest warehouse in Delaware, US, where robots outnumbered humans, but they still employed more people at this warehouse than their other warehouses. 

According to HCAmag.com, “AI will always stumble over something, leaving humans to pitch in. And humans will always get stuck on data configuration, which is where AI excels.”

Tech leaders face questions from all sides about whether or not to replace humans with robots and new technologies. In some cases, it might make sense, and in others, it might not.

The fact is that AI will transform jobs and their corresponding tasks. That’s why it’s vital to ground your career development in timeless talents for a shifting tech landscape. 

Building Your Tech Talent Pipeline: Upskilling

Upskilling is the development of the people you already have on your team, and research shows that upskilling improves morale and productivity.

The World Economic Forum forecasts that “half of all employees will require reskilling by 2025.”

Forward-looking companies are moving to prioritize upskilling and reskilling of their workforce. The businesses that will ride the wave of tech advances are the ones that focus on lifelong learning.

Meanwhile, employees are also seeking to work for companies that invest in employee careers through development and upskilling, and according to the US Chamber, 94% of employees said they would stay at a company longer when professional development opportunities are available.

Ready to rise to meet the AI and automation changes? Train, reskill, and upskill your tech workforce.

In 2021-2022, alongside one of our customers, we demonstrated the transformative power of upskilling by offering its first-line representatives an opportunity to transition into IT roles. Out of 1,800 employees, 70 showed interest, and 25 were selected for a comprehensive Career Lab workshop. This resulted in 12 interviews and eight potential transitions into IT roles. 

The process revealed a wealth of untapped talent, highlighting the value of upskilling as part of a strategic talent development plan. The workshop saw high engagement and retention. Our client’s active involvement was pivotal, indicating that management’s commitment to employee career growth is a key success factor in upskilling initiatives. 

Our custom upskilling solutions range from company-wide training to team-specific workshops.

Apprenticeship: A Call for Flexibility and Agility

Rapid change calls for turning to solutions such as the apprenticeship model with its hallmarks of on-the-job training and hands-on continuous learning. 

Many large businesses are tapping into this approach by developing internal apprenticeship programs; however, this isn’t always feasible for small and medium-sized businesses with less capacity to manage their own. 

Apprenticeship USA reports that employment retention for apprentices remains high with 93% of apprentices retaining employment after their apprenticeship. This is good news for companies who desire to develop and retain their tech team.

Partnership with MAXX Potential means an integration of an apprenticeship system into your business ecosystem without bearing the full costs of starting and maintaining the program. Your business benefits from a tech talent pipeline that is tuned to the company, your technology stack, and processes. 

Hiring is easy and turnover is mitigated by a bench of hungry lifelong learners ready to add value. MAXX Apprentices come from a variety of backgrounds, and they learn on the job with the assistance of their mentor.

Apprenticeship requires a high level of adaptability as apprentices jump to learn in-demand skills. At MAXX, apprentices work in Robotic Process Automation, Cybersecurity, Enterprise Application Maintenance, and so much more. 

When something new releases, MAXX Apprentices explore the technology, discover its best use cases, and expand their knowledge base. This is a company-wide value, and our MAXX leadership team and core staff are constantly doing the same, as seen in this interview about the first 48 hours of Open AI’s API.

If your business is ready to invest in a flexible and agile apprenticeship program, partner with MAXX. We’ll help you navigate these exciting times. Get in touch at maxxpotential.com/contact-us.

MORE POSTS

Spellbinding Solutions: How AI and Automation are Conjuring Up Potential

AI-Assisted Work to Augment Your Team

READ MORE

MAXX Potential Celebrates Finalist Nominations in Prestigious Richmond Technology Awards

Director of Emerging Technology, Tucker Mahan, named a finalist for the ELITE (Emerging Leader in Tech) Award

READ MORE

Why the Push for More Tech Skills in Schools Might Be Misguided

New Job Seekers are Rated at 55.8% Readiness

READ MORE

Want to Future-Proof Your Business? Diversify Your Tech Talent Strategy

By MAXX Potential

  • Businesses
Two men sit in front of laptops, working together to figure out a transformative tech talent strategy

No time like the present to consider steps to building a diverse and sustainable tech talent pipeline in light of the pace of advancement in artificial intelligence (AI) and automation. We need flexibility, innovation, and versatility in our talent strategies. 

Disruption punctuates tech conversations, and we believe the answer is anchored in upskilling and apprenticeship.

