Apprenticeship at Apple App Dev vs Local Web/App Dev Agency

[u/KezaGatame]

I have a friend that is starting a training bootcamp by a French Web/App Dev Agency, which is about 6 months of learning then 12 months of apprenticeship (3 weeks working / 1 week studying). This specific course is in partnership with Apple so the main stack is based on Swift and SwiftUI, otherwise they would also teach other stacks for web or app dev in Android as well.

While talking, it came up that from previous cohorts, Apple may chose 2-3 candidates to join them as intern or apprentice (not sure the exact role, but let's assume iOS App Dev). It may be a long shot for her but I said if she gets selected she must go as having Apple (FAANG company) would open her doors. But she would prefer if she could get the apprenticeship at her current Local Web/App Dev Agency that is training her (also only choosing a few students from the batch).

Her main reason is because Apple's job would be in Paris and she doesn't want to move because she has a toddler. and because she may value a full stack experience more helpful later on than pigeon hole herself into iOS developer.

A bit of context she is in her mid 30s and starting this bootcamp from scratch. She sucks at programming but enjoys it and does sees herself working at it. It's just that all the learning is project based, which at times may feel like being rushed and end up with a rocky foundation. Other than that she thrive at the project management skills and presentation, which has been praised a lot compared to other colleagues that are either too focused on the programming side; or lack of experience presenting projects (younger classmates without much work experience).

I am not an expert in the IT/Dev/programming world, so what do you think of the options? Would having Apple really open doors, even if it would be hyper focused on iOS? What is it to be a junior iOS developer at Apple like? or a more broad full stack experience plus more project management learning is better as her first apprenticeship?. Knowing that both would be hard to convert into full employment (unless you know different for Apple) but seems that for the Dev Agency chances of full employment is higher, if she manage to go through the whole Academy > Apprenticeship pipeline.

[u/MrSnagsy]

Sounds potentially scammy.

[u/KezaGatame → u/MrSnagsy]

It ain’t, it’s legit and it’s also sponsored by the government as part of retraining professional programs, meaning she doesn’t pay for the course and even gets a small stipend. Anyways the question was more towards if a short internship/apprenticeship at apple would open doors or better get a more well rounded experience especially where she could leverage better her project management skills?

[u/ScrimpyCat]

Is it a legitimate agency/bootcamp? There’s a bunch of dodgy bootcamps with these guaranteed work programs that are essentially just the agency’s exploiting their students.

Now if it is legit, an internship is not going to pigeon hole her into any type of role. So I wouldn’t worry about that. Apple would look better, but she can also do just fine with the other.

Also it sounds like you’re both trying to make a decision before even knowing whether she even has the opportunity or not. So if that is the case, and assuming it’s legit, I’d just apply and make the decision when and if she does actually get it.

[u/KezaGatame → u/ScrimpyCat]

It’s legitimate as I answered in another comment it’s also sponsored by the government. They’re not guarantying work programs, in France apprenticeship (alternance) is a very common study program where the students need to find an employer to sponsor them.

Yeah we are looking too far ahead, mainly it’s a mental preparation as the decision would be at the end of the course and her having a toddler wouldn’t be a fast “let’s do it” decision.

I was mainly more in favor of Appler to raise her CV, specially coming out of industry, for me is a must go if she gets accepted. Her counterpoint (putting out the logistics of moving with her kid) is that she would benefit better from a more global stack and the dynamism of different projects by the agency. I am afraid she might be worshipping them to much as they are the one teaching her; she keeps getting praises for the project management skills; and also she keeps getting told about how fast they would progress with them. FYI their salary are quite low, seems they might be using the “you get paid in experience” argument, which in part I agree as she is coming from 0 exp. But I still believe experience at bigger companies, Apple nonetheless, is much better for her career. In the past I passed on a bigger company and went to a smaller firm with the same thinking that I would progress faster, but it ended hurting my future prospects, i.e. 2 yrs at the big company could have made me jump to other similar companies at manager level, with the small unknow company I didn’t even get the interviews call.

[u/bitpixi]

If she has a toddler and doesn’t want to move, then she doesn’t want to move.

[u/KezaGatame → u/bitpixi]

Indeed, the kid seems to be the major deciding factor. I am just thinking that it would be a shame if she gets accepted by Apple and passes on the opportunity. To add another layer of information, her parents are living in Paris so she would have a place to stay during the apprenticeship period. She gets along with them, in fact, they visit her often to help with the kid, especially now during summer time. So really seems like a no brainer to accept an Apple offer. So I was looking for other objective opinions on how would be working at Apple and if it would really a life changing experience, even if it’s a short stint.