Support every step of the way
Have you ever started an online course but struggled to finish it? You’re not alone. Even when you are motivated to gain new skills, it can be incredibly hard to make time for learning when life gets busy.
Pathstream courses have been designed specifically to help busy adults gain skills needed to stand out in the job market on an accelerated timeline. Although there are many excellent free courses available online, it can be hard to get through them on your own and gain the skills and support you need to truly make a career transition. Thousands of Pathstream students find that having the support of an instructor and a career coach are key to actually landing a life-changing new job. Want to join them?
Here’s what you’ll experience when you sign up for a Pathstream program. You don’t have to log in at particular times or show up for live classes but you’ll have the support of instructors, coaches, and a helpdesk available whenever you need it. You’ll also receive personalized nudges to keep you track. We’re with you every step of the way.
Step 1: Schedule a career consultation with one of our enrollment advisors.
Trying to figure out what program is right for you and get a sense of the types of jobs you’ll be qualified for after finishing? Schedule a consultation with one of our enrollment advisors. They can talk you through different program offerings and even generate a report for you that shows job demand and starting salaries in your local area. Set up a call here or call our enrollment advisors, Kim and Latisha, directly at XX.
Step 2: Receive a welcome email from you instructor and start learning!
Once you’ve enrolled in the program, we know you’ll be eager to get started. You’ll receive a syllabus in advance so you’ll know exactly what will be covered but you won’t have to purchase any additional textbooks or materials — everything you need is included. On the first day of the program, you’ll receive an email from your instructor welcoming you to the first course and giving you login information and all you need to get started.
Even if you haven’t been to school in a while, don’t be intimidated! We’ve designed our programs so that they are accessible to anyone — even if you have no prior experience in these career fields. You’ll gain an overview of each profession and get to see what a ‘day in life’ of someone in these jobs looks like. Then, instead of just teaching you skills in a dry and abstract way, we’ll give you all the context you need to actually use them in a workplace setting.
Step 3: Complete hands-on projects and assignments and get personalized feedback.
Many online courses consist of lecture videos and multiple choice quizzes. Pathstream programs are different. You’ll gain hands-on practice with software like Asana, Tableau, Salesforce, Mailchimp, Google Analytics or Facebook Ads Manager, depending on which program you’re taking. The software will launch directly in a “lab environment” in the learning platform. You won’t have to download anything additional or purchase separate licenses. Within the lab environment, you’ll see both the software and step-by-step instructions for how to complete a task and project — just like you’d have to do on the job. This means you’ll get to walk through each of the steps in a guided way so that you master the tool or technology. You’ll complete practice exercises and then move on to graded projects that you’ll submit to your instructor for feedback. In addition to an alphanumerical grade, you’ll also receive qualitative feedback personalized just for you from your instructor, pointing out things you did well and areas for improvement.
Each of the projects can be added to a portfolio or highlighted on your resume so that future employers see the relevant experience you gained.
Step 4: Start receiving a weekly career newsletter that will highlight job opportunities and other resources relevant to your field of study.
At the beginning of the program, you’ll be able to opt into receiving a weekly career newsletter. Every week, you’ll get a roundup of relevant job opportunities so that you can start seeing internships and full-time job opportunities that are available to people with your new skills. We’ll also include relevant resources, guides and articles so that you can start preparing for your job search or thinking about what’s next — even as you work to finish the program.
Step 5: Schedule office hours with your instructor. Check in for help when you need it.
As you complete your self-paced labs and assignments, you might have some questions or need additional support. That’s a natural part of the learning process! You’ll be able to schedule a 1:1 office hours appointment with your instructor at a time that works for you so that you can chat with them directly and get your questions answered.
Even if you don’t need to schedule an office hours appointment every week, you’ll still be hearing from your instructor frequently. They will send weekly check-in emails to make sure you are keeping up with the courses and to see if you have any questions. Additionally, if you do start to fall behind on assignments or feel overwhelmed, your instructor will be in touch more frequently to help you get the support you need to get back on track. We’re committed to helping you meet deadlines and complete your certificate program!
Step 6: Chat with our technical helpdesk when you need support.
Occasionally, a technical question might come up as you work to complete an assignment. Not to worry! If you are confused by instructions or having trouble navigating a particular software, you can submit urgent questions to our helpdesk and get an answer back when you need it. Our helpdesk agents are even available to hop on a quick call through to help you resolve an issue. We want to make sure there are no roadblocks to prevent you from learning!
Step 7: Sign up for career services and start working 1:1 with a career coach.
Once you reach the final course of the certificate, you’ll be eligible to opt into career services. This means that you’ll be able to schedule a consultation with a career coach who will help you clarify your career goals and identify relevant job boards, staffing agencies, and hiring platforms where you can begin to look for jobs and create profiles. You’ll leave this consultation with a personalized checklist itemizing the steps we’d recommend you follow to get a job in your desired career field.
Step 8: Get a personalized resume review.
In addition to a career call, we’ll send your resume to a reviewer or has experience in the HR/recruiting field. You’ll receive personalized comments and suggested edits to make sure you are positioning your experience most effectively for the kinds of jobs you want to land next. Most importantly, we’ll make sure you highlight your new skills and all the projects you completed as part of your certificate program!
Step 9: Earn a certificate and digital badge you can share on LinkedIn.
Congratulations! Once you’ve completed all of the required assignments and earned passing grades, you’ll be issued a certificate and digital badge that formalize your credentials. You can share these on your LinkedIn profile and highlight them on your resume. According to a 2021 Wall Street Journal article “employers are increasingly looking for workers who take initiative in updating their skills through, for example, online certification programs. A decade ago, employers were skeptical of such programs, says Brian Kropp, chief of human resources research at research and advisory company Gartner. “Now that perspective is very different,” he says. The programs show people have in-demand skill sets and that they value improving themselves through continuous learning.” Make sure you share your new credentials with future employers!
Step 10: Get connected to hiring managers and recruiters to help you land a job.
Once your resume has been reviewed and polished, we’ll connect you to our hiring partners who can match you with recruiters and open positions in their networks. We work with Kelly Services, CareerCircle, Mathison, Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Qualstaff, Eastridge Staffing and more to help get your resume shared with employers. Once you start to get interviews, you can schedule a mock interview with your career coach to get ready.
Step 11: Achieve your career goals and we’ll celebrate with you!
82% of our students achieve their career goals within 6 months of finishing the program and 98% within one year. Even if you don’t have a college degree, you can join the ranks of people who are landing high-paying jobs that can be done remotely and that offer stability in a fast-changing economy. We’ll support you every step of the way until you accomplish your goals.
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