GA Welcomes Gretchen Jacobi as Head of Enterprise & Jourdan Hathaway as Chief Marketing Officer

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In August 2023, Daniele Grassi was appointed President and CEO of General Assembly to lead our continued evolution and ensure we continue to provide clients like Adobe, Disney, Booz Allen Hamilton, BNP Paribas Cardif, Guardian, L’Oreal, and Microsoft the best-in-class talent and training solutions they’ve come to expect from us. Gretchen and Jourdan are strategic hires brought on to help advance our expansion mission.

Meet Gretchen

Headshot of Gretchen smiling in a soft red blouse

Newly hired Gretchen Jacobi, Head of Enterprise, brings over a decade of expertise in innovative talent development and talent supply strategies. She’ll be focused on helping businesses rethink the way they build and retain talent through customized upskilling and reskilling solutions, as well as scalable emerging talent pipelines, including Hire-Train-Deploy and apprenticeships. She’ll also expand our public-private partnerships with governments and nonprofits, which have driven economic mobility for over 10,000 workers traditionally locked out of high-demand careers. Prior to joining GA, Gretchen held roles at Revature, as SVP, Head of Mid-Market, and at Flatiron School, as VP, Business Development and Head of Career Services.

“As the half-life of skills becomes even shorter and AI continues to boom, global companies, workers, and entire economies are grappling with how to remain relevant, competitive, and productive. GA addresses this challenge by partnering with the most forward-thinking enterprises and governments in the world to invest in their most precious assets — their people. I’m thrilled to grow GA’s reach and impact at a time when solutions to the skilled workforce crisis are more needed than ever.” 


– Gretchen Jacobi

Meet Jourdan

Jourdan smiling in an all white blazer

On the consumer side, Jourdan Hathaway has recently joined General Assembly as our new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). With more than 20 years of edtech and professional services experience in marketing and executive management roles, Jourdan will lead our global marketing organization. This includes brand, product marketing, growth and demand gen, performance, journey nurture, and revenue operations for our product portfolio of bootcamps, short form courses, and workshops. Jourdan’s expertise in creating an outstanding learner experience and operating a business at scale will support her efforts to drive demand for our offerings. She’ll also work side-by-side with our Sales and Product teams to help unlock future growth. Prior to joining GA, Jourdan spent 12 years in online education at Wiley University Services, most recently as the SVP of Operations.

”This role allows me to blend my passion for shaping the future of work with my expertise in marketing, operations, and technology. I’m excited to join General Assembly, long known as a pioneer in the career transformation space, and to help shepherd the business into its next phase.” 

– Jourdan Hathaway

Both Gretchen and Jourdan will serve on our executive leadership team, reporting directly to Daniele Grassi, President and Chief Executive Officer.

“I’m thrilled to welcome industry veterans Gretchen Jacobi and Jourdan Hathaway to General Assembly. Too many businesses continue to report that they can’t find the skilled workers they need. As the problem widens, we need to find new solutions. I’m confident that Gretchen and Jourdan’s complementary contributions will make a significant and positive impact on the next phase of GA.”

– Daniele Grassi

DITCH YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION FOR YOUR NEW YEAR’S EVOLUTION

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Another year, another resolution (or five, or six) that’s so well intentioned — but never actually accomplished.

We’ve got a better idea. This year, ditch the unattainable resolutions and instead empower yourself with an evolution into tech. Whether your goal in 2024 is to level-up in your current role, or completely transition into a new tech industry, we’ve got something to help you start your evolution off on the right foot. Or the left. It doesn’t matter to us — just take the first step.

Join us for a four-week long New Year’s Evolution series of FREE skills, events, and live Q&A sessions with the GA team and subject matter experts. Every Monday through Friday between January 22 and February 9, we’ll have three, week-long free skills series where you’ll get 10 hours of hands-on practice with today (and tomorrow)’s most in-demand tech skills like coding, data, and UX design. 

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Career Tarotscopes for 2024

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woman and students learning in front of a class window

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Rebecca Szymczak, aka Cardsy B, author of The Saturn Diaries and tarot reader to the stars, consulted her tarot deck and has tips for which signs should leverage January’s new year momentum to go all-in on exciting new projects and which signs should pause and review the 2023’s lessons to find clarity before taking big risks. She also has some insight into prosperity — both current roles and new ventures — coming in where you may least expect it. 

Looking back at this past year, we moved through a numerological seven-year (2 + 0 + 2 + 3 = 7). Sevens indicate a time of pause, planning, and recalibration. (You can also find your individual numerology for the year by adding the single digits of your birth day and month to 2024.) As a collective, we’re now moving into an eight year, and the seeds we sowed throughout this past year are now beginning to bloom, bringing feelings of both excitement and responsibility. Because manifestation happens more efficiently in an eight year, intention-setting and priorities are key. 

Setting Goals for 2024

If you need more clarity on exactly what your focus is by New Year’s, the second week of January is an additional powerful portal for setting goals for 2024. The first new moon of the year arrives in Capricorn on January 11. This new moon shines light on the inspired action needed to seize opportunities now within reach. Years that add up to eight carry the energetic signature of creation and achievement, which require commitment and endurance. Starting this January, it’ll be progressively more important to hone in on how we recalibrate and nurture ourselves. Think of the start of the year as preparing for the marathon of 2024. It’s important to strategize early on to utilize our energy and resources for the long game.