The shifting tech landscape offers so much potential for positive changes, and in this post, we’ll explore options for responding to how the tech industry is transforming and how MAXX Potential is supporting organizations in embracing the opportunities ahead.

The AI Conundrum: Job Replacement vs. Job Creation

While AI and automation advancements raise job displacement concerns, these technologies also generate new roles with distinct skill sets. 

“Tech didn’t replace its human counterparts – it actually led to more people in work, not less.” HCAmag.com pointed out in a recent article, “The ‘common sense conundrum’ for workplace AI: Which roles will fall to robotics?” They shared an example of Amazon’s largest warehouse in Delaware, US, where robots outnumbered humans, but they still employed more people at this warehouse than their other warehouses. 

According to HCAmag.com, “AI will always stumble over something, leaving humans to pitch in. And humans will always get stuck on data configuration, which is where AI excels.”

Tech leaders face questions from all sides about whether or not to replace humans with robots and new technologies. In some cases, it might make sense, and in others, it might not.

The fact is that AI will transform jobs and their corresponding tasks. That’s why it’s vital to ground your career development in timeless talents for a shifting tech landscape. 

Building Your Tech Talent Pipeline: Upskilling

Upskilling is the development of the people you already have on your team, and research shows that upskilling improves morale and productivity.

The World Economic Forum forecasts that “half of all employees will require reskilling by 2025.”

Forward-looking companies are moving to prioritize upskilling and reskilling of their workforce. The businesses that will ride the wave of tech advances are the ones that focus on lifelong learning.

Meanwhile, employees are also seeking to work for companies that invest in employee careers through development and upskilling, and according to the US Chamber, 94% of employees said they would stay at a company longer when professional development opportunities are available.

Ready to rise to meet the AI and automation changes? Train, reskill, and upskill your tech workforce.

In 2021-2022, alongside one of our customers, we demonstrated the transformative power of upskilling by offering its first-line representatives an opportunity to transition into IT roles. Out of 1,800 employees, 70 showed interest, and 25 were selected for a comprehensive Career Lab workshop. This resulted in 12 interviews and eight potential transitions into IT roles. 

The process revealed a wealth of untapped talent, highlighting the value of upskilling as part of a strategic talent development plan. The workshop saw high engagement and retention. Our client’s active involvement was pivotal, indicating that management’s commitment to employee career growth is a key success factor in upskilling initiatives. 

Our custom upskilling solutions range from company-wide training to team-specific workshops.

Apprenticeship: A Call for Flexibility and Agility

Rapid change calls for turning to solutions such as the apprenticeship model with its hallmarks of on-the-job training and hands-on continuous learning. 

Many large businesses are tapping into this approach by developing internal apprenticeship programs; however, this isn’t always feasible for small and medium-sized businesses with less capacity to manage their own. 

Apprenticeship USA reports that employment retention for apprentices remains high with 93% of apprentices retaining employment after their apprenticeship. This is good news for companies who desire to develop and retain their tech team.

Partnership with MAXX Potential means an integration of an apprenticeship system into your business ecosystem without bearing the full costs of starting and maintaining the program. Your business benefits from a tech talent pipeline that is tuned to the company, your technology stack, and processes. 

Hiring is easy and turnover is mitigated by a bench of hungry lifelong learners ready to add value. MAXX Apprentices come from a variety of backgrounds, and they learn on the job with the assistance of their mentor.

Apprenticeship requires a high level of adaptability as apprentices jump to learn in-demand skills. At MAXX, apprentices work in Robotic Process Automation, Cybersecurity, Enterprise Application Maintenance, and so much more. 

When something new releases, MAXX Apprentices explore the technology, discover its best use cases, and expand their knowledge base. This is a company-wide value, and our MAXX leadership team and core staff are constantly doing the same, as seen in this interview about the first 48 hours of Open AI’s API.

If your business is ready to invest in a flexible and agile apprenticeship program, partner with MAXX. We’ll help you navigate these exciting times. Get in touch at maxxpotential.com/contact-us.

MORE POSTS

Spellbinding Solutions: How AI and Automation are Conjuring Up Potential

AI-Assisted Work to Augment Your Team

READ MORE

MAXX Potential Celebrates Finalist Nominations in Prestigious Richmond Technology Awards

Director of Emerging Technology, Tucker Mahan, named a finalist for the ELITE (Emerging Leader in Tech) Award

READ MORE

Why the Push for More Tech Skills in Schools Might Be Misguided

New Job Seekers are Rated at 55.8% Readiness

READ MORE

The First 48 Hours of OpenAI’s API: An Interview with Tucker Mahan

By MAXX Potential

  • Apprenticeship, Businesses

“There’s been a lot of comparisons of this tech to some of the bigger disruptors, such as the internet, Google search, and cloud computing.” Tucker Mahan, MAXX Potential Talent Director, is talking about ChatGPT and the OpenAI API. “There’s a lot of interesting dialogue happening – ethics, opinions, security, value versus investment, and predictions.”

