Partnering With Prodigy Education: Opening Doors for Boot Camp Learners

Throughout much of the world, the start of autumn marks the start of a new school year. With new learning innovations and tools being used in the classroom for the first time, returning to school is looking different for millions of learners and educators. One such innovation is a learning experience offered by Prodigy Education. As part of their mission to help every student in the world love learning, Prodigy has created an engaging, adaptive, game-based math tool for learners in grades 1–8 that is loved by children, parents, and teachers alike.

Prodigy recently expanded its commitment to tech industry growth and learning innovation by partnering with Trilogy Education Services, a 2U, Inc. brand. Through this effort, Prodigy aims to connect with qualified candidates coming from Trilogy-powered boot camps, which are designed to prepare learners to fill a variety of roles in rapidly growing tech sectors like web development, data analytics, cybersecurity, and more. 

Since its founding in 2011, Prodigy has grown from 3,000 local users to more than 100 million registered users worldwide. Earlier this year, the company announced that it raised $159 million from TPG Growth in a Series B round. This investment is one of the largest in North American EdTech history and marks a new era for Prodigy with funding to accelerate its growth. 

Nathaniel Quarrie, Content Marketing Manager at Trilogy, recently sat down with Candice Fearon, Talent Acquisition Specialist at Prodigy, to learn more about the partnership and the open roles that boot camp learners can qualify for. Keep reading for key takeaways from the interview, including what makes Prodigy a great place for tech talent, what they look for in candidates, and tips for getting hired.

What It Is Like to Work at Prodigy

Prodigy is committed to making education accessible and equitable through the dedicated efforts of its team members, making the company a great fit for tech industry professionals who want a collaborative work environment where they can make a difference. Candice describes the team as one big family that learns and grows together — collectively, they work to make the world a better and brighter place by reimagining education.

In addition, Prodigy encourages professional development among all employees, allowing team members to build a career roadmap that is tailored to their goals. Among Candice’s favourite aspects of working for a company like Prodigy, is the frequent availability of new opportunities and roles, as well as the support provided by the company to help employees take advantage of them.

According to Candice, one of Prodigy’s core values is called Radical Candor. The company embraces a culture of frequent feedback and open communication that’s kind and clear, offering a culture of transparency where team members are included in important conversations. Employees can challenge respectfully, bring new ideas to the table, and practice openness.

What Prodigy Looks for in Tech Talent

Below is a list of some of the roles and their requisite skill sets Prodigy is seeking across their various departments, as well as a description of what to expect if you join the company. 

Data Science

By gathering and understanding data, Prodigy’s data team supports multiple departments including marketing, finance, and products. They are looking for applicants with a growth mindset, a desire to learn more, and a willingness to share their findings. Candidates should also be able to communicate insights that engage an audience. As data professionals, these individuals help the company better understand its business, deliver insightful analytics, and create the best possible user experience.

Web Development

Prodigy’s developers play an integral part in shaping products that help millions of children learn math in a fun and unique way. Talent professionals like Candice look for candidates who demonstrate a desire and ability to learn new applications and technologies quickly. Prodigy also looks for individuals who thrive in collaborative environments and enjoy working with people from different backgrounds and disciplines.

Internships

Prodigy provides co-op opportunities throughout Canada for young professionals looking to start their careers in some of the fields listed above. Prodigy looks for individuals that can contribute as full team members, taking on real challenges and projects, and finding solutions that will help the company achieve its goals. Interns also drive their own learning through full access to Prodigy’s internal database of learning resources, allowing them to expand their knowledge within their chosen domain.

If you’re interested in learning more about these roles, visit the Prodigy career page. Candice also encourages candidates to learn more about Prodigy’s core values, since the company looks for candidates who share alignment with them. 

How Boot Camp Learners Can Prepare for a Role at Prodigy

There are a number of skills that can set boot camp learners apart when applying for a role at Prodigy. To help you get started, Candice shares some of the key traits the company looks for when seeking new tech talent. 

• Communication: Through her experience interviewing technical talent, Candice has discovered that many candidates often struggle with their communication skills. Qualified candidates should have a strong hold of core communication skills such as active listening, written communication, and non-verbal communication.
• Lifelong Learning: Learning is an ongoing process in which one acquires knowledge and skills throughout their lifetime. Based on Prodigy’s commitment to professional development and a growth mindset (another of their core values), the company searches for candidates that demonstrate this commitment to lifelong learning.
• Passion for Education: Prodigy looks for those who are passionate about learning and believe in the power of education. They also believe in Extreme Ownership, another core value that drives the hiring of individuals with an unfettered, unfaltering passion and drive for encouraging a love for learning. 

Tips for Interviewing at Prodigy Education

Below, you will find tips to help you prepare for an interview at Prodigy. 

• Research the Company: Understand the company’s mission and the problems they are trying to solve. This will not just show interviewers that you’re committed to the job, it will also help you confirm that Prodigy is a company you want to work for. 
• Understand the Requirements and Prepare Examples: Note the job responsibilities and the required skills. Then, refamiliarize yourself with personal and school projects you’ve completed — even taking some time to polish your portfolio — to provide some examples of when you demonstrated those skills.
• Practice Coding Challenges: If you’re interviewing for an engineering position, your interview will include a coding challenge. Practicing these in advance will help you get in the proper mindset to code and focus directly on the implementation to avoid making small mistakes. Another tip? Practice talking out loud as you code to work on your communication skills at the same time.
• Ask Questions: Prepare some thoughtful questions to understand what working at Prodigy will look like. This will help you manage your expectations if you do land a role with the company.

Final Thoughts

Building a career in EdTech is a great way to utilize your boot camp education, since the overlap in skills from a nontraditional boot camp education can be the key to a successful career at EdTech leaders like Prodigy. If you’re new to our boot camps, visit our boot camp page to learn more, or contact our admissions team to discover how you can gain the fundamentals to work in the field.

​​Want to connect to more inspiring industry partners like Prodigy Education? Our Career Engagement Network has partnered with 260+ employers to gain insights that we apply to the curricula, ensuring our boot camps cover the most in-demand skills in the local tech market. Boot camp learners get access to those partners through exclusive networking events, recruiting webinars, and job referrals. Visit our website or speak with admissions to learn more about the career services available through UofT SCS Boot Camps.