My IDOL Journey

What is the IDOL Academy?

Since 2022, the IDOL Academy has been the first and only authorized vocational trade school for instructional design and online learning (IDOL) development. Before transitioning into a trade school, starting in 2019, the IDOL Academy was an 8-week professional development program for individuals interested in becoming or upskilling in instructional design and eLearning development. Currently, the IDOL Academy has over 3,100 alumni members who have landed IDOL jobs with several popular companies like Amazon, Google, Uber, and Nike.

How Did I Become An IDOL?

IDOL Member

The IDOL Academy is a virtual, self-paced learning environment that consists of several lessons, learning activities, and resources for paid members. Plus, there is an online community for social learning and networking with new members; mentoring, feedback, and career readiness sessions; training webinars by invited expert guests and IDOL Mentors/Coaches; and practical exposure to using industry-standard tools like Canva, Vyond, Storyline/Rise, and Camtasia.

My Timeline

IDOL Alumna

IDOL members graduate by completing an online portfolio vetting process and landing their first IDOL job. In addition to receiving an achievement certificate, IDOL alumni are awarded the coveted IDOL Mug.  Plus, IDOL alumni can leverage the following privileges:

As an IDOL Alumna, I was an IDOL Mentor during the 8th and 9th Cohorts (June-November 2021). I also signed up to record an episode on the Become An IDOL podcast. Lastly, I have written three articles for the IDOL Blog:

IDOL Talent

A subsidy of the IDOL Academy, IDOL Talent is a job staffing agency exclusively for IDOL Alumni to gain paid work experience as an IDOL. IDOL Alumni must meet certain requirements and undergo a hiring process to land a job opportunity via IDOL Talent. To learn more, go to the IDOL Talent website. 

During the summer of 2022 (June-September), I worked on a short-term contract for a tech giant client attained via IDOL Talent. 

Final Note: The IDOL Affirmation

The day before an IDOL cohort begins, new members are encouraged to do this simple task: Write the following statement on a sticky note and place it somewhere you will see it daily:

[Your first name] is an Instructional Designer and eLearning Developer.

I did this on June 7, 2020, and it made a difference in shifting my attitude and focus during my IDOL journey. Some days were challenging during that time, but seeing this sticky note on my desktop regularly helped me to keep going and never lose sight of my goal to become an IDOL. Eventually, my sticky note suffered from wear and tear; thankfully, I took this picture, which is the current wallpaper on my mobile phone...and now in here, to remind me that I am an IDOL and the hard work it took for me to get there and beyond.