As ChatGPT remains the main topic of conversation at board tables and in break rooms, it’s time to be playing with the possibilities, pushing limitations, and exercising curiosity. 

And that’s exactly what Tucker’s been doing. In the first 48 hours after the release, Tucker integrated the new model endpoints into his ongoing project.

How OpenAI API Integration Can Take Your Project to the Next Level

Hour 1: Exploring the Potential of OpenAI GPT-3.5-Turbo and Whisper APIs

With the release of the Whisper API, Tucker envisioned being able to upgrade his custom-built assistant, Dumbledore, to use their transcriptions and translations endpoints to improve the Speech-to-Text speed, add a Spanish practice bot, and implement a wake word solution.

“The Whisper API was super great.” Tucker explained that he’d worked with the open source project before the API was released, and he had considered building something that would do the job for his Dumbledore project. In the end, he’d opted to use an alternative Speech-to-Text solution up until the Whisper API released. “Being able to access their API to do Whisper translations in real time was super exciting.”

He shared his process for a good working session when he wants to be in the zone. “I just sit down. I put my headphones on. I forget to turn the music on, and I start chugging away.” 

He focused on Dumbledore for hours, coding several new features to make the assistant do what he wanted. It wasn’t until his wife showed up at his desk with a plate of Margherita pizza around 8:30 pm that he realized he’d forgotten to eat.

Hours 2-5: How ChatGPT Speeds Up Project Development

Throughout the entire project, Tucker kept ChatGPT open on part of his screen to write basic code, trouble shoot, and provide insight as needed. The tool proved its worth. Tucker reported, “ChatGPT helped me debug, frame, and structure a lot of the improved Dumbledore project.”

For Tucker, the idea is to use ChatGPT to speed up his process.

“So when I’m writing a lot of boilerplate, simple logic stuff, Python, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, I’m using it for that. It does get things wrong.” Tucker explains. “I adjust variables and make adjustments where I need to.”

But there’s a key to getting stronger and better code from ChatGPT. Tucker shared, “If I do a good job of feeding it parts of my code up front, or which libraries I’m using, it starts using the variable names and libraries I’ve already selected so that its output is a lot more custom to what you’re doing.”

Hour 6: Testing the Limits of AI Conversation

With ChatGPT by his side, Tucker created Dumbledore 3.5. His new iteration incorporated the Whisper API and GPT-3.5-Turbo models to enhance more in-depth conversation. Around midnight, Tucker tested Dumbledore 3.5.

“Hey, Dumbledore.” Tucker spoke the wake words.
“With whom would you like to speak?” His computer asked.
“Abuelo,” Tucker replied.
“Hola, ¿qué pasa?” was the immediate response from the AI assistant.

Tucker programmed Dumbledore 3.5 to have three different versions of his assistant. For basic functionality, Tucker can reply, “ChatGPT.” If Tucker responds with “Dumbledore,” he’ll be greeted by a voice that sounds uncannily like Dumbledore from the Harry Potter movie series, and if he responds with “Abuelo,” Dumbledore speaks in Spanish.

“I’m constantly working on my Spanish skills. My wife is fluent in Spanish and our son will be bilingual, so I want to make sure that I can keep up with them.” Tucker explains why his personal assistant is fluent in Spanish and English. “Having the ability to talk to a computer that will not judge me when I mispronounce things is front and center for me. This was possible because of the Whisper API and GPT 3.5.”

GPT-4 Is Here – What Are Your Thoughts?

“This is technology worth learning,” Tucker shared. “I believe that it has so many potential applications and will continue evolving rapidly, likely getting integrated into so many of the tools we already use. I tuned into the GPT-4 developer preview with 100k+ others, and the improvements with that model are great to see. My favorite moment was seeing GPT-4 summarize a blog post using only the letter Q and GPT-4 as a proper noun, ‘GPT-4 quintessentially quickens quality quantifications, quelling questionable quandaries.’”

ChatGPT is already being used by many, and Tucker suggests finding out if people on your teams are using the tool. “Odds are there’s at least a couple on your teams who are.”

