For MajorClarity, exploration was the first step.
Through its educational software platform, students can investigate academic and career options using interactive career simulations and video content.
Now, it’s time to take the next step, said Joe Belsterling, company founder and CEO.
The Richmond-based startup announced last month that it is partnering with the National Technical Honor Society and other organizations to launch competency-based career readiness micro-credentials.
“It feels to us a lot like Phase 2 of the company,” Belsterling said.
Similar to how individuals can earn certificates through online courses on sites like Coursera and LinkedIn, high school students can earn micro-credentials by reviewing the competencies required for a certain career path, watching videos and taking quizzes.
As with the initial platform content, the goal is to encourage successful career outcomes. The new micro-credentials are designed to help students determine whether they enjoy building the skills required for a particular career path, Belsterling said.
“It’s for the student who is saying, ‘I really like the idea of being a developer, but I don’t know if I will actually like that,’” he said.
To start, MajorClarity is launching these initial micro-credentials: software programming and cybersecurity developed with Kingsland University of Atlanta, Georgia; heating, ventilation and air conditioning developed with Trane Technologies; and soft skills and general employability skills with NTHS.
Belsterling said in the next three or four months MajorClarity plans to release additional micro-credentials in medical services and nursing through a partnership with Tidewater Medical Training. Going forward, he said his goal is to launch new micro-credentials each quarter.
“We’re really excited,” he said. “We do feel like this is a big step for the company.”
The NTHS partnership will also give the educational non-profit’s 75,000 active members the option to access MajorClarity’s platform, expanding the company’s reach. Currently, the platform serves more than 2,500 schools and reaches one million students, Belsterling said.
“It’s amazing, and it’s incredible, and I’m humbled by it every day,” Belsterling said.
As the year draws to a close, school systems around the country continue to be challenged by Covid-19, with many districts still conducting full or partial online learning. Following the initial shut-downs in March and April, Belsterling said they’ve seen some “pent-up demand.”
“It was a stressful year, but we’ve really seen a lot of demand and a lot of need,” he said.
Belsterling said now he’s focused on growth. MajorClarity closed on a $2 million raise at the end of the summer, and he said they plan to use the funding to drive further growth, expand the leadership team, build out sales and marketing and grow advertising.