Missouri-Based Veteran-Serving University Launches New Career Pathways Tool for Active-Duty Military and Veterans

KIRKLAND, Wash., Dec. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- AstrumU, a Seattle-based startup that is pioneering the use of machine learning to forecast the value of educational experiences in the labor market, has announced its collaboration with Missouri's Park University aimed at supporting active-duty military members on their campus. Using the AstrumU platform, military students will gain insight into how their skillsets translate into civilian career paths along with data-driven recommendations for education and training options to support their transition into high-growth industries.

"For military-connected learners and veterans, the challenge of transitioning to civilian life and careers can be daunting. At the same time, military-earned skills and experiences are also surprisingly adaptable to a wide variety of career paths with the right combination of education and career navigation," said Shane Smeed, Park University Interim President. "This work is about helping current and former men and women in uniform to make well-informed choices about their education investments and career plans as they transition to the civilian workforce."

More than 200,000 men and women in uniform leave the military for civilian careers every year, a transition process that can be complex and difficult to navigate. Using a career advising platform, active-duty service members and veterans will gain personalized guidance on the education and training programs that can help them upskill or retrain for roles in the civilian labor market.

Over its more than 145 year history, Park University has developed a strategic focus on serving a demographically diverse population of working adults, veterans, and other post-traditional learners, reflecting the growing number of adult, online, and part-time learners in higher education today. The average age of its students is 31, and 55% of its students are active-duty servicemembers or veterans.

Park's new collaboration with AstrumU builds on its long-term commitment to serving active-duty military service members and veterans, embodied by the Park University Global Warrior Center, a one-stop shop for military students and families that provides dedicated support staff with military service knowledge, career advising, and other specialized support services.

To create personalized career recommendations, AstrumU's platform ingests verified data directly from employers, educational providers, and participating service members to understand and predict how specific skills, credentials, and experiences translate into career outcomes.

"Each year, hundreds of thousands of active-duty service members leave the military to begin new civilian career paths, and it can often be a major challenge to understand how military experiences translate to civilian industries," said Adam Wray, CEO of AstrumU. "This work is about empowering military-connected learners and veterans with the insights they need to chart a course to career and economic mobility after completing their military service."

About Park University: Founded in 1875 in Parkville, Mo., a suburb of Kansas City, Park University is a nonprofit, private institution that is a national leader in higher education. In 2000, Park achieved university status and currently serves more than 13,250 students at 41 campuses in 22 states and online, including Parkville, Independence and Kansas City, Mo.; Lenexa, Kan.; Gilbert, Ariz.; Barstow and Victorville, Calif.; Columbus, Ohio; Austin and El Paso, Texas; and 31 military installations across the country. www.park.edu

About AstrumU: AstrumU translates educational experiences into economic opportunity. We are on a mission to quantify the return on education investment for learners, education providers, and employers. We help institutions measure the value created for incoming and returning students, while assisting them in securing industry partnerships that lead students seamlessly into high-demand career pathways. Institutions partner with AstrumU to drive enrollment and increase alumni and corporate engagement, while extending economic mobility opportunities inclusively to all learners.

SOURCE AstrumU