I would expect that your apprentices have some background in programming already. Otherwise, you are really going to have your hands full. It might be like fitting a round peg into a limaçon shaped hole. I always heard that schooling and theory are nice but you don't really learn about programming until you start a real job. I guess I would focus on things that are not taught in school. How we do things here * sw dev process * dev tools * roles, permissions * docs, support * the "maybe someday" dream list Why we do it that way * CMM growth and planning * economics and reality of business Why everybody else is different * innovation * skills vs cost Your idea for some mini internal projects is a good one. Some favorites are: phone list, bug tracker, time & expense tracker. Code reviews are a great way of tuning-up a new developer really quickly. I've seen a lot of developers started-off as testers so they see the evil that can come from mistakes (get them thinking of how to avoid anti-patterns) and organize their thoughts into test plans.

Oh. Heh. That was me. I realized that I wanted to use it a few times before voting. :) I should have voted a few years ago. Better late than never. I suppose you are right. Plenty of words will be missing, but the dictionary is external to the DLL. So you can download a newer dictionary or add your own words ;). I think the Telerik spell control is based on the same algorithms (for example). I have been using this lib for mostly simple stuff. So the (lack of) freshness isn't as much of an issue.

Netspell is really good. I have used it several times. Here is a CP article that covers it nicely: NetSpell - Spell Checker for .NET[^]

Also, from the domino effect: all of the dominos are hidden behind that first domino. As long as that one never tips over, the rest will stay standing. Hardening all of the dominos seems wasteful. Everyone focuses on hardening that first domino. It can be hard to justify the additional effort/expense. Especially when there is lower-hanging fruit.

There are other non-tangeable benefits, such as, the experience of doing something like this (could result in a job offer) and street-cred for making an app that people paid for (also, resume-icing).

As a programmer, here are the most important things you need to get out of your education: 1. Working hard will bring success. 2. The amount of work will vary (think finals week and the week between semesters: sometimes-too-much/sometimes-too-little) 3. Shoot for getting an "A" at work. Getting an "A" still needs to matter to you. There is no report card, but you are still graded. 4. Not every boss will have the same criteria for you to get an "A". Part of your job is to find out what it takes. 5. Never stop learning and growing. "B" students go home at the end of the day and chill. "A" students will spend a few hours per week improving themselves and learning new stuff. Successful people do this and seem to magically excel at everything, but it is not magic. It is a unique kind of homework that must be self-assigned (assigned by you, not your boss). Some things you might not have learned at school: 1. Sometimes, it is more important to be liked than it is to do a good job. 2. Some things just take time. Be patient. 3. Show good manners (related to #1) 4. If your boss wants to micro-manage you, play along. If you play along, the boss will become satisfied and (trust you) leave you alone. In contrast, if you resist, the boss will become more suspicious and badger you much longer. So, always be ready to account for your time. Sorry, I mean, account for the company's time (because when they are paying you, it is really their time, not yours). 5. Make sure you are providing a good value to your employer. In good times or bad, if you are a good value, you will always be in demand.