AscentUP and Riipen Partner to Launch
Paid Internship Program, Exclusive to Ascent Borrowers
SAN
DIEGO, May 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascent is
proud to unveil the AscentUP Internship Program, in partnership
with AscentUP and Riipen to offer its borrowers exclusive access to
paid remote internships, as well as invaluable professional
development training and one-on-one career coaching. Funding for
the inaugural cohort was provided, in part, by a grant from Goal
Beyond, a 501c3 non-profit organization with a shared mission to
empower learners with practical experience and the robust skills
essential for thriving in today's dynamic workforce.
The AscentUP Internship Program is designed to bridge the
education-to-employment skills gap and equip students and recent
graduates with the skills, confidence and experience necessary to
succeed in today's competitive job market. While internships have
been proven to be extremely beneficial in securing experience and
future employment, the top reason for not having an internship is
difficulty in obtaining one (Gallup, 2023). Through a comprehensive
curriculum consisting of custom-developed career readiness
micro-courses and personalized coaching sessions, followed by a
connection to project-based internships, participants will gain
enhanced resume credentials, access to paid internships and
increased employability prospects.
"Cultivating career pathways and driving durable economic
mobility for our borrowers has always been at the core of our
mission," said Co-Founder and CEO of Ascent, Ken Ruggiero. "By partnering with Riipen to
launch the AscentUP Internship Program, we're not just offering
internships; we're opening doors to invaluable opportunities that
can shape their futures. The first internship is often the most
elusive yet crucial step in launching a successful career and we
believe that by providing this access, we're not only helping
individuals gain immediate skills and experiences, but also laying
down a foundation for long-term financial success."
The AscentUP Internship Program addresses the following
areas:
- Professional development
opportunities: Participants receive training, coaching,
and hands-on experience to cultivate essential skills and
confidence for future career endeavors.
- Access to vetted talent: Employers gain access to a
pool of skilled individuals actively seeking practical experience,
reducing recruitment costs and bringing fresh perspectives from
emerging talent, driving business innovation and growth.
"This program aligns perfectly with Riipen's mission of
empowering students with real-world work based learning experiences
and augments this with proven career readiness training from
AscentUP," said CEO of Riipen, Dana
Stephenson. "Through this collaboration, students will gain
access to the tools and skills they need to excel in today's
competitive job market, setting them up for success in internships
and projects available on the Riipen marketplace. We believe that
this partnership will not only bridge the gap between education and
employment but also pave the way for students to thrive in their
future careers."
In this partnership, AscentUP will pilot the integration of its
training platform with Riipen's experiential learning marketplace,
with a focus on tracking participant outcomes and income
generation. By combining career readiness coaching with
experiential learning, the program aims to achieve higher outcomes
for our borrowers and help Ascent reach its goal of increasing
income for its borrowers by $10
billion in the next five years.
About Ascent:
Ascent is the leading provider of
innovative financial products and student support services that
enable more students to access education and achieve academic and
economic success. Everything Ascent offers is designed with the
best-in-class teams and technology to increase every student's
ability to plan, pay, and succeed. For more information, visit
www.ascentfunding.com.
About AscentUP:
AscentUP is dedicated to bridging the
education-to-employment gap and empowering students to achieve
their full potential in the workforce. Through comprehensive
training, coaching, and experiential learning opportunities,
AscentUP aims to equip students with the skills and confidence
needed for career success. For more information, visit
AscentUP.com.
About Riipen:
Riipen is a leading experiential
learning platform that connects students with real-world projects
from industry partners. By facilitating meaningful collaborations
between students and employers, Riipen aims to bridge the gap
between education and employment while driving innovation in the
workforce. For more information, visit Riipen.com.
About Goal Beyond:
Goal Beyond is a non-profit
organization, founded in 2021 and based in San Diego, CA, with a mission to create the
ecosystem enabling all learners to access a quality education and
employers to source talent in a rapidly evolving labor market. Our
strategy focuses on four core themes to empower learners along the
entire continuum of their academic and professional paths to unlock
durable economic mobility. For more information, visit
www.goalbeyond.org
For media inquiries, please contact:
Jessica Schwartz, Social Impact
jschwartz@ascentfunding.com
877-216-0876
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SOURCE Ascent Funding