Gain Skills & Experience
Experience is Everything.
Getting real-world experience helps you feel more confident, discover and grow your skills, explore career paths, meet people in your field and make your resume stand out. Employers look for quality experience, and having it can make you a stronger candidate after graduation.
At CU Boulder, we want every student to have access to these opportunities.
Check out options to gain professional experience that fit your schedule and interests—there’s something for everyone.
Ways to Gain Professional Experience
- Flexible and self-paced formats make it easy to fit into your student schedule.
- Focus on specific skills and fields that are relevant for your interests and talents.
- Learn from industry experts at leading companies and institutions.
- Gain transferable skills with a credential that makes you a stronger candidate.
Career Academy Boulder gives you access to free career training programs from companies like Adobe Google, Meta, IBM and more to complement your learning in the classroom and professional experience.
LinkedIn Learning provides access to online on-demand courses on specialized skills. In as little as 20 minutes, you can learn hard skills like coding, Excel and Photoshop or build soft skills like leadership, communication and project management.
- Flexible formats allow you to fit resume builders within tight schedules.
- Short-term durations are low commitment for skill building, resume boosting and earning income.
- Lower barriers to entry mean you need less experience to try out these opportunities than many internships, jobs and more intensive experiences.
Job Simulations
With Forage, you can simulate what it’s like to work at big name companies in fascinating roles like consulting, software development, finance, marketing and more!
Paid Projects
Through Level Up, first-generation students work on teams to apply their education, skills and knowledge in real-world situations.
Paid Flexible Work
Work Simplr offers short-term projects with companies across the country where you can gain professional experience, apply your skills and earn some extra income.
- Build community and gain insights into life at CU Boulder and beyond.
- Strengthen your understanding of your own career goals.
- Open pathways to internships and full-time opportunities.
- Get networking tips
Join our amazing network of CU alumni and participate in the Forever Buffs Network annual mentorship program starting in October. Or, log in year round and connect with alumni who match your interests to get insights into the world of work.
- Connect with faculty and/or industry on projects related to your interests.
- Develop in-depth knowledge and skills important to your field.
- Boost your resume by working on projects at our world-class research institution.
- Build your professional and academic network. Explore your career interests.
UROP offers grants for reserach projects in all majors, fields of study and professional practice. Get hands-on experience and partner with leading faculty members.
Other Campus Resources
The Curiosity Lab
Research at CU
Research & Innovation Office
- Gain practical skills across multiple business fields.
- Boost your resume with experience that employers covet.
- Earn an income.
- Gain purpose and confidence in the world of work.
Build skills, connections and companies through the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative. There are dozens of exciting programs that I&E promotes every year for people with all levels of experience.