Top 10 Tech Apprenticeships, Internships and Entry-Level Jobs in Winston-Salem, NC in 2026

Table of Contents

• Welcome to Winston-Salem's Tech Advantage
• Forsyth Tech LEAP
• Year Up Charlotte
• Per Scholas North Carolina
• Inmar Intelligence Internships
• Wake Forest IT Internships
• Novant Health IT Apprenticeships
• Truist Financial IT Rotation
• Fluree Software Roles
• Procter & Gamble Intelligent Controls
• Forsyth Tech IT Pathway
• Take the First Step in 2026
• Frequently Asked Questions

Forsyth Tech LEAP

When the map of possibilities feels vast, the premier path is often the one with the most secure foundation. Forsyth Tech's nationally recognized LEAP (Learn & Earn Apprenticeship Program) is precisely that - a gold-standard, adult-focused apprenticeship that combines paid, on-the-job training with an Associate in Applied Science degree.

Spanning two to three years, the model directly connects you with major local employers like Inmar Intelligence and Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, where you earn an hourly wage that increases as your skills grow. This partnership between academia and industry is designed to build the exact workforce local companies need. As John Carstens, Dean of Engineering Technologies, states, the program is "connecting industry with the skilled workforce they require while improving the lives of individuals".

The curriculum focuses on high-demand areas critical to Winston-Salem's tech ecosystem, including IT support, network administration, cybersecurity, and data science. Participants have described the opportunity as "a blessing," allowing them to gain an education without sacrificing essential income. With a proven high placement rate upon completion, LEAP represents the most secure and transformative investment for a career-changer, bypassing student debt while building immediate, marketable expertise.

Actionable Step: Begin your application through the Forsyth Tech apprenticeship portal and prepare to highlight any hands-on technical experience, even from personal projects or prior roles.

Year Up Charlotte

If the classic apprenticeship is a masterclass in sustained craft, then Year Up Charlotte is an intensive, high-velocity sprint into the corporate tech world. This powerful bridge program serves young adults aged 18-29 in the Winston-Salem region, offering a one-year model designed for rapid, impactful entry.

The structure is clear and immersive: six months of full-time professional and technical training in tracks like Software Development or IT Support, followed by a six-month, paid internship at a Fortune 500 partner company. Participants earn an educational stipend during training and a salary during their internship, which can be approximately $600 or more per month. The program's nationwide track record is exceptional, with 90% of graduates employed or enrolled in further education within four months of completion.

This pathway is ideal for those who thrive in a fast-paced, structured environment and are ready to commit to a corporate career. It provides not just technical skills but critical professional development, networking, and a direct line to major employers. While based in Charlotte, it actively recruits and supports talent from across the Piedmont Triad.

Actionable Step: Applications are competitive; your essay should emphasize resilience, determination, and a clear vision for your career. Investigate tracks like their Application Development Support program as a prime example of their technical offerings.

Per Scholas North Carolina

For those needing to build a robust foundation quickly and without financial barriers, Per Scholas North Carolina operates like a highly focused, immersive exhibit. This program offers tuition-free, intensive IT training bootcamps spanning 13 to 15 weeks, available virtually to learners across Northwest North Carolina.

The curriculum is designed for immediate employability, providing industry-recognized credentials such as the CompTIA A+ and the Google IT Support Professional Certificate, with courses now incorporating an AI-Enabled IT focus. With no cost to learners and wraparound support, Per Scholas boasts an 85% graduation rate, demonstrating its effectiveness in guiding students to completion.

This pathway is ideal for career-changers who must pivot rapidly. Graduates often secure roles in technical support and IT operations, where starting salaries in Winston-Salem can range from $50,000 to $60,000. The model proves that a lack of a traditional degree or upfront capital is not a barrier to entering the tech field, especially in a market where skills-first hiring is becoming the norm.

Actionable Step: Visit the Per Scholas North Carolina location page to check open enrollment cycles for their IT Support or other tracks, and prepare for the commitment to a rigorous, full-time schedule.

Inmar Intelligence Internships

Moving from foundational training to specialized experience, the next exhibit showcases a direct pipeline into Winston-Salem's corporate tech core. As a local tech anchor and data analytics leader, Inmar Intelligence offers premier summer internships that function like exclusive fellowships in software development and data engineering.

