As an education startup, Path Unbound recognizes the demand from startup founders to work with bright talent before they see substantial revenue. As a school. we also recognizes the importance of providing real-world experience and connections to students beyond the classrooms.
That’s why we launched a partnership program with startups, especially early-stage startups. Work with our students on 1-month, limited time project to get your ideas off the ground!
How To Work With Our Students
Tell Us About Your Company
Fill out our application and tell us a little bit about your company as well as your project needs. We will evaluate if your company is a match for our current and future student needs. If your company is approved, congratulations. You will move on to the next step.
If approved, your company will enter our database
If your company is approved, we will enter your information into our database. Remember, acceptance as a company partner does not guarantee placement. We match companies with students on a first-come-first-serve basis. Therefore, you should not expect to use our program as a staffing channel.
There is no cost to join as a startup partner currently, but we reserve the right to introduce a fee structure in the future as our student body and demand grows.
When a student is ready to be matched, we will notify you
When a student is ready to be matched, we will notify you via email and introduce you directly to the student. You and the student will proceed to communicate directly regarding expectations and requirements.
If you find that a student is not the right match for you, or if we receive the same feedback from a student, we will provide 1 additional free match for you, contigent upon availability.
Work with the student for a 1-month project
We require that the maximum timeline of an unpaid project is 1-month, without exceeding 10 hours per week. Please make sure you check your local labor laws and comply with them as a company. Path Unbound cannot be a consultant to your labor law compliance nor will we be held responsible should any violations happen on your company’s side.
If you wish to retain the students for more projects beyond the scope of our partner program, you must establish a separate hiring contract and pay the students according to local labor laws.
If we receive reports of unlawful practices, discrimination or abusive behaviors and confirmed the validity through investigations, we will remove your company from our database and terminate the students’ working relationship with your company immediately.
Why Work With Our Students
Working with students can be very rewarding as a startup founder – if you are willing to be a mentor as well as a manager.
We recognize the needs for students to gain real-world experience outside the classroom and the difficulty of early-stage startups in sourcing the right talent.
While our partner program does not and should not replace your staffing effort, we encourage startups of all sizes to explore the option of working with our students with the mindset of providing value to our students in their effort to grow their portfolio as well as helping you grow your company.
Student Work
Take a look at the portfolios of our past graduates to understand the design quality our students can provide
Sydney Hartman is an up-and-coming designer who secured her first design job before she even graduated from her School of Visual Design program from Path Unbound! Sydney came from a retail background with experience in styling and administrative work. Half way through her program at Path Unbound, Sydney received her very first full-time design job!
FAQs
How long can I work with your students?
We require that your company limits the length of the partnered project to one month and less than 10-hours of work per week. You may retain the student for more work after the initial one-month period, but you must sign a separate labor contract with the student that stipulates payment terms.
What if I am unhappy with a student’s work?
We do our best to match you with a student that is looking for the type of company that fits your profile and we also take your preference into consideration. If there is a disagreement or dissatisfaction from other the student and you as the startup founder, we may provide you with one additional rematch based on student availability. We also encourage you to speak to the student directly to work out any differences first before requesting to be rematched. The rematch is solely based on availability and we are unable to guarantee the matching or a specific timeline.
Do I have to pay the student?
Within the limits of the 1-month project, you are not obligated to pay the student, but you as the founder must check your local labor law to ensure your compliance. If you wish to retain the student for longer than 1 month, you must pay the student and sign a separate contract with the student directly.
Is there a fee to join as a startup partner?
There is no fee to join as a startup partner currently.
How do you determine which student is best for my company?
We ask each student to submit an interest form indicating their preference. We take your requirements and preference into consideration. We provide a personalized introduction via email once a match is determined. However, you and the student should set up a meeting to determine if the collaboration will work out.
How do I protect my interllectual property while working with a student?
Your company must provide your own non-disclosure agreement for the student to sign and Path Unbound is not liable for any actions on the student's end.
Have more questions? Drop us a line and we will reach back out right away.