“Education and training with this tech is a good next step. I think a lot of creative efforts are necessary to discover how to best utilize this tech, because there are so many time and cost savings involved if you do this well. It has certainly increased my productivity.”

At MAXX Potential, we encourage curiosity, initiative, and exploration. If you’re interested in talking with MAXX about how AI can help your company reach its goals, contact us!

MORE POSTS

Spellbinding Solutions: How AI and Automation are Conjuring Up Potential

AI-Assisted Work to Augment Your Team

READ MORE

MAXX Potential Celebrates Finalist Nominations in Prestigious Richmond Technology Awards

Director of Emerging Technology, Tucker Mahan, named a finalist for the ELITE (Emerging Leader in Tech) Award

READ MORE

Why the Push for More Tech Skills in Schools Might Be Misguided

New Job Seekers are Rated at 55.8% Readiness

READ MORE

The First 48 Hours of OpenAI’s API: An Interview with Tucker Mahan

By MAXX Potential

  • Apprenticeship, Businesses

“There’s been a lot of comparisons of this tech to some of the bigger disruptors, such as the internet, Google search, and cloud computing.” Tucker Mahan, MAXX Potential Talent Director, is talking about ChatGPT and the OpenAI API. “There’s a lot of interesting dialogue happening – ethics, opinions, security, value versus investment, and predictions.”

As ChatGPT remains the main topic of conversation at board tables and in break rooms, it’s time to be playing with the possibilities, pushing limitations, and exercising curiosity. 

And that’s exactly what Tucker’s been doing. In the first 48 hours after the release, Tucker integrated the new model endpoints into his ongoing project.

How OpenAI API Integration Can Take Your Project to the Next Level

Hour 1: Exploring the Potential of OpenAI GPT-3.5-Turbo and Whisper APIs

With the release of the Whisper API, Tucker envisioned being able to upgrade his custom-built assistant, Dumbledore, to use their transcriptions and translations endpoints to improve the Speech-to-Text speed, add a Spanish practice bot, and implement a wake word solution.

“The Whisper API was super great.” Tucker explained that he’d worked with the open source project before the API was released, and he had considered building something that would do the job for his Dumbledore project. In the end, he’d opted to use an alternative Speech-to-Text solution up until the Whisper API released. “Being able to access their API to do Whisper translations in real time was super exciting.”

He shared his process for a good working session when he wants to be in the zone. “I just sit down. I put my headphones on. I forget to turn the music on, and I start chugging away.” 

He focused on Dumbledore for hours, coding several new features to make the assistant do what he wanted. It wasn’t until his wife showed up at his desk with a plate of Margherita pizza around 8:30 pm that he realized he’d forgotten to eat.

Hours 2-5: How ChatGPT Speeds Up Project Development

Throughout the entire project, Tucker kept ChatGPT open on part of his screen to write basic code, trouble shoot, and provide insight as needed. The tool proved its worth. Tucker reported, “ChatGPT helped me debug, frame, and structure a lot of the improved Dumbledore project.”

For Tucker, the idea is to use ChatGPT to speed up his process.

“So when I’m writing a lot of boilerplate, simple logic stuff, Python, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, I’m using it for that. It does get things wrong.” Tucker explains. “I adjust variables and make adjustments where I need to.”

But there’s a key to getting stronger and better code from ChatGPT. Tucker shared, “If I do a good job of feeding it parts of my code up front, or which libraries I’m using, it starts using the variable names and libraries I’ve already selected so that its output is a lot more custom to what you’re doing.”

Hour 6: Testing the Limits of AI Conversation

With ChatGPT by his side, Tucker created Dumbledore 3.5. His new iteration incorporated the Whisper API and GPT-3.5-Turbo models to enhance more in-depth conversation. Around midnight, Tucker tested Dumbledore 3.5.

“Hey, Dumbledore.” Tucker spoke the wake words.
“With whom would you like to speak?” His computer asked.
“Abuelo,” Tucker replied.
“Hola, ¿qué pasa?” was the immediate response from the AI assistant.

Tucker programmed Dumbledore 3.5 to have three different versions of his assistant. For basic functionality, Tucker can reply, “ChatGPT.” If Tucker responds with “Dumbledore,” he’ll be greeted by a voice that sounds uncannily like Dumbledore from the Harry Potter movie series, and if he responds with “Abuelo,” Dumbledore speaks in Spanish.

