Ladies and gentlemen, in case you haven’t been paying attention: we have fully entered the age of the pivot. Whether life changes are forcing you to consider a career change, you’re looking to give yourself a professional edge, or you’ve simply decided to boldly take steps towards the dream career you once considered out of reach, consider this article as the sign you’ve been waiting for to confirm that you can!
Never have more resources been available for professionals looking to advance their careers or break into a new field. Take the programs at UC Berkeley Extension, for example. This specialized school of the University of California, Berkeley is on a mission to empower learners at every age and experience level to continue to pursue their career and educational goals.
Five UC Berkeley Extension programs are specifically designed to equip you with the skills, credentials and network to help you thrive in business, healthcare, tech or global education. Could one of them be the key to your 2025 power move?
1. UC Excelerator Career Exploration Award
If going to college immediately after high school wasn’t an option, or your college plans were interrupted due to financial, professional development, or social barriers, or any other adversity, the UC Accelerator Career Exploration Award was created with you in mind. The scholarship covers the cost of an introductory class to help you begin your journey toward a new career. Once completed, recipients receive full credit for the introductory course of their choice if they decide to further their education. And not only do participants in this program receive access to academic advising like any other UC Berkeley Extension student, they also get free access to ProDev workshops like Career Foundations I, which teaches essential, applicable skills for workplace success.
The Career Exploration Award is not open to those who have previously earned a bachelor’s degree. Priority is given to those with either a) a high school diploma and at least five years of full-time professional experience; b) a minimum of 12 college credits and relevant work experience; or c) an associate’s degree. Applications for the Summer 2025 semester are now open and can be accessed here.
2. Pre-Nursing Excelerator Scholarship
Another part of the UC Excelerator initiative, this scholarship is offered to those looking to enroll in the Pre-Nursing Preparatory Program (PNPP) in hopes of eventually transferring to a 2+2 Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. The Pre-Nursing Excelerator offers candidates a structured pathway to help them not only prepare for nursing school, but for their career in healthcare. The scholarship covers the cost of a variety of science, general education and psychology/sociology required to transfer into a BSN program.
(Note: after completing the PNPP certificate, some additional coursework may still be needed for admission into a full Nursing program.)
3. Better Than Bootcamp
One of UC Berkeley Extension’s most in demand programs condenses the school’s mission into high-impact, career focused training that takes the concept of a professional bootcamp to the next level. Better Than Bootcamp is built around personalized instruction, smaller class sizes and hands-on projects that allow participants to test out what they’re learning in real time. As a result, participants are able to fast-track their transition into new fields with practical experience and the confidence to showcase their newfound knowledge.
4. Berkeley Global Access
As part of its commitment to making education accessible to non-traditional students, UC Berkeley Extension created a program designed for international students and established professionals to add its prestige to their resume while also taking part in the authentic Berkeley experience. The Berkeley Global Access program (BGA) allows students to take classes alongside traditional Berkeley students and earn academic credit while immersing themselves in the unique, innovation-driven culture of the Bay Area.
5. Berkeley Haas Global Access Program
On the flip side of the BGA, this program was developed for those seeking to take their skills and ambition worldwide. The Berkeley Haas Global Access Program is an exclusive pathway to international business and entrepreneurship, powered by a renowned business school. Those enrolled in this program are granted access to top-tier business courses at the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business as well as a myriad of networking events and career development workshops; thus emerging from the program with a definitive competitive edge.
In recent years, UC Berkeley Extension has doubled down on its commitment to fostering professional excellence among Black professionals in tech, healthcare and beyond.
Click here to learn more about how the school’s programs can propel your career to new heights.
The post How These Five Programs Can Give You A Professional Boost And Add Prestige To Your Resume appeared first on AfroTech.
The post How These Five Programs Can Give You A Professional Boost And Add Prestige To Your Resume appeared first on AfroTech.
