Hi, This is Martha Laughman (Workforce Director) at Smoothstack. I am sorry you had a less than adequate experience. It sounds like there is some confusion and I will speak with both your recruiter and your interviewer. Our model is an Apprenticeship model. We recruit candidates that have high aptitude, but may not meet all the job requirements. We pay for the training and give stipends during training. Those that make it through the paid training (usually 15 weeks) go through a second selection process to be placed on 2 year contracts. This gives you time to complete a whole project, practice your new skills and continue to receive professional development, soft skill training, mentorship, etc. The two year requirement is for the protection of the program. Employer partners and trainers would not want to front load costs and invest in candidates if they were not committed for a min length of time. Apprenticeship may not be for everyone, but the purpose of it is to open doors to those that otherwise may not get the chance. Non traditional pathways are important to creating diversity in the IT industry and fill much needed job roles. If you have more questions or just want to chat feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn.