By Adam Vitcavage
Like many high school students, Jair Galindo-Flores wasn’t sure what he should do with his future. His path from high school to a thriving career in data engineering is a testament to the power of apprenticeships in shaping futures. By taking a chance on a youth apprenticeship while a high school student at Colorado Early College in Aurora, Jair went from being unsure about his career path to landing a full-time role at Meta, one of the world’s leading tech companies.
Discovering Data Science
In high school, Jair balanced academics with a part-time job. “I was around 16 and working at McDonald’s when I heard about the potential apprenticeship. I knew anything I learned at that job wouldn’t give me the technical skills I would need in a specific career,” said Jair.
Initially unsure of his career path, Jair believed he might follow in his uncle’s footsteps and become an engineer. However, he soon realized that he needed an apprenticeship to truly discover his interests. “I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do with my life. I thought I wanted to be an engineer because my uncle was one. It wasn’t my dream, just a dream because someone else had it,” said Jair.
The apprenticeship at Pinnacol Assurance changed everything. “Once I was in the apprenticeship, I discovered data felt right to me. I was always good with computers and figuring things out,” said Jair. This realization marked the beginning of his journey into the world of data science.
Learning and Growing Through Apprenticeship
Jair’s time at Pinnacol Assurance was a blend of hands-on work and continuous learning. He hopped around various departments, ultimately finding his place in the Business Intelligence and Data Science team. The experience was transformative. “ I didn’t have a lot of mentors in my life; my parents don’t have technical careers. I wasn’t exposed to technical careers. It was so beneficial to have my apprenticeship at Pinnacol,” said Jair.
Through his apprenticeship, Jair gained practical skills that set him apart. “Some of my week was spent learning and getting paid to take courses to get me certificates. I learned Python at school but I was quick to apply it at my job with Pinnacol. I was able to create tests to make sure codes were working correctly. I learned GitHub before I even got to college; it was something I eventually needed in college, and I had a head start,” said Jair.
A Launchpad for Future Success
The apprenticeship not only equipped Jair with technical skills but also provided him practical job experience in a corporate environment. “It gave me a platform for success when applying to other jobs. It gave me a leg up when applying to internships in college. I got an internship with Facebook as a freshman as a data engineer. I think I got it because of my apprenticeship and job experience. The internship was geared to sophomores, but I felt I was ready to apply because of what the apprenticeship taught me and I was right,” said Jair.
Jair’s journey continued as he graduated from UC Boulder in May 2024 with a degree in computer science. Today, he works at Meta as a data engineer, focusing on ensuring the integrity of the platform by stopping spam and bad actors. Reflecting on his journey, Jair notes, “I know I am good at what I want to do because of the foundation the apprenticeship taught me.”
The impact of youth apprenticeships in providing direction, skills, and opportunities is just one of the many benefits a path like this can offer. Jair grew from a high school student unsure of his future to a successful data engineer at Meta through the transformative power of hands-on learning and real-world experience. His apprenticeship at Pinnacol Assurance was not just a job; it was the launchpad for a fulfilling and successful career in data science.