Professional development and academic growth are essential to being a well rounded student and employee, but sometimes finding opportunities can be challenging, especially during COVID-19. So, what if we told you there was a way to gain virtual work experience or attend an online learning academy at top companies for free, without having to leave your house, or even apply for a job? Through these experiences you’d learn from experts in their fields and work through tasks just like you would on the job, gaining valuable skills and connections for your future career. At the end, you’d receive a certificate that you could use on LinkedIn or on your resume. The work may even lead to connections and employment with the company down the road.
While this may sound too good to be true, especially during these challenging times, it is possible with InsideSherpa and AT&T’s Summer Learning Academy Program.
InsideSherpa is a Virtual Work Experience program where students will work on hypothetical projects like they may encounter in their career. The programs are free and open to all students, including international students, of any major, background or class level. Sample programs are shown online, but once you create an account you’ll receive recommendations on the programs that best fit you.
You can complete the InsideSherpa programs at your own pace and most take 5-6 hours to work through.You’ll also be able to self-assess your work by reviewing real work samples. At the end of the program you’ll have gained valuable skills that employers want to see, and you’ll earn a certification as well as experience you can put on your resume. Some companies will even move your application to the top of the stack if you’ve completed their virtual experience.
While InsideSherpa experiences aren’t paid and you aren’t an employee of the company, you will gain exposure to work that replicates work at that company or in your future career. Keep this in mind as you add the experience to your resume. InsideSherpa provides examples and terminology that you can use in an Extracurricular or Projects section of your resume, but not in your Employment Section of your resume.
AT&T is also offering a free Summer Learning Academy Program for all students. If you enjoy learning online, this is a great opportunity. Their self-paced, 80 hour online program will help students with Business Acumen, Professional and Personal Development topics. Students that complete the program will earn an externship certification. Students must register by June 12 and complete the 80 hours between June 22 and July 20 to receive the certification.
If you’re looking for a way to continue learning and growing this Summer, InsideSherpa and AT&T’s program are great places to start. For more inspiration, check out our previous blog posts about making the most of your changed plans and finding remote positions during COVID-19. As always, we’re here to help--you can schedule a virtual appointment on Charger Path or email us at chargerjobs@uah.edu
