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Nuts & Bolts:

  • 9 month program (September 2025 to May 2026)

  • Part-time (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays             from 9am - 12:30pm)

  • Students can earn up to 15 transferable college credits.

  • Intimate cohort size of 30 students.

  • Workshop U operates out of West Chester University Center City campus (701 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19106) â€‹

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Cost:

  • Workshop U is completely free. All students who are accepted receive full scholarships.

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Student giving a thumbs up


Program Overview

Workshop facilitators smiling at existing program
Workshop U in session

At Workshop U, you'll learn a process of LIFE DESIGN.

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You figure out what you want out of your future, and take concrete steps to get there.

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Program Description

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

You'll end the year with an actionable plan for your next year and a process that you can use over and over again across a lifetime whenever you feel stuck. 

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Develop a
vision

Create
OPPORTUNITY

Take
Action

Stage 1
DEvelop a vision

"Traditionally school isn't a place for

you to develop yourself, for yourself.

 

So the design process is important because you are going through deep introspection to be able to figure out where your life is. And then I'm taking steps that move me in a direction of something that I know I want to build."

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 - Ola (WU Student)

You're in the drivers seat of what success looks like in your life. In this stage, you'll build up your sense of self, understand your values and priorities, and hone a vision for your future. â€‹This vision will be anchored in evidence by meeting and interviewing people in the real world.

 

By the end, you'll have outlined three potential paths you could take next year, and decide which one to pursue.

Stage 2
Create Opportunity

To know what you want to do, you have to try stuff in a real-world, real-stakes context. In this stage, you'll work part-time for 10-weeks in your internship. Interns will be paid $15/hr.

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By the end, you'll have expanded your network, gained real-world work experience, and be able to update your Next Step Plan with your learnings.​

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"Having a portfolio of shows

[future employers] an example

of the work I did. â€‹

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That can push expectations higher because actions speak louder than words. [Employers will say] 'he knows what he's doing, this is proof of that... we're gonna pick him up."

Student writing on wall
Arsenal Mediaworks Logo
Philadelphia Scenic Logo
Tiny WPA Logo
Community Partnership School Logo
1812 Productions Logo
Warmly Logo
Alli Fabrication Logo
PH Logo
Arden Theater Logo

Stage 3
Prototype your work 

Opportunities don't just find you; you have to create them. In this stage, we'll teach you how to find opportunities that move the needle forward on your goals - from the research process to outreach emailing to interviewing. We'll also focus on how to learn and thrive in an internship.

 

By the end, you'll have networked your way into an internship that will help you test if your chosen path is the right direction.

Step 1
Map your
Opportunities

Step 3
Create an Internship
learning plan

Step 2
Network, network, network!

Saying 'yes' to your
Internship
offer

When all is said and done, you'll 
Create your portfolio 

Examples of our Internship Partners

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- DeaQuan (WU Student)

By graduation, you'll walk away with a portfolio containing...

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  1.    An actionable plan for what you'll do next year

  2.    Documentation of your Life Design Process to use in the future

  3.    Projects from WU that demonstrate your skillset

  4.    Artifacts from your internship work​

  5.    A robust LinkedIn profile

  6.    Resume

  7.    References​​​​​​

  8.    Network of supporters

Step 1
Thrive in your internship

Present your
Next-Step
plan

(Version 2.0)

Step 1
know why You Are here

Step 2
Define Success

Step 3
chart a direction

Step 4
Refine your options

Step 5
draft your team

Present your
Next-Step
plan

(Version 1.0)

Step 6
GATHER DATA


Community @ Workshop u

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Navigating life after high school is difficult without a community.

 

Your WU cohort will â€‹motivate, energize, advise, challenge and cheer you on to reach your goals.  And you’ll be invited to do the same for them.

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- Deona (WU Student)

“I didn’t have people around me

to motivate me. 

 

But here I feel like there is an understanding of the things that we're all going through. And there are people that have these resources out for us to get out of a rut.

 

So it gave me hope.” â€‹â€‹â€‹

Table of Workshop U students working
Workshop U students hugging
Four students at a table working on an assignment

701 Market St.

Philadelphia PA 19139

215-605-6850

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