Here's a valuable opportunity for Detroiters with tech interest: Applications are invited by next Friday for a free three-month apprenticeship program for city residents.



Grand Circus' coding classroom at its Woodward headquarters downtown.

It's a win-win for a local health insurance firm, which needs software developers, and for those ready to start a career or switch to a growing field. It's also a break for Grand Circus, a downtown training center hired to evaluate applicants and run a three-month coding "boot camp."

Moreover, the city keeps residents with upgraded employment skills. What's not to love about this, right? (There's no catch, honestly.)

“Detroit has a chronic shortage of tech talent. There are also thousands of people interested in tech who simply can’t access the resources necessary to launch a tech career," comments Damien Rocchi, founer and chief executive at Grand Circus. "We believe . . . anyone can be a software developer, so this new training model is the type of creative approach our city needs."

His four-year-old program has prepared more than 650 software developers. Graduates work at more than 100 companies throughout the state

Below are the basics of this summer's program. No enrollment cutoff number is given:

► The employer: Meridian provides government-based health plans (Medicare, Medicaid and the federal Health Insurance Marketplace) in Michigan and five other Midwestern states. Its downtown headquarters is at 1 Campus Martius. A branch is in Chicago.

► The work: Front-end software development (writing program code for customer services and other business operations).

► The training: Two weeks of mandatory prep work at home. Lectures, coding, labs and projects at Grand Circus, 1570 Woodward Ave., from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each weekday for 12 weeks. (Training time is unpaid.)

► The deal: Accepted applicants get free training from July 10-Sept. 29 and a conditional job offer upon successful completion.

► Requirements: Detroit resident at least 18 years old. Logic and problem-solving skills, though not necessarily excellence in math. Computer literacy and basic understanding of popular online tools. Must pass background screening and have reliable transportation to downtown.

► Apply here by noon Friday, May 26.

► Learn more here about timetable, what to expect and other boot camp details. (Meridian benefits, growth.and workplace culture are summarized here.)

► Questions: hello@grandcircus.co