Jobless? want a free certificate?
Recently through an unnamed source (me), I caught wind of a marketing campaign for ASU’s new program, AZNext, a “Workforce Training Accelerator Partnership for Next Generation Jobs”. Go devils or whatever. However, unlike a lot of marketing campaigns, this is for something free - no one is trying to make any money. ASU got a grant from the US Department of Labor to fund programs and certificates to help struggling graduates or career pivoters level up their resumes.
Normally, as I’m sure you’ve seen, people market a blush or a skincare product and it’s the best thing ever and you need it so bad and it’ll change your life. Which, not true, but you know what is actually the best thing ever and we need it so bad because it’ll change lives? These upskilling programs from AZNext. This could get someone employed! The job market sucks! And it’s free!
Okay quick breakdown - there are three categories of programs/certificates and many different types of program training options. They are going to sound boring. I need an open mind and heart here.
One of the certificates in the Business/Data Analytics category is quite popular in the W. P. Carey School of Business, which I graduated from. It’s the Applied Business Data Analytics Certificate, and I can think of 5 or 6 people off of the top of my head who have completed the certificate. See below for a response from Divya Gootam, class of ‘23, on whether or not that certificate helped her get her job in New York City.
Divya Gootam and I’s text exchange on November 11th, 2024.
I would highly recommend checking out the programs on their website and seeing if anything could be of any use to you. The requirements/qualifications range based on the program, but are focused on the below. Some require applicants to be in undergraduate/graduate programs, some require a certain level of skill in an area, and some have no prior education requirements.
Participants must be:
17 years of age or older
A high school diploma or GED
Resident of the State of Arizona
Unemployed, underemployed, looking to upskill/retrain
And besides all of this, they also partner with companies to get you interviews and lined up with jobs post certificate/program training. I highly doubt any of you will click on the link to actually look at the website so maybe I can entice you with this video of all of the companies.
