Earning a certification is a real accomplishment, but it’s only the first step to getting hired. Most candidates who complete a training program still need help building a résumé, finishing required paperwork and screenings, and connecting with employers who are actively hiring.
The demand is there. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects about 1.9 million job openings a year in healthcare occupations and about 280,000 a year in computer and information technology occupations. The harder part is connecting the right candidate with the right employment opportunity.
For Auburn University students enrolled in association with Preppy, Ready to Work was designed to provide the necessary support and services to connect students with hiring employers. The Ready to Work service combines Auburn University’s flexible online career education with access to a structured job and externship placement process. Ready to Work ensures students have a clear next step as they prepare to transition from completing their program to employment.
That support is part of the program rather than something you arrange on your own. The externship and job placement process is carefully coordinated by the Ready to Work (RTW) Candidate Relations and Placement Support teams. The Ready to Work Job and Externship placement service is included with the program at no cost to students or candidates.
Affordable Career Programs That Lead to Employment
Train for an in-demand career with flexible, affordable programs that lead to certifications and are designed to prepare you for employment opportunities. Students complete their coursework online and at their own pace, with no set start or end date. This flexibility allows you the opportunity to complete your program while managing your busy schedule. Typically, most students finish in about three to six months.
Past students have enrolled in the following programs:
- Surgical Technologist / Surgical Technology Assistant
- Clinical Medical Assistant
- Medical Billing & Coding
- Sterile Processing Technician
- EKG Technician
- Paralegal Professional
These programs prepare students for both roles employers are actively hiring for and to pursue industry recognized national certifications and credentials. Throughout the program, students work carefully with the Ready to Work team to pursue Job and or Externship Placement with local employers.
The Auburn University Partnership
The Office of Professional & Continuing Education (OPCE) provides educational resources and programs promoting lifelong learning. Our primary focus areas include Personal Enrichment courses, Professional & Career development, Custom Training and Event Management services and educational Youth Programs. Regardless of your age or stage in life, we encourage individuals and communities to continue their education with the full breadth of resources and opportunities available at Auburn University. Learn more about Auburn University
As part of their Auburn University program in association with Preppy, students have access to the Ready to Work Job and Externship Placement Service at no additional cost. For students and job seekers, this means career support is not treated as an afterthought but rather a carefully coordinated service that provides a defined bridge between program participation, candidate preparation and employer engagement.
What Is Ready to Work?
The Ready to Work (RTW) Job & Externship Placement service is offered to students who are enrolled or who have completed Healthcare, IT, Skilled Trades, Paralegal and other workforce training programs. Ready to Work (RTW) offers services to students who complete programs offered by colleges, universities, high schools and other public institutions nationwide. We guide candidates through each stage of the placement process, from organizing documents to getting in front of employers who are hiring.
Ready to Work is more than a job board. The Candidate Relations Team (CRT) supports intake, documents, readiness, and approval. The Placement Services Team (PST) focuses on opportunity research, employer outreach, applications, interviews, and follow-up. Together, these two teams give candidates a consistent point of contact as they work toward a job or externship placement.
Ready to Work in Action!
Working with participating colleges, universities and employer partners, Ready to Work has placed more than 20,000 candidates with employers nationwide, drawing on a network of thousands of employer partners. In Boston, working with UMass Global (UMG), Mass General Brigham, Boston Children’s Hospital and the City of Boston, UMG and RTW has enrolled thousands of candidates and placed over 1,200 as Medical Assistants and Patient Care Technicians since 2023.
Additionally, over the last two years, the RTW team has provided hands on lab opportunities for online students giving them the opportunity to practice the skills employers are looking for. Students in Boston, Detroit, San Francisco, Kansas City, New York, Dallas, Boise, Albuquerque and other communities nationwide have had the opportunity to participate in hands on labs.
Upcoming 2026 Student Hands on Labs and Career Employer Events!
The Ready to Work team is currently scheduling several hands-on lab events from September 2026 through December 2026 in communities nationwide including:
- San Francsico, Los Angeles
- New York, Atlanta, Boston
- Dallas, Denver
- And other locations
These events will provide students with the opportunity to both practice hands on clinical skills as well as meet with Ready to Work career counselors and recruiters. Students will also have the opportunity to apply to open positions with participating employers who are actively hiring program graduates. As with all Ready to Work services, these events are offered for free at no cost to Ready to Work participating students and candidates.
Several Ready to Work academic partner institutions and their students will be participating in these events including:
- Auburn University
- Louisiana State University Shreveport (LSUS)
- Emory University
- San Fransico State University
- Cal State, Texas A&M, Adelphi University
- And several others
Students of these institution partners will receive invitations to RSVP to upcoming events so that all students can participate.
Who Is Ready to Work For?
