Cultivating junior tech talent with Jesse S., co-founder of LAUFT By: Kai Block October 29, 2024 Estimated reading time: 3 minutes. We had the opportunity to chat with Jesse Sharratt, co-founder of LAUFT, a Toronto-based company founded in 2017 that is redefining flexible workspaces with on-demand solutions. As a long-time hiring partner of Lighthouse Labs, LAUFT has successfully integrated several of our web development graduates into their technical team. Jesse shared how this partnership has fueled LAUFT’s growth, the qualities that make junior talent stand out, and the meaningful contributions Lighthouse Labs grads have made to their projects and company culture. Partnering with Lighthouse Labs for hiring success LAUFT has brought in the best of Lighthouse Labs’ talent to help drive their growth. Our Talent Acquisition team streamlined the hiring process by providing a curated shortlist of candidates tailored to fit LAUFT’s evolving needs. “They helped provide a shortlist of candidates who met the frameworks we use for our tech stack,” Jesse shared. The candidates were carefully vetted for both technical skills and cultural fit, making for a smooth transition onto the team. Hire tech talent A culture of learning and growth LAUFT fosters a growth-oriented culture, valuing junior talent who demonstrate an eagerness to learn and take on challenges. Jesse emphasized, “I don't expect junior talent (or anyone for that matter) to have everything figured out. The humility to want to learn and accept that failure and learning go hand in hand is a key trait.” This resonates with Lighthouse Labs graduates, who are prepared to embrace the learning curve of growing within their role and the real-world challenges they will face. Our bootcamps focus on preparing students for real-world and practical application, not just on theory. Why Lighthouse Labs grads thrive at LAUFT At LAUFT, failure is embraced as part of the learning process, making it a great place for those ready to take risks and grow through experience. Lighthouse Labs grads excel at LAUFT because of the company’s “high-trust culture that supports people to try, fail, and grow.” This supportive environment encourages talent to experiment and explore new ideas, embracing challenges with humility. “We trust people by default and it is up to them to break that trust down. The only thing we expect is the courage to try” Jesse elaborated, highlighting the autonomy LAUFT offers. Grads are empowered to take charge of projects, making LAUFT an ideal environment for those eager to apply their skills in a real-world setting. A current employee shared, “I love the autonomy I have to explore my ideas and take charge of my projects. It's a place where I can learn from my teammates while still having the freedom to experiment and grow. Every day presents new challenges that excite me and help me develop my skills. I truly feel like I’m making a difference here.” Contributions from Lighthouse Labs graduates to LAUFT’s vision Lighthouse Labs graduates have made significant contributions to LAUFT’s growth. One grad led the development of a React.JS web app that now accounts for 20% of daily workspace reservations. Another graduate tackled the creation of a hardware check-in kiosk with integrated QR code scanning and payment processing. Both projects have driven new revenue streams and expanded LAUFT’s customer base, showcasing the impact of these talented graduates. Looking ahead: A continued partnership LAUFT anticipates a need for cybersecurity professionals as they continue to grow, particularly in their work with the Government of Canada. They are excited about future collaborations with Lighthouse Labs and the continued growth of our shared talent pipeline. “I’m a fan of Lighthouse Labs and look forward to more collaborations between our organizations in the future,” Jesse said. Learn about Lighthouse Lab’s Talent Acquisition services. See the impact of other Hiring Partners Our network of over 4,000 Hiring Partners across all industries is constantly growing. Learn about a few of them: Empowered 4x Empowered 4X, a business development center in Brampton, Ontario, offers consulting, training, business support, and co-working spaces. We connected with Tianna Hoang, HR Coordinator, who shared how Empowered 4X has embraced Lighthouse Labs graduates. Over the years, they’ve hired three graduates who have become integral members of their technical team. Tianna highlighted the strong partnership between Empowered 4X and Lighthouse Labs, emphasizing the graduates’ eagerness to learn, adaptability, and valuable contributions across various industries. Check out the spotlight. Appy.yo Appy.yo, specializes in streamlining digital transformation. From concept to launch and beyond, their experienced team collaborates closely with clients, turning unique ideas into successful projects. We interviewed Nadia, the Founder and Lead Project Manager who highlighted the strong bond between Lighthouse Labs and Appy.yo. Over the years, Appy.yo has become a welcoming hub for Lighthouse Labs graduates, with more than 20 alumni finding their footing within its UX/UI and cybersecurity departments. Check out the spotlight. Pixeltree Inc. Pixeltree Inc. is a software consultancy firm in Calgary, Alberta. We interviewed Daniel Huss, Head of Mentorship at Pixeltree, and Carolina Contreras Isas and Tristan Cole, two of our Bootcamp graduates who successfully switched to a tech career and now work as software developers at Pixeltree. They were gracious enough to talk to us about the journey to a new career in tech, both from an employer's and a Bootcamp graduate's perspective. Check out the spotlight. Autotelic Development Ltd. Autotelic Development Ltd is a full-stack software and consultancy company. We spoke to Edward Stone, Autotelic's Chief Executive Officer, and Meghan Hein and Alex Hauka, Lighthouse Labs grads turned Full-Stack Developers at Autotelic, about the journey to an optimal career and the systems necessary to ensure that young developers thrive in their new jobs. Check out the spotlight.