“I’m constantly working on my Spanish skills. My wife is fluent in Spanish and our son will be bilingual, so I want to make sure that I can keep up with them.” Tucker explains why his personal assistant is fluent in Spanish and English. “Having the ability to talk to a computer that will not judge me when I mispronounce things is front and center for me. This was possible because of the Whisper API and GPT 3.5.”

GPT-4 Is Here – What Are Your Thoughts?

“This is technology worth learning,” Tucker shared. “I believe that it has so many potential applications and will continue evolving rapidly, likely getting integrated into so many of the tools we already use. I tuned into the GPT-4 developer preview with 100k+ others, and the improvements with that model are great to see. My favorite moment was seeing GPT-4 summarize a blog post using only the letter Q and GPT-4 as a proper noun, ‘GPT-4 quintessentially quickens quality quantifications, quelling questionable quandaries.’”

ChatGPT is already being used by many, and Tucker suggests finding out if people on your teams are using the tool. “Odds are there’s at least a couple on your teams who are.”

“Education and training with this tech is a good next step. I think a lot of creative efforts are necessary to discover how to best utilize this tech, because there are so many time and cost savings involved if you do this well. It has certainly increased my productivity.”

At MAXX Potential, we encourage curiosity, initiative, and exploration. If you’re interested in talking with MAXX about how AI can help your company reach its goals, contact us!

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Building vs. Buying Talent: Which is right for you?

By The Team at MAXX

  • Apprenticeship, Businesses

Many IT executives are routinely faced with decisions on whether to build vs. buy when it comes to critical business applications (There’s a great post on that topic here), but how can you apply this framework to your talent strategy? Should you build or buy the necessary talent to grow your team? Our take: as with enterprise software, a winning approach involves applying a strategic framework and the capacity to do both.

Is there anything more strategic than your culture and talent strategy?

It makes sense to buy talent, and by that, we mean paying market premiums for experienced professionals, when the role requires advanced skills such as prior leadership experience, industry knowledge, and a deep technical track record. When a candidate has amassed a resume of skills and experience, your investment decision is based on how they can integrate into your organization, and the immediate value they can add in terms of increased revenue or implementing cost-savings strategies.

For entry-level positions, however, turnover should be higher if you are finding capable and driven employees, and the selection process is less straightforward. You are looking for motivated individuals with the ability to become that senior professional one day. Integrating a build approach into your talent strategy is a long-term investment that will set your organization up for success and pay off well into the future.

The Unique Challenges of Entry-level Roles

Buying talent for entry-level roles can seem like a faster option initially, but it becomes more costly when you have to do it over and over again (as you should). On the surface these roles may seem less strategic, and can also consume a disproportionate amount of training time and recruiting expense to keep them staffed. Downtime for even the most junior roles is costly and presents an operational risk.

  1. Hiring
    Entry-level candidates are lacking the years of experience that are sought after for more senior roles. This makes a traditional resumé the least valuable tool in making a selection. At this stage you are looking for two things: value-alignment and aptitude. These are hard to measure, and the cost of a mistake at this stage is high.
  2. Developing
    Mentoring entry-level talent takes time and attention away from experienced employees who are already at capacity. Many organizations also lack the capacity and budget to build a custom training program that includes dedicated full-time staff who are skilled, not only in their technical craft, but in the art of mentoring.
  3. Retaining
    High-potential employees are seekers of continuous growth and learning opportunities. Building a structured process for upskilling requires far more than purchasing a library of self-study training material (Don’t we have the Internet for that?). Most savvy leaders know that investing in their team creates a culture of continuous learning and growth that people will stick around for.

MAXX Potential was built by industry leaders who experienced these challenges first-hand and created a solution. Organizations have a need to invest in entry-level recruiting in order to grow their teams without taking away from other strategic imperatives. MAXX has cultivated a strong pipeline along with a supporting infrastructure specific to entry-level enterprise technology roles. We seek out people who have the potential and desire to break into the technology industry, and work with them to develop the skills needed to thrive in your organization. Our goal is to fill entry-level technology roles with people who are worth investing in and have the capability to contribute to your organization in a way that is meaningful starting day one.

Let Us Take these Entry-level Challenges Off Your Plate

While we aren’t a fit for ALL of your talent needs, what we do at MAXX Potential, we do really well. As a partner, we offer effective solutions for filling entry-level technology roles with the least amount of risk and disruption.

With guaranteed backfill of vacated roles, customized on-the-job training, ongoing mentor support and zero conversion fees to hire at any time, MAXX Potential would be an impactful addition to your overall talent strategy. Contact us today.

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READ MORE

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New Job Seekers are Rated at 55.8% Readiness

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