To investors,
I set a goal earlier this year of helping 10,000 people leave their legacy jobs and get a new job within the bitcoin and crypto industry. That may seem like a big number initially, but we were able to create and launch a company that is well on the way to accomplishing that goal. Below is a guest post from CEO Colton Sakamoto on how we are training thousands of people this year to make the transition.
In January of this year, we created a single product to start with — our Crypto Job Board. Since its inception, we’ve helped hundreds of job seekers find work in the industry. One company was able to hire more than 30 employees from the product, which makes up 4% of their global workforce.
In partnering with both job seekers and employers, we noticed a common theme — job seekers felt like they didn’t have a way to stand out from the crowd of other applicants, and employers had a hard time finding candidates with basic crypto knowledge. Enter the Crypto Academy.
In February, we launched our training program, The Fundamentals of Bitcoin and Crypto. The course has helped over 20 students start careers at some of the top companies in the industry, like Coinbase, Gemini, BlockFi, Kraken, Strike, BTC Inc, Anchorage, and more. While most of the students that go through the program are interested in starting a new career, our course surveys have identified three main desired outcomes for enrollees:
To work in the industry
To learn more about bitcoin and crypto
To meet others and join a community
1. Working in the Industry
There are thousands of open jobs in the bitcoin and crypto industry. Most people are unaware of the number of openings and types of roles available. The common misconception is that you need to be an engineer to work in bitcoin and crypto. You do not need to have technical experience to work in this industry – all of our hired program graduates have been non-technical.
Top talent is leaving the legacy world to create a better financial system. We’ve actively worked with the hiring departments at the major bitcoin and crypto companies to form a curriculum that covers the baseline level of knowledge needed to work in the industry.
Here’s how the certification program helps job seekers find work in the bitcoin and crypto space:
Career events
The sixth and final workshop is hosted by top companies in the industry that actively hire from our candidate pool. We have exclusive events that have been hosted by Coinbase, BlockFi, Strike, Unstoppable Domains, Ava Labs, and more. This gives job seekers front row access to companies and while ensuring they don’t get lost in the shuffle of thousands of other applicants. Crypto Academy alumni are always welcome back to the job fairs for future cohorts.
Resume and Interview guidance
We have a coach that leads deep dives on how to tailor your resume to crypto companies and how to stand out in the application process. Alumni who have landed jobs in the industry regularly come back to join discussion groups and share information about what made them stand out.
Networking
All cohort graduates remain active in our Slack community. This means all of the hired alums are part of the community and can offer guidance on strategies that made them successful in the job hunt. We also have designated social events where you can meet your other classmates. Cohort members have met their podcast co-hosts, co-founders, and friends through these events.
Certification
Hiring departments want to see Proof of Work. In a new industry, there are few certifications that can separate you from the competition. We issue an NFT certificate to all course graduates which gives job seekers an accolade that they can put on their resumes.
Meet Allen (@allenHODL on Twitter), who took our program and landed a job at BTC Inc:
“From the very day I found bitcoin back in 2017, I knew I had to find a way to work in the industry. I had little to no industry knowledge and I did not have a single connection within the industry. I was like a deer in the headlights hoping to find a job.
When I found Pomp’s Crypto Course I knew this was my way in. I met a tremendous amount of like-minded people that have now become my friends, both coaches, and classmates. They helped me refine my bitcoin knowledge and pointed me in the right direction.
Since I participated in the course in May of 2021, I have started a podcast (Citizens of Blockchain), began educating others in Twitter Spaces, contribute weekly to the Slack channel the course provides, and most recently, gained employment with BTC Inc to build the bitcoin conference. All of this in 3 months. Were it not for the course I would not be in the position I am today to be working a dream job of mine.
If you’re looking for proof-of-work to show employers, this is it.”
2. Learning more about bitcoin and crypto
Learning about bitcoin and crypto can be challenging. There are tons of really solid free resources available, but the information is often segmented and not fully comprehensive. Podcasts, newsletters, and courses (like the Saylor Academy) are all great, free resources to learn more. However, completion rates for MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) are very low (anywhere from 5-15%), and it takes time, dedication, and discipline to learn complex subjects on your own, and your questions may still go unanswered.
