What began as a first-of-its-kind apprenticeship between Boise State and the Idaho Office of Information Technology Services is now becoming a sustainable student pipeline.

After Hope Kiefner and Noah Woodring helped launch and shape the organization's first User Experience (UX) apprenticeship, a new cohort is building on that foundation - expanding the program's reach across research, dashboards and website redesign.

Senior digital innovation and design major Trevor Eversmann and graphic design major Miyuki Henry are the latest UX Design apprentices working with ITS, applying classroom learning to real-world projects.

Eversmann was planning to go into graphic design after finishing his Associates of Liberal Arts from CWI, but discovered the Digital Innovation + Design program while exploring options that moved beyond visual design.

"I really liked the idea of thinking about the user experience," he said. "That's a big focus as part of the program. So I decided to give it a try, and I've really liked doing it."

Henry intentionally added UX to broaden her problem-solving skills.

"Both graphic design and UX design share the goal of problem-solving, but their approaches differ," she said. "I felt that the hands-on experience in this program would help me turn my theoretical knowledge into practical skills."

Turning coursework into real-world execution

At ITS, Eversmann and Henry are applying UX methods across internal research, data dashboards and a full website redesign.

They are conducting internal user interviews to gather metrics from ITS teams and translating those insights into dashboards that improve communication across the organization. They are also preparing for a redesign of the ITS website, both internal and external.

"As a UXD apprentice, Trevor and I are preparing to develop a system to collect meaningful metrics from ITS teams," Henry said. "I am also working on the ITS Website Project, the Cyber Discovery logo design, and a Power BI dashboard using data from Excel sheets related to IRT (Innovative Readiness Training)."

Both students credit the UXD certificate for preparing them to step into complex environments.

"I don't feel like I'm just going in without any sort of guideline of what to do," Eversmann said. "I kind of know how to get started, even if there's not a ton of guidance."

A path to UX careers

What began with the program's first apprentices is now becoming a sustainable pathway - one cohort helping prepare the next.

Mentorship from Hope Kiefner and Noah Woodring helped ease the transition for Eversmann and Henry, who were able to observe interviews and learn established workflows before stepping fully into their roles. The experience has also expanded their understanding of what a UX career can look like.

"There's something for everyone in UX," Eversmann said.

For Henry, the apprenticeship has meant pushing past her comfort zone.

"I am learning something new every day and can clearly feel my skills growing," she said.

Both encourage other students to pursue hands-on opportunities when they arise.

"I feel truly lucky to have been given this opportunity," Henry added. "Even without full confidence in one's skills, having the courage to try and a willingness to keep learning is what matters most."

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