These roles are highly competitive and provide substantive project experience within a company that powers commerce and analytics for major retailers and brands. An internship here is more than a line on a resume; it's immersion in the local innovation ecosystem centered in the Innovation Quarter and is widely recognized as a direct conduit to full-time employment. Recruiting follows the corporate calendar, typically peaking in early fall for the following summer, making advanced planning a critical differentiator for applicants.

This pathway is designed for college students or recent graduates ready to apply academic knowledge to real-world data and engineering challenges. Success requires demonstrating not just technical competency but the initiative to build a visible portfolio of work.

Actionable Step: Mark your calendar for September recruitment. Meticulously polish your GitHub profile with projects that showcase practical skills in Python, SQL, or data visualization, and set alerts on Inmar's career page.

Wake Forest IT Internships

This pathway leads to a unique wing where technology, world-class healthcare, and advanced academia converge. Internships within the Wake Forest University and Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist system offer an unparalleled entry point into the booming HealthTech sector, one of Winston-Salem's most vital specializations.

Roles here are diverse, spanning traditional university IT, high-performance research computing, and the critically important field of healthcare IT. You could be working on network administration for a hospital, cybersecurity for medical systems, or software supporting groundbreaking clinical research. This environment provides exposure to real-world challenges where technology directly impacts patient outcomes and scientific discovery.

The compensation reflects the value of this specialized experience. For instance, related biostatistics and IT internships within the system offer competitive pay, with estimates ranging from $18.85 to $28.30 per hour. This pathway isn't just a job; it's a mission-driven career launchpad at the intersection of data, life sciences, and innovation, all within one of the region's largest and most respected institutions.

Actionable Step: Proactively network at Wake Forest STEM career fairs. Tailor your resume and interview responses to highlight any understanding of regulatory frameworks or data privacy concepts (like HIPAA), even if gained through coursework, to demonstrate awareness of the healthcare tech landscape.

Novant Health IT Apprenticeships

Standing beside Wake Forest's vast medical complex, Novant Health represents another titan of the regional healthcare landscape, offering its own distinct portals into technology. Their structured apprenticeships and internships provide a mission-driven entry into the critical world of digital health, focusing on areas like cybersecurity, IT support, and digital platform management.

These programs often leverage partnerships with local colleges, creating a powerful blend of classroom theory and hands-on, on-the-job training within a leading healthcare system. This approach ensures that participants not only learn technical skills but also understand their application in a high-stakes, patient-centered environment. The critical need for robust, secure IT in healthcare translates to strong job security and a clear, purposeful career trajectory for those who enter through this door.

For those inspired by the intersection of care and technology, this pathway offers a direct line. Success here requires demonstrating more than just technical aptitude; it demands an understanding of how systems impact both clinical workflows and patient experiences. As with other North Carolina skills-building initiatives, the emphasis is on creating tangible value from day one.

Actionable Step: In your application and interviews, be prepared to discuss real-world problem-solving and customer service experiences. Articulate how technology can improve patient care - this mission-focused perspective will distinguish you in a competitive field.

Truist Financial IT Rotation

Shifting from the healthcare corridor, the next pathway opens into the polished halls of financial technology. As one of the region's largest employers, Truist Financial offers structured entry points through IT rotation programs and apprenticeships that serve as a comprehensive introduction to FinTech.

These programs are designed to expose newcomers to various tech domains within the banking world, from application development and data analytics to cybersecurity and infrastructure. By rotating through different teams, participants gain corporate-scale experience and mentorship, building a broad, valuable skill set. The programs frequently partner with local colleges to source talent, creating a direct pipeline from education to a stable, high-demand career in financial services right here in the Triad.

This pathway is ideal for those drawn to the unique challenges and scale of the finance industry, where security, compliance, and real-time data processing are paramount. It represents a chance to launch a tech career within an established corporate framework, offering stability and clear progression. As a top-ranked employer in the area, Truist provides a significant platform for professional growth.

Actionable Step: Before applying, research Truist’s core business technologies and the regulatory landscape of banking. Be prepared to articulate your interest in how technology solves specific finance industry challenges, such as fraud detection or secure digital transactions.

