Giving Compass' Take:

• Pathrise is a start-up that provides job training and career mentorship to students and young people who want to pursue jobs at tech companies. 

• Why would this start-up have a more effective approach than other companies providing the same training? 

• Read about why America needs a workforce with technology skills.  

Would you take career advice from a 23-year-old—and pay a chunk of your salary for it?

That’s the question that may surface when one first encounter the team behind Pathrise, a startup co-founded by a pair of early twentysomethings (who look even younger in pictures). But what the team may lack in age, it makes up for with a staff whose resumes are padded with stints at some of the most sought-after companies including Yelp, Facebook, Salesforce, GitHub and, of course, Google.

Those credentials are what co-founders Kevin Wu (age 23) and Derrick Mar (24) hope will attract interest in their “career accelerator for students,” which provides mentorship and training to help young people land jobs at tech companies. It offers a mix of career coaching support and interview preparation services for software engineering, data science, product management and design roles.

“The first thing I tell my students is that I’m young and why that’s a great thing,” says Wu in an interview with EdSurge. “I understand what they’re going through but have a unique enough career trajectory where I can actually advise them.”

Here’s how Pathrise works. Those interested in the program must first apply and pass a screening interview that tests them on their baseline technical competencies. Once accepted, students are paired with Pathrise mentors, and together they work through an eight-week curriculum that walks them through the ins and outs of applying, interviewing and getting a job.

To date, the company has helped 50 students land jobs with starting salaries that range from $70,000 to $200,000, claims Wu. On average, he adds, these jobs pay $100,000. That suggests Pathrise currently makes about $9,000 per successful placement (based on its 9 percent cut).

Read the full article about Pathrise by Tony Wan at EdSurge