Opportunity Network Launches Free Learning Platform for College and Career Prep -- THE Journal

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Opportunity Network Launches Free Learning Platform for College and Career Prep

By Dian Schaffhauser
11/05/20

A new open access learning platform can help students advance their college and career goals through online courses in how to network, how to prepare for college, how to budget in college, how to explore careers, social media best practices, how to prepare for interviews and other relevant topics. The program, named UninterruptED, is an initiative of the Opportunity Network, a nonprofit that supports underrepresented young people with the tools and training they need to succeed in life. All of the courses are available free.

According to the organization, the platform on which the program runs was "purposefully selected to be readily accessible to all students"--including those with limited internet access--and can be accessed through a smart phone, Chromebook, tablet, laptop or PC.

While the platform was designed for students to access directly, educators who want to integrate the career resources into their virtual instruction can also access whole courses and lessons, through the Career Fluency Partnership program. The courses can be used for self-directed, asynchronous learning to supplement existing curriculum or as the base for virtual instruction.

"COVID-19 is already laying bare and exacerbating the pervasive and deeply entrenched opportunity gaps our students face every day, the same gaps driving OppNet's mission," said OppNet CEO, AiLun Ku, in a statement. "We hope that UninterruptED will help to close this divide and level the playing field, providing opportunity to all."

To expand the spread of the program, OppNet is working with Reach Higher, an initiative begun by Michelle Obama that guides and supports students to and through higher education.

The work is being supported by a number of foundations, including the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, AT&T and Coach Foundation.

Students can sign up for UninterruptED through one Google form, and educators through another.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

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