SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--PeopleGrove, Higher Education’s first and only Career Access Platform for career development, experiential learning, and alumni engagement, is excited to announce its acquisition of jobZology and its flagship product, PathwayU. This strategic move fortifies PeopleGrove's commitment to offering innovative academic and career advising capabilities that intelligently guide learners along their professional journeys.
"PeopleGrove's acquisition of jobZology and PathwayU reinforces our dedication to delivering cutting-edge solutions for career development and educational guidance," said Reilly Davis, Co-founder of PeopleGrove. "With our combined expertise, we are poised to create an unrivaled experience for our learners."
The synergy between PeopleGrove and jobZology is evident in their shared vision of using technology to empower individuals to thrive in their chosen career paths. The integration of PathwayU's assessments into PeopleGrove's platform will offer a holistic and personalized approach to career guidance, ensuring learners make well-informed decisions that align with their goals.
Developed by Ph.D. psychologists and behavioral scientists, PathwayU's patented predictive technology enables users to identify and explore academic and career pathways that ensure they live a purpose filled and meaningful career life. PathwayU transforms the benign concept of career assessment into a science-backed instrument that career and academic advisors describe as nothing short of revolutionary.
Most learners enter their university undeclared, with no clear plan for deciding what major to choose, what classes to take, what experiential projects to pursue, or what sort of mentors they will need. First gen students, and underrepresented student populations find this doubly challenging. At their recent industry conference Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL) reported Top Requests of 1st Gen Students (National First Year Survey 2022):
- 72% need help selecting major to get a good job
- 70% don't understand qualifications needed for certain jobs
- 60% want to learn salaries for occupations
These conditions impact student confidence, persistence, and graduation rates.
“It is our responsibility to better translate personal values and interests into directional pathways,” said Davis. “We must connect the classroom to real-world experiences that fit the modern workforce employers are looking to hire.”
Through a guided, interactive self-discovery experience, learners in PathwayU translate their unique values, interests, personality, and workplace preferences into career options that align with what they want to become. Having this knowledge inspires confidence and the desire to persist and graduate.
Since PathwayU’s introduction, over 1.2M assessments have been completed by 500,000 learners at 160 colleges and universities. Enrollment teams appreciate having useful data about their prospective students' that improve communication and enhance trust in their brand. Academic advising teams are better able to help students pick the right major and provide them with confidence that their education will have a superior ROI. Career advisors are able to view comprehensive data to better inform in-person meetings with students.
"PathwayU on its own is a powerful instrument for academic and career advisors. Better data, more engagement with these services, at a greater scale," said Travis Hevelone, jobZology CEO. “As part of the PeopleGrove platform, learners can continue their journey beyond the exploration phase. Imagine course embedded projects appear as a match to their interests. Near peer and alumni mentors who have similar backgrounds become accessible for outreach. Internships and jobs where they are connected through alumni can allow learners to gain an advantage in the application process. PeopleGrove makes classroom-to-career vision a reality.”
Both companies are excited about the possibilities this acquisition presents for the future of career development and mentoring. As PeopleGrove and jobZology become one, their collective efforts will continue to drive innovation in the industry and positively impact the lives of millions seeking fulfilling and purposeful careers. Ultimately this success pays back in the form of a loyal and highly engaged alumni community.
With recent acquisitions, PeopleGrove has worked with more than 650 university partners, representing over 20 million students and alumni with access to their platform.
To learn more, visit https://peoplegrove.com/blog/pathwayu
About PeopleGrove
PeopleGrove’s mission is to ensure that every learner has the ability to successfully navigate to their next professional step in life. As the provider of higher education’s first and only Career Access Platform, PeopleGrove provides lifelong career learning, high-impact experiences, and social capital access for millions of students and alumni around the world. Founded in 2015, PeopleGrove works with over 650 institutions including Yale, Stanford, the University of Texas San Antonio, the University of Michigan, Georgetown, and the University of Maryland Global Campus. Recognized as an industry leader, PeopleGrove has been included on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies. To learn more about PeopleGrove, visit https://peoplegrove.com
About jobZology & PathwayU
jobZology’s mission is to empower every learner with the knowledge of where they will find, meaning and purpose, in their education and career journey. Its flagship product, PathwayU, uses science-backed insights to provide users with actionable career guidance that maximizes their potential and leads to greater career satisfaction. Recent industry acknowledgements include: EdTEch Awards Cool Tool and Trendsetter finalists. NACE recognized the brand as their Business Affiliate Innovation Award winner for 2023. Visit https://pathwayu.com to learn more.
