Advancement in technology is predicated on the ability to attract new minds that introduce new thoughts and new ways to overcome recurring challenges. The Salesforce ecosystem presents a great opportunity for those seeking a career in technology, as there are countless resources, like Trailhead or the Salesforce Talent Alliance, to gain knowledge. But how can these individuals bridge the gap between knowledge and real-world experience?
The Demand for Salesforce Talent is Growing
Research suggests that the Salesforce economy will generate 9.3M jobs and $1.6T in new worldwide business revenues by 2026. Today, there are an average of five open positions per qualified candidate in the ecosystem. While clients across industries are achieving extraordinary results through Salesforce technology, many are struggling to find the talent necessary to support sustained success.
Cloud for Good, a Premium Salesforce Partner, is committed to addressing this growing gap through the innovative Talent for Good program.
What is Talent for Good?
Talent for Good is a turnkey, Talent as a Service (TaaS) program, the largest of its kind, focused specifically on bringing trained, certified, and diverse Salesforce talent to the market. As the only Salesforce Registered Apprenticeship program recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor, Talent for Good cultivates a skilled, sustainable pipeline of Salesforce System Administrators, Business Analysts, and Developers that are contract-to-hire ready. The program simultaneously prioritizes historically overlooked talent, creating space for the underrepresented to thrive within the tech field.
Cloud for Good, much like the Salesforce ecosystem, experiences substantial growth year over year. As our mission and client list grow, the need to attract and retain top Salesforce talent expands in turn. It’s important that our customers realize the maximum return on their technology investments, and we realize the negative effects on scalability an improperly staffed organization can bring. Talent for Good allows more talent to join Cloud for Good and become engrained within the ecosystem, which then directly supports our clients’ tech-focused missions.
How Does it Work?
Talent for Good places incredibly bright apprentices with demonstrated technical aptitude, relevant work experience, and a desire to learn in an intensive, three-month training program. During those three months, apprentices gain knowledge of the Salesforce platform, industry-specific products, use cases, consulting methodology, and a variety of soft skills.
Talent for Good training is unique in that apprentices gain real experience working on actual projects with Cloud for Good clients, bridging the gap between learning and demonstrating that knowledge in real-world scenarios. During this time, apprentices receive quality time with these clients, as well as benefit from access to Cloud for Good resources, mentorship, and support. Upon completion, apprentices come out of the program Salesforce-certified and are ready to create an immediate impact for clients in the ecosystem.
How Does Talent for Good Benefit Employers?
Achieving true technology transformation requires investing significant time from staff during implementation and committing to its day-to-day growth. Leaving positions unfilled for too long could mean stifling user adoption and poor data quality. Talent for Good allows these companies to leverage top talent in a fraction of the time it takes to conduct a traditional hiring process. Hiring can be costly, in both time and resources; with Talent for Good, recruiting, onboarding, training, and retention costs are all lowered through access to pre-vetted, supported talent.
Once their training has come to a close, Talent for Good apprentices are embedded into Salesforce implementation projects with actual Cloud for Good clients. Upon the conclusion of the apprentice’s contract, those clients are then given the option of hiring the apprentice to continue their vital work. During this time, Cloud for Good will continue investing in the development of the apprentice and grant them full access to mentorship, additional training, and the collective knowledge base of Cloud for Good.
This real-world experience is one of the largest differentiators setting Talent for Good apart from other Salesforce training programs. In just its first year as an official program, several Talent for Good cohorts have gone on to create quantifiable success for Cloud for Good clients.
One such client, Louisiana State University Online & Continuing Education (LSU OCE), has worked with Cloud for Good for many years to facilitate their continuously expanding Salesforce footprint. As the University’s technology suite grew, so too did the need to develop a team of Salesforce-trained professionals capable of supporting the solutions. Due in large part to the work history and shared relationship between LSU OCE and Cloud for Good, key technology stakeholders at the institution viewed Talent for Good as a natural fit to accommodate these needs.
“Thanks to the Talent for Good program, our institution has been able to hire a skilled Salesforce Admin who has strengthened our technical team, supported our Continuing Education line of business, and instilled a new level of confidence in our ability to drive impact with our partners.”
How Does Talent for Good Benefit Apprentices?
Shemar Sinclair, a member of the second Talent for Good cohort, sought to better himself after realizing his career path wasn’t lining up with his professional goals and aspirations. Prior to joining Talent for Good, Sinclair worked as the store manager for a storage company. A recent computer information systems graduate, Sinclair was still deciding on what direction to take his budding career when a new opportunity presented itself.
“I was introduced to Salesforce by one of my college professors and I fell in love with the platform,” said Sinclair. “I wanted to use Salesforce to make a difference. When I heard about Talent for Good, I thought it was too good to be true. I knew that this program would be the perfect place for me to begin my Salesforce journey.”
Sinclair turned to Talent for Good and took the rigorous training program head-on. He excelled during the preparation period and was quickly embedded into the internal Salesforce team of Cloud for Good client SAE International (SAE) upon completion.
Why Talent for Good?
For SAE, the search for a dedicated system administrator that could have taken up significant time and resources was efficiently completed through the streamlined nature of the Talent for Good program.
“We saved months that would have been spent looking for the right person and instead filled the open Salesforce Admin position immediately with someone ready to hit the ground running and help us make a difference,” said Jodie Mohnkern, Strategic Marketing Manager, Database Management at SAE International. “Talent for Good is a true difference maker for any organization experiencing hiring challenges.”
For Sinclair, an opportunity that once seemed too good to be true is now providing both personal and professional fulfillment.
“I am so grateful for the opportunity Talent for Good has given me,” said Sinclair. “I am now able to do what I love while making a positive impact…Talent for Good has truly changed my life.”
Whether you’re an employer looking to strategically build the future of your workforce, or an apprentice seeking a long-term career in tech, Talent for Good is the premier pipeline for custom Salesforce talent.
Contact Cloud for Good to learn more.