On the bright side, all the tools needed have already been provided, as the lessons and trials of the past three years set us up with everything necessary to succeed in 2024. The challenging news is that we alone are the only ones responsible for the results. Utilize the year’s first weeks to specify your intentions for 2024, and then take the actions required to obtain what you’re calling in. 

Significant milestones and evolution are in store for all signs this year. Remember, in an eight year, anything is possible. So read on to see what the cards have in store.

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Unwrapping the Future: How Coding Bootcamps are Changing the Job Market

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individuals learning new skills at a coding bootcamp

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

‘Tis the season of giving. And the tech job market is feeling the spirit, thanks to the rise of coding bootcamps. 

Tech bootcamps are spreading joy by expanding access to quality and up-to-date tech skill training. The results?

  • The power to produce tech talent no longer lies primarily within traditional college walls.
  • An increase in the number of individuals able to enter the tech industry.
  • Hiring managers get access to a more diverse diverse pool of tech talent.  

Let’s look at how these coding bootcamps transform the job market one gift-wrapped course at a time.

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Leading Through Change: Why it Pays to Reskill & Redeploy Workers Instead of Laying Them Off

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Estimated reading time: 6 minutes


Layoffs have become an unsettling norm across industries. Companies that rapidly staffed up during the pandemic in response to surging demand are trimming staff as demand wanes. It’s a vicious cycle — many of these companies will be hiring again within the next year to keep up with a constantly shifting consumer landscape.  

Most recent layoffs have disproportionately affected non-technical employees, hitting departments like human resources, recruiting, and marketing hard. They’ve also had other ripple effects — shelving diversity initiative progress and causing anxiety throughout the workforce. And to add to it all, companies are still struggling to recruit for tech roles and continuing to invest in digital transformation efforts in hopes they’ll be more efficient and competitive in the future. A future that’s already here. 

TL;DR: There’s a severe imbalance in the labor force, and companies need to think about modernizing their workforce like they think about modernizing their tech. It’s time to move past the band-aid effect of layoffs and upgrade to a truly sustainable talent strategy. 

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GA Advice: How Tech Workers Can Practice Responsible AI

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Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Tips from VP of Impact and Experience, Dr. Jeffrey Bergin 

About Dr. Jeffery Bergin

Dr. Jeff Bergin, Vice President of Learning and Experience at General Assembly, specializes in accelerated technical training for career and workforce readiness, including ethical AI use. Dr. Bergin has a strong background in learner-centered pedagogies and online learning design and is the editor of the recently published book, “Supporting Self-Regulated Learning and Student Success in Online Courses.” Dr. Bergin has also held leadership roles at Universal Technical Institute, Macmillan Learning, and Pearson and has published and presented on various online learning topics.

How Tech Workers Can Practice Responsible AI

As technology continues to disrupt how we approach work, practicing responsible AI is paramount.

Here are 5 key steps from Dr. Jeff to ensure you’re contributing ethically to the AI landscape:

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Sleigh Your Career Goals: Your Guide to Upskilling During the Holidays

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It’s easy to slide into the holidays one of two ways — feeling like a humbug discouraged by your job hunt or bright-eyed with ambition (I’ll have so much time!). Either way, you know you need to up your skill game and refresh your portfolio to make a new career a reality.   

Fast-forward a week to binging Home Alone and Christmas Vacation on the couch. Don’t let the short winter days lull you into stalling out — embrace the spirit of growth along with the spirit of the season. Here’s how you can sleigh your career goals this holiday season. 

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Starting a Career in UX Design: What UX Design is, UX Career Paths, and UX Designer Salaries

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Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

In today’s tech landscape, it’s all about user experience. The demand for skilled UX designers has skyrocketed, paving the way for diverse and rewarding career paths. In this blog, we’ll explore the essence of UX design, delve into the exciting avenues it opens up for career development, and shed light on UX design salaries. 

Whether you’re a seasoned professional navigating the industry or a curious learner looking to dive into this fast-growing field, read on to get all the information you need to know about starting a UX design career. 

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4 Ways to Build a Data-Driven Culture

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Two men and a woman sit in a business lounge area having a discussion about making data-driven decisions.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

What do ship captains and business leaders have in common? 

They both need to navigate through stormy and calm seas, constantly charting course across uncertain and hostile waters. While captains often turn to their maps, radars, and compasses, business leaders need to turn to their data.

Data helps you nail down the strategic plan for achieving your business objectives. Data keeps you on course. And data enables you to change course when needed. 

But here’s the thing — your business is a large vessel with multiple departments (like a large luxury liner) that must succeed in their respective journeys. One misstep in one department could affect your overall company journey. 

All departments must know how to handle their chief navigation equipment — data.

When data-driven decision-making becomes a company-wide practice, it positions your business for sustainable success. Data-driven companies are 58% more likely to exceed their revenue goals. 

So, how do you cultivate a culture where every department leverages data to succeed in their roles? And have everyone collectively steering your organization towards its goals? Let’s find out.

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