Challenge
Koch sought to remove employment barriers by finding new ways to discover and hire project-ready tech talent.
Outcome
Through Catalyte’s ability to discover and develop top technical talent, Koch is creating a new way of acquiring a more diverse talent pipeline that will power transformation across its network of companies.
Koch Industries, one of the nation’s largest privately held companies, is headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, several hours from the closest major metro areas of Kansas City and Oklahoma City. With a population of close to 400,000 and a highly regarded state university within its city limits, it has the potential to become a burgeoning tech hub. Koch initially looked to Catalyte to discover and develop community residents to become software developers, building a local pipeline of technology talent.
Pipeline fills instantly
The first apprentice class in the Wichita area was filled within hours of posting the position, proving that there were many great software developers waiting to be discovered. Koch moved quickly to fill additional cohorts. As the quality of Catalyte apprentices was reconfirmed, Koch has launched seven cohorts to date across the country and is filling roles at multiple companies.
Collaborative partnership
Using Catalyte’s AI-based screening and ability to develop talent from all backgrounds into day-one-ready performers, Koch Industries can discover and hire new, project-ready tech talent. This results in a new way to acquire a more diverse talent pipeline with transformative power across the company. It can find the tech talent it needs in any market, from its Wichita headquarters to offices around the country – and potentially the world. Catalyte’s technology not only can deliver talent with the technical aptitude, it also finds candidates who are aligned with Koch’s values, leading to faster onboarding and improved employee satisfaction and retention.
Improving individuals, companies and communities
Success of the program has been overwhelming. The Catalyte-Koch partnership is changing lives. It gives people with the aptitude and attitude the chance to launch new, successful tech careers. It provides the diverse and productive technology talent that will continue to drive innovation throughout the Koch network of companies. And it shows communities, like Wichita, how to tap into the wealth of talent present in their own backyards.
Key takeaways
Many fish in a small pond
Catalyte proved that tech talent exists everywhere, including cities like Wichita, Kansas.
Tech-enabled partnership
Koch used Catalyte’s AI-based screening and apprenticeship to build a more productive and diverse talent pipeline across its companies.
Transformative power
The Catalyte-Koch partnership is changing lives, companies and communities for the better.
It opens up an entirely new talent pool for us that we hadn’t been tapping into before.
– Chase Koch, president of Koch Disruptive Technologies
Key technologies/skills
- JavaScript
- PostgreSQL
- React
- Spring Boot
- Unit testing
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