Cohort-based courses fix this. Our program includes live workshops hosted by Pomp. You will go through the academy alongside peers that are on the same learning journey as you are. We have Q&A sessions, as well as discussion groups and deep dives throughout the week.
In addition to the core curriculum covered in Pomp’s workshops, we also cover:
Technical deep dives on how bitcoin works
The Lightning Network
PoW vs. PoS
Running a node
NFTs
The creator economy and crypto
Meme creation
And much more
We host several optional events nearly every day throughout the course of the three weeks of the course. Outside of the main workshops, the course is analogous to a gym membership. You can pick and choose what you want to attend, and tailor your learning experience to match your interests. All sessions are recorded for those who aren’t able to attend live.
3. Networking and forming a community
If you’re as obsessed with bitcoin as I am, you’ve probably annoyed friends and family once or twice. One of the most common pieces of feedback we get is that people need a community of friends they can talk about bitcoin and crypto with. Every member that goes through our program gets lifetime access to all course materials as well as our Slack community. We have Slack channels for investing, learning, careers, memes, and more. We’ve done several in-person meetups, and host an alumni “family reunion” once per month. Students have found podcast co-hosts, co-founders, and friends through the Academy.
“I recently completed Pomp's Crypto Academy and couldn't be happier with the experience! From the Coaches to the content, to the Cohort model it exceeded my expectations at every level. The classes were remarkable at adjusting the material to suit any degree of expertise from remedial to advanced. My only complaint is that I didn't do it sooner!” - Anthony Praskavich @Train_Johnson
We have built the most comprehensive bitcoin and crypto education program available. Through 7 cohorts, students have rated the course very highly, with the most recent cohort rating the program a 9.4/10. We’ve helped many students start new careers, and this is only the beginning. If the Crypto Academy sounds like it’s a good fit for your goals, apply here. We hope to see you in cohort 8!
APPLY FOR COHORT 8 HERE: https://www.pompscryptocourse.com/
-Pomp
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THE RUNDOWN:
Dapper Labs Acquires Influencer Platform Brud, Launches Unit Focusing on DAOs: Non-fungible token powerhouse Dapper Labs has acquired the influencer platform Brud and is launching a new business dubbed “Dapper Collective” that will focus on helping communities build decentralized autonomous organization via its Flow blockchain. No terms were disclosed, but the compensation was all equity-based, according to Dapper, the company behind the popular NBA Top Shot NFT marketplace. Read more.
Jamie Dimon Says Bitcoin Is ‘a Little Bit of Fool’s Gold:’ Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase chairman and CEO, remains a skeptic of bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency by market value. “It’s got no intrinsic value. And regulators are going to regulate the hell out of it,” Dimon recently told Axios CEO Jim VandeHei. Dimon said bitcoin will be around long term, but “I’ve always believed it’ll be made illegal someplace, like China made it illegal, so I think it’s a little bit of fool’s gold.” Read more.
Bitcoin Set to Become Legal Payment in Brazil: Brazil’s Federal Deputy Aureo Ribeiro has revealed that Brazilians could soon be able to buy houses, cars and even McDonald’s with Bitcoin. The South American nation is preparing to vote on a cryptocurrency regulation bill which is expected to be presented to the Plenary of the Chamber of Deputies within the next few days. “We want to separate the wheat from the chaff, create regulations so that you can trade, know where you’re buying and know who you’re dealing with,” Ribeiro said. Read more.
Axie Infinity to Raise $150M Series B at $3B Valuation: Blockchain-enabled play-to-earn game Axie Infinity is raising approximately $150 million in a Series B capital round at a $3 billion valuation, according to reporting on Monday by The Information. Citing two unnamed sources “with direct knowledge of the deal,” The Information wrote that venture giant Andreessen Horowitz is leading the round. Read more.
SEC Subpoenas USDC Stablecoin Backer Circle: Circle Financial is under investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange, the payments company disclosed Monday. Circle, a key supporter of the USDC stablecoin, said in regulatory filings that it received an “investigative subpoena” from the SEC’s Enforcement Division in July 2021. That subpoena requests “documents and information regarding certain of our holdings, customer programs, and operations,” the filing said. Read more.
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Helping 10,000 People Get A Job In Crypto