An expert delivering excellent hire-train-deploy solutions to help companies find best people for all its digital initiatives: Smoothstack

Smoothstack, led by CEO John Akkara, was founded on the success of a hire-train-deploy (HTD) pilot program he launched in the early days of his entrepreneurship. He was facing a critical, but common challenge as a founder—finding skilled talent at scale to support rapid growth. It was here that John and his team piloted the HTD model as an innovative solution. This proprietary process evaluates, hires, and trains talent, creating a scalable and efficient workforce. Initially designed to meet internal hiring needs, the hire train deploy company approach proved so effective that it became the foundation of Smoothstack, now offering this solution at scale. Today, the company has deployed thousands of skilled professionals into technical roles, supporting over 46 federal agencies and numerous enterprise organizations across various sectors.

Driven by a commitment to providing access to opportunity, especially for underrepresented and disadvantaged communities, Akkara ensures that Smoothstack’s HTD approach focuses on meritocracy. Rather than relying on traditional credentials, the company’s platform highlights skills and potential, offering individuals from diverse backgrounds a pathway to career success. With AI embedded throughout its vetting and training processes, Smoothstack equips high-aptitude consultants with the technical skills necessary for success in their respective domains. By bridging the talent gap and creating a more equitable workforce, Smoothstack is empowering individuals to rise based on their abilities, creating long-term career growth and a more diverse, skilled workforce.

In conversation with John Akkara, CEO of Smoothstack

Q. Smoothstack’s “hire-train-deploy” model is quite innovative. Can you explain how it addresses the talent gap in the tech industry?

Smoothstack’s hire-train-deploy model reimagines how organizations can bridge the talent gap, moving beyond traditional recruitment and training. Instead of waiting for that elusive “perfect candidate or candidates,” we take a proactive approach by building a talent pipeline from untapped talent pools and custom training them to the unique specifications of our clients. We start by hiring individuals with raw potential and foundational skills, and then invest in targeted training designed around the infrastructure of the client. This isn’t just about upskilling, it’s about preparing individuals for the real-world projects they’ll face in their roles. By integrating training directly with deployment, we ensure that new hires are ready to contribute effectively and noticeably from day one.

This model not only fills immediate talent needs at scale, but also addresses long-term industry trends. It’s a practical solution to the skills mismatch by aligning training directly with job requirements, creating a more agile and responsive workforce. As a result, companies can bridge their talent gaps more efficiently, while individuals gain relevant skills and career opportunities that align with current market demands.

Q. The company emphasizes creating “net-new” tech talent. How does your approach help diversify the tech sector, and what outcomes have you seen so far?

It’s not a secret that breaking into tech can be particularly challenging for minorities and individuals from difficult socioeconomic backgrounds. We often see barriers such as limited access to quality education, a lack of professional networks, and financial constraints that make traditional pathways like prestigious degrees or unpaid internships more difficult to pursue. At Smoothstack, we remove these barriers by focusing on foundational skills and raw potential. By offering paid, tailored training programs, we’re helping these candidates get a foot in the door to high-paying tech careers.

We are democratizing access to careers in tech by steering work to underserved areas and offering remote opportunities that transcend geographic limitations. Traditionally, tech jobs have been concentrated in specific regions, but we’re bringing those opportunities to people who might otherwise never have had the chance to work in these roles.

Currently, over 51% of our tech talent comes from ethnically diverse backgrounds, and 72% of all employees fall under one or more diversity groups. We proudly hold minority-owned distinction and have established 15 partnerships with historically Black colleges and universities, and that number is growing. We’re extremely proud to be reshaping the tech landscape to be more representative and equitable, with a stronger, more diverse pipeline.

Q. How do your partnerships with technology providers like Salesforce, Databricks, and MuleSoft enhance the training programs offered to your clients?

Our partnerships with leading technology companies are crucial to the success of our training programs. Take our partnership with Databricks, for example. As a Databricks Consulting Partner, we go beyond generic training—we design programs specifically tailored to the Databricks Lakehouse Platform, ensuring that our deployed cohorts are equipped with practical, hands-on knowledge.

These partnerships allow us to deliver highly focused, results-driven training that fuels long-term success and deepens the engagement of our clients with cutting-edge technology.

Q. Can you share a success story that demonstrates how your company has helped a client achieve their business goals through custom-trained tech talent?

Our state client was facing a critical challenge: a wave of retirements was about to hit at the same time, interfering with their desire and ability to adopt nascent technologies that would drive progress. Unlike the allure of tech giants or top IT firms, there was no buzz around these roles, so they struggled to attract the talent they needed.

Smoothstack tackled this head-on by designing a strategic solution. We assembled large, specialized cohorts of talent, meticulously custom trained in the specific technologies our client was adopting. Instead of piecemeal hires, we brought in these teams all at once, fully prepared to integrate seamlessly into the client’s operations.

The impact was immediate. With these large, custom-trained teams onboarded simultaneously, the client not only filled their talent gap - they were able to accelerate their tech adoption, address their operational challenges, and achieve their business goals effectively.

Q. What does the future hold for your company and its customers? Are exciting things on the way?

Smoothstack first started out with a focus in software development, then expanded into cloud computing, digital platforms, and key partnerships still largely within the development space. Now, we’re at the forefront of something even bigger: driving AI adoption.

As hyperscalers continue to drive demand for AI, the demand for advanced data centers, and a workforce to support them, only grows. To fuel these data centers, you need cutting-edge chips, and to produce those chips, you require sophisticated tools. Smoothstack is postured to scale and support each facet—cloud, data centers, advanced manufacturing, and AI/ML - providing first-class, bespoke trained talent.

By extending our expertise to these critical areas on top of our existing ventures, we’ve positioned ourselves to help our customers navigate this inevitable and transformative shift.

“We are democratizing access to careers in tech by steering work to underserved areas and offering remote opportunities that transcend geographic limitations.”