The Plaid Apprenticeship Program aims to build an inclusive community by recruiting talented candidates from non-traditional software engineering backgrounds. The program was created to address the lack of diversity in the tech industry, as many traditional recruitment processes focus on candidates with computer science degrees or prior work experience in software development. By engaging with local coding bootcamps and attending demo days, Plaid identified skilled individuals who were eager to learn new skills and bring diverse perspectives to problem-solving. The interview process was designed to assess key aspects such as translatable non-technical experiences, drive, and initiative to independently learn new skill sets. The program provides comprehensive onboarding, mentorship, and feedback loops to ensure apprentices' success in their roles and career growth. With the first cohort of apprentices joined, Plaid has seen increasing comfort levels and a stronger understanding of technical concepts among the participants, setting the stage for continued expansion and sharing of updates and insights.