News & Events

Mentoring is the first step towards becoming an instructor. If you're a software developer with a few years experience under your belt, we have a whole generation of Oaklanders who need your support!

Training at Programmers Guild relies on local mentors to provide examples of professionalism and unique skills. As a trainee, having a local professional take an interest in your development is critical to building a sense of community and nurture local talent. Its about that grass roots involvement that lets young people know that their leaders are invested in their success! 

Mentors remind us all that there are real stakes to fostering local talent. This talent is a glimpse of tomorrow and if we're not showing up for them, we're not leading. Become a leader!

The Guild is looking for more mentors in Oakland. Mentors are expected to show up in person and for some online training events. In return we treat our mentors with the respect they deserve to honor their commitment to paying it forward:

1. Lunch/Dinner provided always.
2. Access to the workshop -- work remotely from Programmers Guild!
3. Network with fellow software developers.
4. SWAG!!!

...or call us at 415-916-6715. We can't wait to have you this Summer!

S.M.A.S.H.: Software Must Always Serve Humans. Every time you see SMASH this year at the Guild, we'll be teaching you how to BUILD software. That means hardware development, programming, system administration, testing and Q&A skills. If you're trying to improve your skills, these workshops are especially for you!

As always, these training workshops are mostly in person at our location downtown. However, we're also going to keep online training available each month for those who cannot travel. Our workshops are small and intimate, designed to give you as much 1-on-1 time with instructors and mentors as possible. Space is limited and lunch is included for all in-person training. We want to feed you mind and your body, nurture your skills and mentor you as you build a stable career! For questions, give us a call at 415-916-6715.

A.I. Workshops for Software Developers

Software developers LOVE our tools. It's all we ever talk about! But tools that are life changing don't come around very often, and fewer that are worthy of mass media coverage. Automation for everyday computer use is arriving on our doorsteps. Who will build the software that harnesses this amazing technology?

This year we'll be delivering life-changing training to help software developers harness A.I. in ways that enhances your careers. If you really want to learn to engineer prompts, then you must learn to test your software. During these training programs we focus on how to configure your A.I. tools to get reproducible, more secure, and most importantly, code that can be easily reproduced. For those who've had an introduction to software testing, you'll find these workshops even more illuminating!

Learn to master your computer skills. If you (want to) write code for a living, then build something. Your goal shouldn't be to just learn to use everyone else's stuff. There are hard limits to career growth on that path and they all lead to a layoff -- not a retirement. In 2026, simply knowing how to use stuff is a path to instability, poverty and unhappiness. It's hard-work fulfilling your goals. 

If you can learn a coding tool, so can anyone else. The real question is: can you build a coding tool? Your goal should be to BUILD the tools everyone else uses, and to learn to build tools that people enjoy.

This series of workshops is crafted to make you a builder. We want you to build something. To do that, you need a community that nurtures your skills and helps you build knowledge. And we’re here for it! 

This Summer, we’re hosting the following workshops each month through August:

1. Unix Skill Workshop (Novice), 1 week, starts 5/25
2. Python Skill Workshop (Intermediate), 1 week, starts 6/1
3. Software Testing (Intermediate +), 1 week, starts 6/8
4. S.M.A.S.H. Workshop, 1 day, starts 5/20

Seats are limited. Visit the training page for full details on what you'll learn and how to join!