While we are taught from a young age about the different kinds of professions in the world, there is no magic pill that people could take to truly know what to do with their lives. In fact, adults of any age sometimes cannot figure it out; career changes can happen at any time in a person’s life.
It’s exciting, and sometimes nerve-racking, to watch your child navigate the waters of career decision making and finding that first job once school has ended. My son, Josh, studied business in college, but never really knew what he wanted to do within the industry after graduation. Through research, he discovered The Startup Institute in Chicago (SIC), which offered an intensive eight-week long program that focusing on subjects including: sales and account management, technical marketing, web design and web development.
With the additional education, Josh not only better understood what kind of job to look for, but had a network that allowed him to have options in choosing that job. When he signed up, and found that people of all ages were there — those fresh out of college, mothers who were looking to get back in the working world, and some who were just looking to find inspiration, and a new career path. The Institute proved to be an invaluable place of learning and networking for Josh; it helped create the contact for him to find his first job. Once he left as a student, he recommended the program to some friends. They enrolled at SIC, and found jobs afterward as well. Recently, Josh accepted a position to come back to SIC as their Chicago Admissions Manager.
What is the history of The Startup Institute?
Josh: It began in Boston four years ago…four entrepreneurs saw a gap in the tech community. A number of growth-stage digital companies were getting employees with the hard skills to do the job, but lacked the soft skills to build the team. They wanted to create a career accelerator that focused on both, and built the Startup Institute. They had vast success in Boston, and then expanded to New York and Chicago. While lots of little things about the company have changed since its inception, the core has remained the same. Helping great people get unstuck. Encouraging people to chase their dreams and to help them to achieve those dreams.”
What can SIC offer to a prospective student?
Josh: It can offer a path to new skills for our digital world, and to a new career that really engages their hearts and minds. If you ask our alums, they will cite the hard and soft skills they gained, but they are surprised how valuable the network of hundreds of alumni, instructors and community members are to them.
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Are there some SIC alumni who would like to comment?
Stevenson High School graduate Christina Devoney: Startup Institute was the catalyst to the career path I had always dreamed of. When I entered the real world post college, I found myself questioning exactly where I belonged. Through the immersive courses and first hand startup experience, I realized the startup world was exactly where I was meant to be. If it wasn’t for SIC, I wouldn’t be a part of the incredible team I’m on today where I have the opportunity to continuously learn, grow my skill set and see my work make an impact first hand. I’m currently leading content and digital marketing at a health tech startup called Matchup Fitness. I couldn’t be more grateful and happy I decided to take that leap of faith.
Lisa Schumacher (SIC Program Director): Personally, this program has taught me never to underestimate what any one person is capable of doing, and how much joy there is in supporting each other’s quest to ‘be more’…on a pragmatic level, the daily firehose of new people to meet and new tools to learn and use is super exciting.
What advice can you offer to someone who is thinking about beginning a career, or who is contemplating a career change?
Josh: Don’t settle for work that doesn’t support your values and priorities; opportunities are everywhere if you keep an open mind. And, I say constantly to students, life is too short to not do work you love, with people you love, and for a mission you really care about.
For more information, visit www.startupinstitute.com, or email Josh directly at [email protected].
That’s all for now; please send neighborhood news to Aileen Simons at [email protected].
Aileen Simons is a freelance columnist for Pioneer Press