Optimizing the COOP journey and the role of captainship

Watch this video where Diane explains your role as a captain in Phase 2 and 3.

What is changing?

Effective in the fall of 2025, the way COOP supports its alumni after the flagship program is evolving.

In the past, fellows completed 16 weeks of intensive workshops and then were offered optional alumni support, with limited structure or continued community.

Now, the COOP journey will no longer end exactly when the fellowship does.

Instead, COOP Alumni are given the opportunity to sign up for two consecutive phases of support if they haven’t yet landed a job offer. This keeps job seekers connected to COOP, their peers, and, most importantly, their Captains, so they don’t have to go about the job search alone!

Captain Interest Form

Our extended program journey is now represented by three distinct phases: 

  1. Phase 1 (flagship program): Intensive career readiness (Head, Heart, Hustle) with a mix of synchronous and asynchronous learning content

  2. Phase 2 (extension): Hustle-focused job search support (resumes, applications, accountability) primarily via Zoom + light async job search tasks

  3. Phase 3 (continued support): Sustained accountability and networking until alumni land jobs via monthly alumni Zoom workshops + networking events

What does this mean for captains? 

For captains, this means your role is evolving too: you will still guide new fellows through the flagship experience, and now you also have the chance to stay with them longer, as they continue on their journey into full-time employment.

Captain Interest Form

This change is designed to:

  • Provide continuity: keeping fellows connected to captains and peers

  • Increase employment outcomes: supporting alumni until they land their first “good” job

  • Strengthen community: ensuring no one faces the job search alone

Why it matters: why we want YOU to join us in Phases 2 and 3

By continuing as a captain into Phases 2 and 3, you help fellows:

  • Avoid the program cliff: they stay connected and supported

  • Stay accountable in their job search

  • Reach the ultimate COOP goal: a good full-time job

Your presence makes the difference between alumni feeling “done with COOP” and alumni knowing they are still part of a thriving, supportive community.

Captain Interest Form

For even more information and details about captainship for Phase 2 and 3 check out this informational guide we created just for you!