Climb Hire: Free job training in the Bay Area to help you break into a new career

Local IT training
We offer job training programs to support individuals from underserved communities in California to kick-start a career in tech. Enrollment is open to the Bay Area, including Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma.
100% free programs
The IT training we provide is completely free to all learners—thanks to the funding we receive from government grants and philanthropic organizations. We even cover the cost of certification exams, such as CompTIA A+ and Google IT Support Professional.
Job readiness support
You’ll receive ongoing career readiness training throughout your job hunt, so you have the soft skills you need, as well as the practical knowledge to succeed. 80% of Climbers get a tech job within 12 months of completing the course. 

IT Support

Our IT Support learning track provides training in everything you need for an entry-level role in IT or tech.

Over the six-month program, you’ll train toward CompTIA A+, the gold-standard certification for the IT industry. You’ll take two exams, CompTIA A+ 1101 and 1102, for free. Plus, you will:

  • Gain skills in operating systems, networks, and programming
  • Troubleshoot hardware, software, and cybersecurity issues
  • Get hands-on experience by working with real-world projects
  • Earn the Google IT Support Professional Certificate.
Climb Hire’s IT training requires 20 hours of commitment a week (nine hours of classes and 11 hours of assignments). You’ll learn in live, instructor-led classes, where you'll get real-time feedback and build relationships with classmates. 

Job readiness training

Enroll in our IT Support program or another learning track and you’ll get career development training to boost your chance of landing a rewarding tech role:

  • One-to-one coaching for six months with a career advisor
  • Structured sessions to create an effective LinkedIn profile, a professional resume, and a compelling elevator pitch
  • A year of LinkedIn Premium to help you connect with employers
  • Access to the Alumni Network Portal, with exclusive job boards, application tracking tools, and connections to industry professionals.
Our alumni go on to land roles as IT support technicians, sysadmins, and IT help desk technicians—at companies such as Google, IBM, and Salesforce.

Other support services

It’s not easy to dedicate yourself to learning if you’re already juggling the pressures of work or family life. At Climb Hire, we offer additional services to help you carve out the space you need to commit to your career growth.

We have a partnership with SNAP, to ensure everyone has the food security they need to excel. When we asked Climbers what obstacles they faced in their learning experience, food insecurity was most frequently mentioned.

We’re working to offer additional services, including support with childcare, internet access, and learning accommodation testing. Stay tuned for more.

Prerequisites

To enroll in our IT Support course, you need to:

  • Live in California or Colorado (new for 2025)
  • Have authorization to work in the US
  • Be between the ages of 24 and 40
  • Have an annual income of $30k or below
  • Have a computer with a webcam and microphone (or headset)
  • Be able to commit to 20 hours a week of learning for your selected 6-month session.

Our San Francisco address

2261 Market Street STE 10955
San Francisco, CA 94114
Alternative IT training providers in the Bay Area 
At Climb Hire, we’re not the only organization offering IT training in the Bay Area. Here are some alternatives if we’re not a good fit. 
SynergisticIT
As well as being a software engineering agency, SynergisticIT offers upskilling programs in the Java programming language, as well as in AI and data science. The agency also helps with IT staffing, so as a learner you may have the opportunity to be placed later with one of their clients. It’s based in Fremont.
YearUp United
YearUp offers virtual training courses across the US, including in the fields of IT support and software development. These programs are only available to people between the ages of 18 and 29.
Code Tenderloin
Based in downtown San Francisco, Code Tenderloin is a job training non-profit offering programs and bootcamps in coding, data analytics, AI automation, and more.
Dev/Mission
The goal of this charity is to fix the issue of diversity in tech. It partners with tech companies to offer mentorships, internships, and apprenticeships, alongside fundamental digital literacy training. It’s based in San Francisco.
TechSherpas
TechSherpas runs tech and IT training courses across the country, including in the San Francisco Bay Area and San Jose. You can learn in-person or via an online course.
Computer Technologies Program (CTP)
CTP has been offering training sessions in vocational skills to people with disabilities since 1974. This includes training in computer essentials, cybersecurity, and customer service. All courses are remote, but the organization is headquartered in Berkeley.
Colleges and universities in the Bay Area offering IT training
If you want to take your IT training to degree level, here are some options in the Bay Area to consider:
San José State University
The university’s School of Info Systems and Technology offers a course in management information systems (MIS), which combines themes and methodologies from business and technology. You’ll study data structures, project management, and more.
San Francisco State University
SFSU offers a range of academic and professional certificates in cybersecurity, computer engineering, and information systems. You can take bachelor degrees, graduate certificates, or professional qualifications
University of California, Berkeley
UC Berkeley boasts one of the most prestigious computer science degrees in the country
Stanford University
offers computer science training at undergraduate and doctoral level. But you can also take computing short courses in areas such as Python, machine learning, and web development
There are 116 community colleges in California, with 19 in the Bay Area alone. Each of them offers something slightly different, so it’s important to check their curricula in detail when applying. You can find a college close to you on the website of the California Community Colleges.