Koru Expands Its Employer Partner Network With Addition Of LinkedIn

SEATTLE, Sept. 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Koru (www.joinkoru.com), a company focused on transforming the college-to-career landscape, today announced that LinkedIn (NYSE: LNKD), the world's largest professional network on the Internet, has joined the Koru employer partner network. As Koru launches their first programs in San Francisco in September, LinkedIn has also committed to fund and sponsor future graduates to complete Koru's program. Amobee, Remind, ZOZI and UrbanSitter are also joining Koru's network of employer partners to kickoff the upcoming San Francisco program. 

Koru's four-week, employer-embedded experience puts soon-to-be and recent college graduates into high-growth, innovative companies that are actively hiring. The highly selective program is designed to make the brightest graduates workplace-ready, teach them in-demand skills, and place them inside some of the most exciting, high-growth companies in the United States. As a core element of the program, Koru works closely with employer partners such as REI, zulily, Trupanion, Julep, PayScale and Smartsheet, which are seeking a more effective way to recruit early-career talent. Koru Alums have landed coveted jobs in these companies, as well as others like Amazon, Hewlett Packard and Uber.

"At LinkedIn, talent is our number one operating priority. Through our involvement with the Koru employer partner network, we look forward to the opportunity to help shape the next members of the workforce through real-world training as they gain necessary skills to obtain the jobs available in today's market," said Pat Wadors, vice president of Talent, LinkedIn.

Using a pay-it-forward approach, when LinkedIn hires a Koru graduate, the company will then sponsor two graduates to complete the program. This model focuses on assisting individuals with financial need, who have a liberal arts degree, and are eager to build the skills required in our innovation economy.

Over half of recent college graduates are unemployed or under-employed according to the U.S. Federal Reserve. At the same time, nearly half of U.S. employers report difficulty finding qualified entry-level candidates. Koru's experiential programs provide the real-world experience, practical skills, and professional networks to launch graduates into their first career job with a great employer. Since Koru's first program in October 2013, over 80% of its job-seeking graduates have landed jobs after the sixty-day placement window. The programs are designed to serve college seniors and recent graduates, and complement a high-quality, broad-based academic education.

"LinkedIn is an amazing addition to our roster of employers who value strong candidates with qualities like grit and data-driven decision focus," said Kristen Hamilton, cofounder and CEO of Koru. "Our mission is to bridge the gap between recent graduates and leading companies and we're excited for our graduates to have the opportunity to flourish at LinkedIn."

Admission to Fall Programs in Seattle and San Francisco has been highly selective and Koru has just announced expansion to Boston starting in January 2015. For more information on Koru and complete details on upcoming programs, future locations, and application deadlines, please visit www.joinkoru.com.

About Koru
Koru is transforming the college-to-career landscape with an immersive, transformational experience designed to quickly make recent college graduates workplace-ready with relevant skills, and place them inside high-growth work environments. Koru was founded by veteran entrepreneurs; Kristen Hamilton, and Josh Jarett and has raised $4.57 million in funding from Maveron, Battery Ventures, First Round Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, and Nas' Queensbridge Venture Partners. Headquartered in Seattle, Koru runs employer-embedded programs with partners like zulily, Payscale, Trupanion, and REI. Koru's Thirteen Founding College Partners include Bates, Brown, Georgetown, Pomona, USC, and Williams College. For more information on Koru and details on upcoming programs and partners, please visit www.joinkoru.com.

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