Upon completion of PROPEL Learn courses, students will receive micro-credentials that provide recognition of industry-aligned competencies and specialized skills attained through short coursework, empowering students with material assets that showcase their proficiencies. In today’s rapidly changing workforce, earning these credentials will help ensure HBCU students are positioned to excel in a competitive job market.
Free to students, registration is now open for PROPEL Learn courses that are set to begin on September 11. Among the offerings are courses that PROPEL developed in collaboration with founding partner Apple covering arts & entertainment, AIML, and coding with Swift. A professional development course titled ‘Discovering Your Professional Superpowers,’ developed in partnership with The Walt Disney Company, will also be available. Additionally, all registered HBCU students on the app will have access to learnings focused on the energy industry, provided by Southern Company, one of PROPEL’s founding partners.
This summer, PROPEL conducted a pilot of the app to garner student input and feedback. Student responses have been positive. An Xavier University student among the cohort of learners enrolled in the ‘Discovering Your Professional Superpowers’ course said “I increased my awareness of networking, professionalism, and learning to adapt to new workspaces while preserving my individuality. I am grateful the PROPEL Learn app offered asynchronous courses and weekly check-ins for the students who could participate.”
Available on iOS and Android, the app will provide HBCU students with a competitive edge, delivering personalized career guidance and mentorship opportunities. Download the free app and join the conversation on social media at #PROPELForward and #PROPELLearn.
edX, a leading global online learning platform from 2U, Inc. (Nasdaq: TWOU), together with Drake State Technical and Community College, a historically black community college, and Jobs for the Future (JFF), today announced the launch of a new Access Partnership to provide adult learners in the Huntsville, Alabama area with access to no cost, fully online boot camp programs in cybersecurity and data analytics. Funded by Truist Foundation, the scholarships are designed to increase technical talent in the Huntsville region, specifically focusing on helping women, BIPOC, and lower-income professionals build stronger economic futures.
edX Access Partnerships is an award-winning social impact program that connects colleges and universities with local workforce agencies and funding partners to create affordable pathways for underserved adult learners to gain career-relevant technology skills. The program is underpinned by edX’s industry-leading boot camp curricula in key technology fields. With a focus on innovation and grassroots relationship building, these public-private partnerships have upskilled more than 3,000 learners in communities in the U.S. and U.K. at little to no cost to learners.
The program will initially be offered to 60 learners in the Huntsville area beginning in November, with 30 seats open in the cybersecurity boot camp and 30 in the data analytics boot camp. Learners who successfully complete the boot camp program will receive college credit that can be applied toward an associate’s degree at Drake State. Over the next three years, the program is estimated to support more than 150 Huntsville area residents.
“Drake State has long been committed to offering flexible, affordable technical degrees and customized skills training to support and enhance the lives of our workforce and the health of our industries across North Alabama,” said Dr. Patricia Sims, President of Drake State. “Our new Access Partnership with edX will help us continue to meet workforce demands by preparing highly-skilled workers to take on roles in Huntsville’s unique blend of space and defense industries, biotechnology, healthcare, and high-tech manufacturing.”
edX has convened over a dozen community partners, including United Way of Madison County and Huntsville Madison County Chamber of Commerce, to offer a range of services, including child care services, technology support, transportation assistance, and facilitating connections with potential employer partners, all aimed at providing comprehensive support to learners.
“edX is creating a sustainable workforce development model through our Access Partnerships. By bringing localized leaders in education and economic development together with key funding partners, we are delivering free or significantly reduced-cost, career-relevant education to underserved communities worldwide,” said Anant Agarwal, Founder of edX and Chief Platform Officer at 2U. “Working together with Drake State and other partners in the Huntsville community, we aim to improve access to quality education and help diversify the tech talent pipeline as demand for cybersecurity and data analyst roles continue to grow.”