Fluree Software Roles

After exploring the established halls of corporate and healthcare tech, our tour turns to a more dynamic gallery: Winston-Salem's innovative startup ecosystem. Here, companies like Fluree represent the cutting edge. As a top-ranked local firm focused on blockchain and decentralized data management, Fluree offers entry-level software roles that provide hands-on experience with modern, specialized tech stacks.

For candidates with foundational skills from a bootcamp or relevant degree, starting at a firm like Fluree means high growth potential and the chance to have significant impact on a product's direction. This pathway is the antithesis of anonymous corporate work; it's about contributing directly to a "hotbed for high tech startups" that experts recognize in Winston-Salem, supported by local incubators and a collaborative innovation community.

These roles demand not just technical ability but a genuine passion for emerging fields like semantic technology and data integrity. You'll be working on the foundational systems that govern how data is stored, verified, and shared - skills increasingly crucial in the AI-driven market. It's an ideal launchpad for developers who want to build with pioneering technology from the very beginning of their careers.

Actionable Step: Build a small, functional project using a modern framework like React or Node.js to demonstrate core competency. In your application, clearly articulate your interest in Fluree's specific domain - such as data trust or decentralized architecture - to show you're aligned with their mission.

Procter & Gamble Intelligent Controls

Our curated tour now arrives at a wing dedicated to industrial innovation, where software meets the physical world. Procter & Gamble's substantial local manufacturing and engineering operations serve as a major hub for automation and Industry 4.0. They recruit for entry-level roles such as Intelligent Controls & Automation Engineers, positions that uniquely blend software, hardware, and data analytics to optimize production lines.

This pathway is perfect for those with an engineering mindset who want to work with the Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, and real-time data systems within a global industry leader's facility. It's a tangible application of tech skills with immediate, visible impact. The compensation reflects the specialized, high-value nature of this work, with salaries for such engineering roles reaching up to $115,000 in the region, offering a strong financial foundation alongside cutting-edge experience.

Unlike purely digital roles, this position requires an understanding of physical processes and control systems. It represents a critical and growing segment of Winston-Salem's diverse tech economy, where advanced manufacturing meets data science.

Actionable Step: Highlight any hands-on project work, participation in a robotics club, or relevant automation coursework on your resume. Demonstrating a basic understanding of manufacturing processes or programmable logic controller (PLC) concepts will be a significant advantage during the interview process.

Forsyth Tech IT Pathway

Before confidently stepping into the specialized galleries of tech careers, every aspiring professional needs a studio to master the fundamentals. Forsyth Technical Community College’s credit-based IT programs serve as that essential, accessible studio.

Their Programming & Software Development pathway teaches multiple in-demand languages and can be completed at a fraction of the cost of a traditional four-year degree. This makes it the most flexible and affordable method to gain the concrete skills that make you a viable candidate for the apprenticeships, internships, and entry-level roles highlighted throughout this guide.

The college’s strong partnerships with major local employers mean that these programs are not conducted in a vacuum; they are designed with direct input from the industry, and companies actively recruit from these cohorts. It’s a strategic first move, building a portfolio and knowledge base that turns the overwhelming map of tech options into a clear set of next steps.

Actionable Step: Enroll in an upcoming semester. Immediately begin applying your classroom lessons to personal or open-source projects, committing your code to a public GitHub repository. This growing portfolio will be your most valuable asset when applying for your next opportunity.

Take the First Step in 2026

The grand museum map is no longer a confusing grid of arrows. Each of these ten pathways is a known door with a handle you can grasp. Winston-Salem's unique blend of established healthcare and finance titans alongside high-growth startups provides a compelling and diverse canvas for your tech career.

The timing to act is now. The 2026 hiring season for internships and apprenticeships is already on the horizon, with peak recruitment typically occurring from September to November 2025. This cycle is your signal to move from planning to action. Whether you choose the paid, long-term mastery of LEAP, the intensive trial of a Year Up internship, or the foundational build at Forsyth Tech, the first step is decisive.

Remember, you are navigating this journey in a state leading the nation in tech opportunity and in a city where your starting salary carries greater weight. As highlighted by statewide growth projections, the momentum is firmly at your back.

The first step isn't to see and understand every exhibit in the entire museum - it's to walk confidently through the first door that aligns with your goals. Your curated tour ends here, but your career in Winston-Salem's dynamic tech ecosystem begins the moment you choose to begin.

Frequently Asked Questions