When the pandemic hit and Keisha Owens found herself working full time from home, she had a motivating thought: I'll never get this kind of time again — I better make the most of it.
She decided to use the extra time in her schedule to
"I knew tech was really big, and then AI was being talked about and I definitely wanted to be part of that — be able to maneuver and compete with the other people going out for different roles," she says. "My passion is marketing, so I knew it was going to be marketing with a certificate in tech."
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After mapping out a plan with her personal coach at Guild, Owens enrolled in Wilmington University and started classes in May 2021. The coach helped plan out a list of programs, basing her classes on how much tuition coverage was available per year. Their relationship then shifted to life coaching, to ensure Owens' goals, schedule and priorities were all factored into her ongoing education, she says. Juggling school and work with motherhood meant that she needed to recalibrate when things got busy — the support made for an easy transition back into her coursework when she was ready after a break.
"I enjoyed every last one of those classes, [and] after being out of school for so long, I knocked it out of the park," Owens says. "I can take a digital marketing class, a BA class, I can [get] a certificate here and there and combine them to find the perfect landing and the perfect spot for me to continue to grow."
Owens has since completed her digital marketing certificate, and plans to keep going with more. The learning process, she knows, has also been a great example for her son, now 11, and important preparation for his own educational pursuits.
"I'm a mom, I'm going to go through the same thing with [my son] in a few years," she says. "We get into so much student loan debt, and if you don't have to do that, or if you can get some of it taken care of, why not? If I can look for companies that work with Guild, we're going to cut some of these costs down. It changed what I'm going to do for myself, but now I'm going to teach him how to plan out his financial situation when it comes to school."
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Equalizing access to education is one of Guild's biggest objectives, says Terrence Cummings, the education platform's chief opportunity officer. In the U.S., the average
"The most future-proof skill is learning," he says. "No matter what comes over the horizon, someone that is able, willing [and] has the right attitude to learn can figure out how to address whatever the next need is. It ends up being a win-win situation, because the employer is able to attract and retain more talent. The talent you attract and retain will be more productive at work because they're more likely to succeed there and they feel valued. So it has benefits for employees and benefits for you."
This sentiment is shared by JPMorgan Chase, where Owens has had the support of her managers and, through her work with Guild, has connected with people in other departments throughout the company — relationships she says she would not have if not for using the benefit. That's the driving force behind their partnership, says Usha Mirchandani, chief learning officer at JPMorgan.
"Every individual should have the opportunity to build their skills and grow their careers meaningfully," she says. "We need to continually upskill our employees so they stay and grow with us and they can take advantage of everything we offer. Our internal mobility rate is 42% and we are very proud of that."
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As Owens has continued to build her professional portfolio, she is eager to add more learning opportunities, and plans to stick with an employer who has her best interests in mind.
"Guild has given me a chance to work and go to school worry-free," she says. "When you invest in people and they see the passion is there to help, you're going to get that in return."
