cloudyBoss runs engagement programs with all communities it operates within: one such flagship community engagement program is GRIP, its Global Remote Internship Program.
GRIP targets students at any level anywhere, who are engaged in software engineering and/or business disciplines. During their internship with cloudyBoss, students are fully immersed into cloudyBoss virtual operative environment, involved in hands-on tasks similar in scope to what is delivered by members of its DEUS DevOps engineering, GAA or MNB teams. For example, DevOps trainee engineers are exposed to real-life component and code development utilizing advanced technologies or the latest research on emergent topics such as web 4.0 and quantum computing.
Because of its virtual nature, the program is typically conducted on a remote basis. Interns can also access some of cloudyBoss open workspaces around the world. While interns define how, when, and where they work, typically from their own place of residence, in alignment with remote virtual internship and post-covid WFH best practices, the nature and content of the program (17 x pre-qualification training modules in phase 1 + internship project in phase 2) implies a reasonnable amount of hours per week dedicated to internship training, in order to reach successful outcomes. After first acceptance and pre-qualification, the second phase of a GRIP program follows an ancient (medieval French origins) traineeship model known as compagnonnage, recognized and World Heritage listed since 2010 by UNESCO for its fundamental importance in the efficient transmission of knowledge and best practices.
cloudyBoss ultimate objectives with GRIP are to convert internships into successful partnerships under its APEASE framework. Internship conversions to APEASE partnership are conditioned to the successful completion of an internship and the attainment of minimum required cloudyBoss Certification (cBX8X & 7X) levels.
Because of its challenging nature, GRIP is very popular all around the world with students who are keen to build a real-life professional experience, and solid foundational credentials for their future. It is for this reason that GRIP internships are unpaid: while GRIP is natively value-packed with content, mentorship and the ability to quickly gain the experience and credentials required to operate over professional markets, any intern’s compensation mechanism would vice-versa make the program unsustainable, or restrict its scope to only a few; this would prove a disservice to both students and the broader socio-economic ecosystems that the program positively impacts.
GRIP program phasing
Candidate enrollments occur all-year round: interested candidates shall contact cloudyBoss to signify their interest in being enrolled into a next GRIP program iteration. Candidates requesting a GRIP program enrollment will be sent a formal Letter of Acceptance into the program by cloudyBoss: they'll need to sign and return such Letter of Acceptance to confirm their enrollment details. Confirmed enrolled interns will then be sent detailed instructions about their specific GRIP program iteration. cloudyBoss typically runs 2 GRIP programs per year, from January to June, and from July to December.
Each GRIP program articulates around 2 distinct phases:
Phase 1 | pre-qualification
Pre-requisites: for engineering trainees, proficient knowledge in OOP, LAMP, Python, SQL, advanced normalization and other baseline cloud/mobile app technologies are expected
Duration: 1 month
Content/articulation: this is a self-onboarding phase during which the intern autonomously carries out familiarization with the baseline cB technology stack. The intern is provided with access to a certification manual, an engineering cloud node (sole usage), credentials and access instructions, and an assessment sheet / template related to a pre-certification submission to be completed by the end of phase 1. The goals during this preliminary phase are to verify that the intern possesses the professional attributes and soft skills required to perform typical engineering tasks in a cloudyBoss operational context. Of particular importance are timeliness, communication, ethical code of conduct, trouble-shooting and research skills, ability to gain necessary technical skills in an autonomous fashion. The intern will also use this phase to confirm both a chosen project as well as a preferred committed project completion date. An updated list of possible projects to choose from will be provided prior the start of phase 1 and maintained (first-in basis) up to the end of phase 1. cloudyBoss might consider intern-driven proposals for projects; it is however advisable to select an alternative project from the cloudyBoss list would a project proposal be rejected.
Phase 2 | internship project
Pre-requisite: successful phase 1 pre-qualification, confirmed project and intern’s commitment on its completion date
Duration: to be confirmed with each intern prior the end of phase 1, typically within 6 months from the program start
Content/articulation: during this phase, the intern will carry out from start to completion the chosen project, following the same operational processes carried out by cloudyBoss engineers; during the execution of the project, the intern will be overseen by a designated cloudyBoss partner who will support the intern with advice, mentorship and guidance on how to successfully complete the project by the committed date, following an ancient (medieval French origins) traineeship model known as compagnonnage, recognized and World Heritage listed since 2010 by UNESCO for its fundamental importance in the efficient transmission of knowledge. Upon project successful completion, the intern will be provided with an official Internship Supervisor Statement. Furthermore, a successful phase 2 completion (project completed according to initial goals by the committed time) will result in the intern being granted a formal cBX8x (80, 81, 82, 83 or 84) and/or cBX7x (70, 71) certification(s), depending on their chosen specialization and the nature of their project.
Post internship
Interns who have successfully fulfilled certification requirements will be offered an immediate opportunity to partner with the cloudyBoss group under an APEASE arrangement (APEASE = Agreement | Partners, Executives and Software Engineers) with a commencement back-dated to the start of their acceptance into the GRIP program. Certified partners will also have an opportunity to gain further certifications such as cBX9x. Note: cBX8x, 7x & 9x certifications are highly coveted industry certifications with very low success rate (below 25%), indicating the challenging nature of the certification, and the high level of professional acumen gained by successful applicants. Upon request to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, depending on the internship outcomes, cloudyBoss might also provide certified interns with a Letter of Recommendation for further academic admission or other purpose.
GRIP alliances and synergies with academic institutions
Over the years, cloudyBoss GRIP has established ongoing and mutually beneficial relationships with many academic institutions the world over, embedding for example its GRIP program and cBx certifications within its allied academic programs. Educational Institutes at any level interested in an alliance with cloudyBoss GRIP shall contact cloudyBoss to discuss possible alliances and synergies.