Bradesco - iOS Training Program

Client
Bradesco 

Area
Finance 

Summarized Problem
In recent years, the demand for IT professionals, especially software developers, has significantly increased. However, the supply of qualified professionals to meet this demand has been insufficient. Scopus Desenvolvimento de Sistemas (Scopus Systems Development) and Grupo Bradesco (Bradesco Group) noticed this scenario in 2018, leading them to seek solutions to address this situation, particularly in iOS app development. 

Summarized Solution
Visionnaire and Scopus partnered with PUCPR (Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná) to create the iOS Training Program, conducted from January to June 2019. The program aimed to train students and professionals in iOS development and offer job opportunities to standout students, allowing them to participate in iOS projects with partner companies. 

Results
The iOS Training Program was a resounding success. At the end, a total of 15 students were qualified to be hired by Visionnaire and Bradesco to develop software solutions for Apple's iOS platform. All of them obtained a strong technical foundation focused on the job market. 

All 15 students were hired by Visionnaire and Bradesco, with thirteen of them working on specific projects for the financial institution. The program's goal was to have the best candidates working for Bradesco after a period. As a result, a significant portion of these 13 students was hired by Bradesco, and many of them continued their careers with the institution. The success of the program led to its repetition in 2022. 

Technologies
The Swift programming language is Apple's standard for developing iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS applications. It offers modern and concise syntax, strong type safety, and high performance. Objective-C, on the other hand, is an object-oriented programming language primarily used for iOS and macOS app development. It combines C syntax with object-oriented programming extensions, providing features such as inheritance, polymorphism, and message passing between objects. Before the emergence of Swift, Objective-C was widely used for Apple app development. Therefore, the iOS Training Program also covered Objective-C to ensure compatibility with existing systems during the transitional period. 

Xcode is Apple's official Integrated Development Environment (IDE). It provides a comprehensive set of tools for creating, debugging, and deploying applications for Apple's systems. Xcode includes a code editor, debugger, and iOS device simulator, among other useful tools. 

Interface Builder is a tool within Xcode that allows developers to create user interfaces for iOS and macOS apps using a visual approach. It enables developers to drag and drop interface elements, configure their properties, and connect them to Swift code. 

Cocoa Touch is a set of libraries and frameworks provided by Apple for iOS app development. It includes essential frameworks like UIKit, which offers a variety of user interface components such as buttons, tables, views, and input controls. 

SwiftUI is a user interface framework introduced by Apple in 2019. It allows developers to create declarative and responsive user interfaces for iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS apps. SwiftUI simplifies app development with a simple and intuitive syntax. 

Core Data is a data management framework provided by Apple. It allows developers to store, retrieve, and manipulate data in iOS and macOS apps. Core Data offers features such as persistence, searching, undo/redo, and versioning support. 

CloudKit is an Apple Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS) that enables developers to store and sync app data in the cloud. It provides features for user authentication, data storage, file sharing, push notifications, and more. 

ARKit is an Augmented Reality (AR) framework that allows developers to create immersive AR experiences on iOS and iPadOS devices. It provides features for position and orientation tracking, surface detection, virtual object rendering, and interaction with the real environment. 

HealthKit is a framework that allows apps to access and share health and fitness data on iOS and watchOS. It enables developers to collect sensor data, access user health information, and provide health and fitness-related features. 

The iOS Training Program covered all the major Apple technologies during the course modules, from basic to advanced aspects. 

Detailed Problem
In recent years, there has been a growing demand for IT professionals, especially software developers. The supply of qualified professionals to meet this demand has proven insufficient due to various factors, such as the continuous technological advancement, which drove digitalization across industries, increasing the need for qualified professionals to develop and maintain systems and applications. Additionally, the expansion of e-commerce, social networks, and the Internet of Things created new opportunities and demands in the IT field. 

The rapid evolution of technologies necessitates constant skill updates, making it challenging to maintain a workforce in pace with the advancements. Moreover, fierce competition among companies for technical talent has led to a shortage of experienced and skilled professionals. In summary, the increasing demand for software developers and IT professionals in recent years has been affected by rapid technological transformation and the difficulty of keeping up with market needs, resulting in a significant talent shortage. In the case of iOS development, this shortage is particularly noticeable due to the relatively higher cost of Apple devices. 

This was the scenario encountered by Scopus Desenvolvimento de Sistemas (Scopus Systems Development), part of Grupo Bradesco (Bradesco Group), in 2018. Both companies recognized the lack of qualified professionals for iOS app development and needed to find a solution. 

Detailed Solution
In partnership with PUCPR, Visionnaire, and Scopus created the iOS Training Program (Programa de Capacitação iOS), held between January and June 2019, with two main objectives: providing iOS training for students and professionals, and offering employment opportunities to standout students who could participate in iOS projects at Visionnaire and Scopus. 

Held in Curitiba, the capital of Paraná, Brazil, the iOS Training Program was free for participants and open to all interested PUCPR students, as well as students from other universities and non-students already employed. The initiative focused on providing training in iOS app development, specifically in Swift. 

A selection process conducted by PUCPR determined the participants, prioritizing candidates with daytime availability, considering the program's employability goal. The process consisted of an initial test followed by interviews. During the initial selection, PUCPR suggested the best schedule for the program, taking into account the availability of most candidates. 

The program was divided into five modules: Swift/Objective-C Introduction (30 hours), Basic iOS (40 hours), Advanced iOS (40 hours), Final Project (60 hours), and Corporate Environment Work (20 hours). The classes were taught at PUCPR by experienced iOS teachers. Students received certificates issued by PUCPR upon completing each module. 

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Case Presentation