After spending four years or more pursuing a college education, many recent graduates find that their undergraduate degree alone does not guarantee employment in a competitive job market. As of December 2021, just over 40 percent of recent college graduates hold positions that do not require a college degree.
Employers often look for candidates who have field-relevant skills and experience, which an undergraduate education does not always provide. To help students fill these holes in their resume, a team of educators came together to create Experience Lab, aiming to provide students with the access they need to launch their careers through experience. Their mission is “to establish experience as a more credible and celebrated part of higher education and society as a whole.”
For many recent graduates, Experience Lab can serve as an ideal stepping stone from college into their careers. Over 90 percent of program participants find full-time or contract work in their field within a year of completing the program at a partner university.
At UPenn, the College of Liberal and Professional Studies collaborated with Experience Lab to create a six-month professional intensive program called the Experience Lab at Penn, designed to provide recent graduates with marketable skills and professional experience to help them transition to the professional world.
Experience Lab at Penn’s Immersive Programs
Students in the Experience Lab at Penn can earn certificates in the following course tracks: Digital Marketing and Storytelling, Business Development and Sales, and Strategic Data and AI.
Each program includes 12 weeks of field experience preceded by a self-paced online preparation program and a week-long program meetup that enables students to network and participate in career workshops.
The field experience portion of the program places students in positions at startups based in 15 cities around the world, including Amsterdam, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Chicago, Dublin, Hong Kong, Melbourne and Sydney.
During the 12-week program, students work full-time at one of these companies, developing the requisite skills and experiencing the day-to-day operations of a professional in their career field. Throughout this program, students also participate in weekly meetings with a program instructor, who helps guide them through the process, and bi-weekly online events that include panels, talks and workshops. While they are participating in the program, students also have the opportunity to engage with hiring partners to help them transition from the program into a position at a company.
After completing the program, students earn a certificate from Experience Lab at Penn. They also receive two sessions with career coaches in their industry and three months of post-program professional support to help them prepare and connect with opportunities in their field.
How to Enroll at Experience Lab at Penn
Experience Lab at Penn runs three sessions each year in the spring, summer and fall.
While there is a fee for the programs, Experience Lab at Penn offers need-based scholarships and financing options to help students cover the cost. Additionally, select students will have the opportunity to attend the program at no cost. For these students, their partner company will provide stipends that cover 100 percent of the program fee and living expenses.
It is currently accepting applications for the Fall 2022 program.
Students can easily submit the first step of the application process here. If accepted, they will receive a full application packet within three days of submission.
Follow Experience Lab at Penn on TUN
Students can also follow Experience Lab at Penn on TUN to get news and learn about new programs!
