IPad 4 Factory Reset

Setting aside the age of the iPad (this being completely irrelevant to your issue), the behaviour that you observe indicates that your iPad was centrally managed by an Enterprise MDM platform - for which a management profile was installed on the iPad when originally enrolled.

The management profile remains installed on your iPad - and it is for this reason that you are unable to proceed with setup.

Your former employer deleting the iPad from their “database” does not, of itself, remove the previously installed management profile from your iPad. For the profile to be released, the iPad will need to communicate with the management platform; with your iPad in its current state, this would necessitate a direct wired connection. Be aware that Apple will not assist with removal of an Enterprise management profile.

Without direct assistance from the System Administrator who manages the device, you’ll not be able to resolve the problem.

Install or remove configuration profiles on iPad - Apple Support

Look,

A 2012, iPad 4th gen is old.

This iPad is almost 9-1/2-years old.

Just forget about this very old iPad.

When you do the factory reset, you will render this 9-1/2-year old iPad nearly useless.

Sorry.

Apple ended support for all 8-10-year old iOS devices nearly 5 years, ago, in 2016.

Third party app developers abandoned and stopped supporting these 8-10-year old iOS devices nearly 3 years, ago, in 2018.

There are, virtually, NO MORE third party apps available from the iOS App Store, any longer!

Third party compatible apps for such old devices are few and far between, now, in 2022.

This includes apps for both iOS 9 AND iOS 10 devices.

AND, NO WAY to initially install any older, compatible, third party apps into this old iPad.

NO MORE SUPPORT! NO MORE APPS!

AND, that nearly 5-1/2-year old default iOS Safari Web browser is too old, not secure and not safe to use to access the Internet, any longer.

There are virtually NO MORE third party Web browsers left for 8-10 year old iPads!

All 2011-2012 iPad 2, 3, 4 and 1st gen iPad Mini models are fully and completely unsupported AND obsolete!

Sorry, but this is the reality for ALL 8-10-year old AND OLDER iOS devices now. Especially now, in 2022.

In addition, the internal, rechargeable batteries in these old iPads are, also, running on borrowed time.

Not worth the costs to replace these old internal, rechargeable batteries in these old iPads, any longer, either.

I am sorry that you had to learn all of this, but this does not change any of the facts regarding these very old iOS devices.

Sorry & Best of Luck to You!

There are PLENTY of less expensive, newer, older iPad models that can run the latest, current versions of iPadOS.

If you need OR ONLY able to purchase older, less expensive iPad models, look at older IPads from 2014 and later.

All of these older model iPads, below, CAN run the latest releases of iPadOS 15.

2014, 9,7 inch screen iPad Air 2 models ( NO Pencil support )

2015, 7.9 inch screen iPad Mini 4 models ( NO Pencil support )

2015-2017, 12.9 inch screen iPad Pro models. ( 1st gen Pencil support )

2016, 9.7 inch screen iPad Pro models ( 1st gen Pencil support )

2017,10.5 inch screen iPad Pro models ( 1st gen Pencil support )

2017, 9.7 inch screen iPad 5th gen models ( NO Pencil support )

2018, 9.7 inch screen iPad 6th gen models ( 1st gen Pencil support )

2019, 10.2 inch screen iPad 7th gen models ( 1st gen Pencil support )

2020, 10.2 inch screen iPad 8th gen models. ( 1st gen Pencil support )

2019, 7.9 inch screen iPad Mini 5th gen models ( 1st gen Pencil support )

Get the largest internal data storage model you can afford as NO Apple iOS device has ANY expandable storage.

If you decide to go down the path of purchasing used, secondhand Apple devices, here is how to avoid purchasing an Apple iOS/iPadOS device with user activation lock, in the future.

If you purchase any iPad, or any Apple iOS device, for that matter, used/second hand, online, or even in-person, make sure this iPad does NOT have user activation lock and has been properly reset for sale.

A properly reset for sale iPad should initially power up to an animated, multi-language “Welcome” screen.

DO NOT take the iPad seller's word that this iPad is user activation lock free!

We have seen plenty of used iOS device purchasers get scammed.

User Activation Lock can never be bypasss, circumvented or worked around IF there is no correct previous/original user information to be able to do so.

Apple doesn't get involved with ANY user activation locked, used/second-hand sold devices, either.

So, buyer beware!

If purchasing a used device in-person, power the iPad ON

If the iPad DOES NOT display the initial animated, multi-language “Welcome” screen, then pass on purchasing this iPad.

If the iPad powers up to any other screen, then forget purchasing this iPad.

You cannot trust that the seller actually has the correct needed info to properly reset the iPad back to factory settings right then and there before the actual purchase and exchange of money for the iPad, in question.

Pass on the device!

If you are purchasing this used iPad online ask the seller to provide multiple images, either online or be sent to you via email, showing this animated, multi-language “Welcome” screen of the interested in purchasing iPad model.

Even better, ask for a short video be sent to you showing this animated, multi-language “Welcome” screen, in action and in its entirety, posted to the online ad or emailed to you.

If the online iPad seller refuses any of these requests, pass on the iPad. DO NOT buy!

Good Luck to You!