Dare To Dream
Mission
We transform dreams into meaningful careers and lives by offering an accessible pathway to creative careers.
What We Do
We offer an apprenticeship network for leading corporations, providing you with a continuous talent pipeline of ready-now, diverse creatives.
About Us
Experts at the intersection of Industry & EducationAbout
We Create Opportunities for
Talent & Corporations
Our education system is broken: rising education costs, shifting workforce demands to innovatively boost income, and Gen Z interests leave corporations without diverse, ready-now talent. Waiting for higher education to change is costly for the community, consumers, and the bottom line.
i.e. is on a mission to create an apprenticeship network with leading corporations, providing diverse creatives with an accessible pathway to turn their dreams into meaningful professional careers.
Brand Manifesto
We believe that every human should have the ability to turn their dreams into a meaningful life and career.
We believe in a world where your zip code doesn’t determine your destiny.
We believe that education and leadership are tools to dismantle inequitable systems.
Where your identity is your superpower and your unique value proposition.
We believe in radical inclusivity. Yes, because it is the right thing to do and because it drives innovation and excellence.
And lastly, we forever and will always believe in dreams.
100% conversion from apprentice to full time employees, representing a 7x better conversion rate than corporations in-house intern programs.
7x
Testimonials
Samantha Alvarado
Assistant Designer, adidas
“This amazing opportunity brought me back to life and I found passion in something I never thought I would. I don’t come from money and had to drop out of my first year of college; I lost my connection to art and fell into a depression. Without i.e. I would have become a very dull person that I didn’t recognize.”
Cheresse Thornhill-Goldson
Director, Design Education & Growth, S.E.E.D., adidas
“i.e. brings invaluable expertise to the table. They seamlessly transformed our brand’s approach to cultivating creative leaders, delivering top-tier talent, reducing recruiting costs, and producing rapid apprentice-driven revenue. i.e. understood our brand’s requirements and dedicated time to emphasize the significance of developing a diversity of intellect within our talent pool. i.e. and their team are truly exceptional, delivering immediate results and adding significant value to our brand.”
Jessica Smith
CEO, Industry Education
Meet Our Founder
Jessica Smith is a trailblazer in Industry Education, driving major advancements over the past 15 years at the intersection of Higher Education and the Creative Industry. As co-founder of S.E.E.D. (School for Experiential Education in Design), Jessica developed a groundbreaking industry-first platform bridging education to careers through a two-year college alternative, smashing barriers, and championing women of color in the footwear realm. Jessica’s impact also extends to top universities such as Columbia, UCLA, and Portland State, along with Fortune 500 organizations like Nike and adidas.
Beyond academia, Jessica has spearheaded corporate strategy, organizational transformation, and the cultivation of inclusive, high-performing teams. As a prominent member of the adidas United Against Racism Coalition, Jessica’s influence earned her recognition as adidas’ Top 100 Directors globally, along with contribution to adidas’ collaboration with Harvard School of Business. As a published author and lecturer on Leadership, Social Change, and Inclusive Pedagogy, Jessica has spoken at esteemed events including Fortune Brainstorm Design, SXSW (South by Southwest), ENSN Fest, and Black Footwear Forum.
Jessica is a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Southern California in Organizational Change and Leadership publishing on the topic of Industry Education, holds a Master’s in Education from Wake Forest University, and has a bachelors from Georgetown University..
Jessica draws inspiration from her rural Northern California upbringing on a 200-acre farm with her grandparents and brother, which instilled a formidable work ethic, focus, and confidence. Her experiences in a one-stoplight town reinforced the importance of community and service. In her downtime, she enjoys writing, reading, sports, outdoor activities, and quality time with her two sons and loved ones.
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