From Foot in the Door to Full-Time: The Human Impact of Palantir’s Drupal Fellowship Program

In an era where attracting and retaining junior talent in open source remains a pressing challenge, Palantir.net is setting a new standard. Their Fellowship and internship programs are not only enabling equitable entry points into the tech industry but are also driving community-wide conversations about inclusion and sustainability. Central to this initiative is their partnership with DrupalEasy and its Drupal Career Online course, which provides a structured, accessible gateway for aspiring developers entering the Drupal world.

On the sidelines of DrupalCon Atlanta 2025, The Drop Times had a conversation with Ju Vanderwater, Product Lead and Senior Front-End Developer, and Travis Porchia, Front-End Developer at Palantir.net, to discuss their transformative journeys from interns to professionals. Their session, "Creating Opportunities: From Internships to Drupal Careers," offered an honest look at the real challenges new developers face and how intentional programs like Palantir's can change lives. Our conversation dove deeper into how these initiatives are making a lasting impact.

"Tif and George are passionate about providing equity wherever possible," Ju explained, referencing Palantir's founders, Tiffany Farriss and George DeMet. "They've always supported internships in various forms, but DrupalEasy has really shaped up to be a great partner in offering structured opportunities."

Both Ju and Travis bring firsthand insight. Ju, once a stay-at-home mom learning web development from her husband, found it difficult to land an entry-level role in Drupal. 

"No Drupal agency offered internships or entry-level positions," 

she recalled. It was only through personal connections that she secured an internship at Palantir, eventually leading to a full-time position.

Travis entered the field during the pandemic with zero tech experience. The Palantir Fellowship provided him with a full scholarship to the Drupal Career Online course by DrupalEasy and a stipend to purchase a new computer.

"Without this fellowship, the door to the tech world, especially Drupal, would have likely remained closed to someone with my background," 

You May Like

Interview

Building Community-Driven Drupal Solutions: JD Leonard on Member Platform and Open Source

Interview

Building Community-Driven Drupal Solutions: JD Leonard on Member Platform and Open Source

he said. The structured onboarding, hands-on experience, and mentorship enabled his transition to a professional role.

"There are so many people looking for opportunities to get their foot in the door," Ju emphasized. "Within the Drupal ecosystem, there are just not that many entry points, especially for career changers. These folks need mentorship and support to plug into teams."

Travis underscored the data gap: 

"Only 36% of surveyed Drupal developers have less than 10 years of experience, and less than 10% are under 30. And diversity is still a serious issue. My own success shows the potential of investing in people who would otherwise be excluded."

The Palantir Fellowship program specifically selects individuals from marginalized or economically disadvantaged backgrounds. While the selection criteria aim to promote diversity, Ju clarified that the structure of the program remains consistent regardless of the fellow's background, the real variable is prior development experience.

"Drupal clients represent sectors like government, healthcare, and higher ed," Travis noted. "To serve such a broad audience effectively, our industry needs to reflect that diversity."

Mentorship proved to be pivotal. Travis recalled how working on a full-time project with a dedicated mentor made all the difference. "My product owner also served as my technical mentor. She had the capacity and passion to guide both me and another junior dev. It set me up for success."

Ju added that Palantir has learned the value of structured onboarding. 

"We now start interns with a 'dummy' project and sample tickets. It gets them familiar with our workflow and builds foundational skills."

Both Ju and Travis agree that partnerships like the one with the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) expand access by embedding outreach within local communities. 

"The CHA helps identify strong candidates within their networks," said Travis. "It's about meeting people where they are."

The financial support provided, course tuition, stipends, laptops are crucial. 

"Some interns don't even have a machine capable of running development tools," Ju noted. "Without this level of support, many wouldn't even be able to start."

However, Ju warned of the cost barrier: "Onboarding someone with no prior dev experience can take 6-12 months. Many companies can't afford to invest that time, especially when the intern isn’t fully billable after three months."

"That’s why this only works when leadership is genuinely committed," she added. "Our CEOs support the goal, even if it means losing money in the process."

As for metrics, Ju is candid: "The main one is full-time transition. Beyond that, it’s hard to measure success, but the impact is real."

Looking ahead, Ju believes the key to long-term sustainability is scaling efforts across the Drupal ecosystem. 

"Unless many more companies do what Palantir is doing, we won’t move the needle far enough."

Travis concluded with a call to action: 

"We need a collective effort. Palantir has shown what's possible, but this can’t rest on one company. The talent is out there. We just need more doors to open."

The Drop Times' conversation with Ju and Travis unearthed more than stories of career transitions; it reveals a vision. A vision where opportunity is not luck, but intention. Where the doors to open source don’t creak open for a few, but swing wide for the many. Palantir.net’s Fellowship is more than a program, it’s a promise: that with mentorship, equity, and care, the next generation of Drupal contributors will not only find a way in but help shape the way forward. If we, as a community, believe in Drupal’s future, then we must believe in those who have yet to write their first line of code. Let more hands reach out, more doors open, and more stories like these begin.