- Students in an eligible training program
- Students that recently earned their certificate
- Experienced workers
- Career changers
Students and graduates of Auburn University in association with Preppy programs qualify for Ready to Work placement services.
Prepare for Your First Conversation
Before completing the CPQ or meeting with a counselor, gather the information you already have:
- Your current résumé
- A list of recent education, certifications, and credentials
- Whether you are seeking employment, an externship, or either option
- Your preferred location, commute range, schedule, and availability
- Any available screening, health, or compliance documents
- Questions about your target role, placement timeline, or next steps
The Ready to Work Placement Process: Six Steps
Before beginning, students can review a one-minute overview of Ready to Work and the placement process:
Watch the Ready to Work Process Overview
Ready to Work follows a start-to-finish process, and your counselor and recruiter work with you at each stage. Auburn University students in association with Preppy, follow the same six steps during and after they complete their program.
Step 1: Candidate Placement Questionnaire (CPQ)
You complete a short questionnaire indicating whether you are seeking job or externship placement, your location preferences, and your availability. You also upload your current résumé.
Your answers allow the team to prepare your Candidate Intake Form, which initiates the formal placement process.
Step 2: Candidate Intake Form (CIF)
A Candidate Relations Team (CRT) counselor works with you to draft your Candidate Intake Form using your questionnaire responses and your current résumé. You review the draft, fill in anything missing, and upload the documents your counselor requests.
Step 3: Candidate Intake Call
Once your intake form and documents are complete, you schedule your Candidate Intake call with your Candidate Relations Team counselor to finalize your placement details and review other important items.
Step 4: RTW-Approved Résumé
After the Candidate Intake call, the RTW team finalizes your RTW-Approved Résumé. This is the version shared with participating employers.
Step 5: Job or Externship Placement
You are assigned a RTW Placement Services Team (PST) recruiter who works to find the right placement opportunities for you, then follows up with both you and the employer to secure your placement.
Each completed step moves you forward on your journey toward Ready to Work Approval. Approval signals that your intake information and RTW résumé are prepared for the employer-facing phase of the process. RTW approval does not guarantee a job, but it helps ensure that you can be presented clearly and professionally when an appropriate opportunity is identified.
Step 6: RTW Employer Dashboard
If you consent, your confidential profile appears in a secure dashboard where participating employers can review your resume, save you as a candidate, and request an interview.
Student participation critical to the RTW journey
The process moves faster when your documents are complete and you respond promptly when your counselor or recruiter reaches out.
Each completed step moves you forward on your journey toward Ready to Work Approval. Approval signals that your intake information and RTW résumé are prepared for the employer-facing phase of the process; it does not guarantee a job, but it helps ensure that you can be presented clearly and professionally when an appropriate opportunity is identified.
What Candidates Gain From Ready to Work
A structured process that helps you identify what is complete, what is missing, and what needs to happen next
- Career coaching and interview preparation connected to relevant employment or externship opportunities
- Résumé assistance from a team who evaluate open job positions every day
- Support and coordination of drug screens, background checks and other requirements
- Access to RTW career counselors and recruiters who actively work with employers
- Interviews with employer partners who already hire RTW candidates
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I complete the Candidate Placement Questionnaire?
Complete the CPQ as soon as you receive it. Starting early gives the Ready to Work team the information needed to prepare your Candidate Intake Form, identify missing documents, and explain the steps you must complete before employer outreach and placement activity can begin.
Who is eligible for Ready to Work?
RTW services are available to candidates enrolled in or completing an eligible healthcare, IT, trades, or other workforce development program, and to experienced candidates who are currently or recently employed and want support advancing their careers. Auburn University students in association with Preppy, are eligible to participate.
Is employment guaranteed?
No. Ready to Work guides candidates through each stage of the placement process and connects them with participating employers, but it does not guarantee a job offer. Hiring decisions belong to the employer.
What documents are required?
Required documents vary by role, employer, and state. Common items include your current résumé and standard pre-employment items such as screenings and health or compliance records. Your Candidate Relations Team counselor will inform you exactly what to submit during the intake form process.
Does Ready to Work help with externships?
Yes. You indicate whether you are seeking job placement or externship placement on your Candidate Placement Questionnaire, and the Placement Services Team works on either.
What happens after the intake call?
Your RTW career counselor finalizes your intake form and facilitates your RTW-approved résumé. You are then assigned a Ready to Work recruiter who begins working on placement opportunities.
Is there a cost to candidates?
There is no cost to students who participate in the Ready to Work placement process.
Ready to Get Started?
We are eager to connect with you as you begin your journey toward Ready to Work Approval and, ultimately, a RTW job or externship placement. If you have questions or need assistance our team is ready to help. Please feel free to reach out to us.
