Admissions Policy
Blossom Academy’s Fellowship Program accomplishes transformational outcomes through a live, cohort-based, and in-person learning experience. The skills-based curriculum is designed in collaboration with industry employers and is pedagogically reflective of an actual working experience. As an organization, we are of a firm belief that everyone, if given the same opportunity, is most likely to make the best out of it for their benefit, that of the society and nation at large. For this reason, Blossom Academy’s Fellowship admission process is to give each applicant an equal opportunity to apply for the Fellowship program. The policy outlines what is expected of an applicant for whom we see as a potential Fellow, during application, during the Fellowship training period, and post the Fellowship training. The policy also contains the code of conduct expected from all Applicants, Fellows, and Alumni. This is to ensure that all applicants, Fellows, and alumni are treated with fairness and given all the necessary assistance required.
Application Process Policy
Applying for a program
Unless indicated in our adverts that applicants may apply for more than one of our programs at a go, all applicants are required to apply for only one program. Double or multiple applications will be considered disqualified. A Fellow of Blossom Academy is not eligible to apply for any of our Fellowship programs.
Re-applying for a program
Applicants who are not selected into a Fellowship program have an opportunity to re-apply for another Fellowship program when applications are opened again. However, there is no guarantee that an applicant who has applied previously will be considered in the future. A Fellow(s) who, for one reason or the other, dropped out of a particular cohort is eligible to re-apply for another Fellowship program.
How many email addresses can I use to apply?
For easy identification and tracking of applicants to work on their application seamlessly, we urge that each applicant stick to one email address throughout the recruitment process. If, for any reason, an applicant has to change their email address, they must contact the recruitment team via the email address(es) or number(s) displayed on Blossom Academy’s website or flyers for approval before doing so.
Receiving emails from Blossom Academy
We always encourage applicants to constantly/regularly check their email inboxes and spam folders for any update(s) from Blossom Academy because most of the information will be shared via email. We do not prohibit any applicant from reaching out to us after noticing that they haven’t received any email after checking their email inbox and spam folder within the stipulated time frame expected to receive the next email.
Does Blossom Academy give an extension of deadlines?
No, we do not give any extension of deadlines to anyone. Every applicant is treated equally, without any form of preferential treatment. We encourage all applicants to abide by the deadlines given during each stage of the recruitment process.
Code of Conduct
Adherence to this Code of Conduct is expected of all Fellows, and any breach of it will result in an administrative review with the likely outcome of the Fellow being asked to leave the program.
Blossom Academy's Fellowship program is a very flexible talent development program. Although our cohorts are group-based, our model allows Fellows to learn independently and catch up on assignments if required. In addition to virtual classes, it is mandatory that Fellows attend all in-person meetings. All in-person sessions are conducted at our facility in the country of implementation.
Fellows are allowed up to two (2) excused absences per cohort. If a Fellow knows she or he will be absent for any reason, it is their responsibility to email the organization at [email protected]. This email should be sent at the start of any week (Monday) when a Fellow expects to be absent. For example, if you plan to be absent on a Wednesday, you should email the organization and CC the appropriate Blossom Academy staff members on the previous Monday. For absences that are planned well in advance, it is the Fellow’s responsibility to indicate those dates during the orientation. Fellows who miss more than two days of instruction per cohort without notifying Blossom Academy staff will be subject to not joining our vast network of data professionals, and will not have the benefit of being exposed to global opportunities. Fellows are also responsible for communicating with their peers and learning any material they may have missed during their absence. We understand that emergencies come up and can result in unexpected absences. Please notify Blossom Academy of these situations as soon as possible.
Throughout the Fellowship program, you will be assigned work to be completed before the start of each week. On average, to be completed effectively, we expect these assignments to require 3 - 5 hours per week throughout the cohort, while some week's assignments will likely have higher workloads. All assignments are expected to be completed by Fellows. They form the basis for discussion during sessions and it is a sign of investment in yourself and in your cohort of Fellows to come fully prepared for each session. In addition, you will be asked to complete surveys administered by Blossom Academy throughout the Fellowship program and afterwards. It is required to complete them on time.
Similar to our attendance policy described above, if we conclude that you are not investing in the program and in the other Fellows seriously in the form of timely assignment completion, we will initiate a discussion with you about whether it makes sense for you to continue in the program.
During each session, we expect that each Fellow will contribute to discussions, remain focused on the activity at hand, and remain present mentally as well as physically. During sessions, we ask that you put aside all outside concerns (including mobile devices), and come prepared to devote 100% of your energies to the program.
Please note that the virtual sessions include between 5 to 7 hours of online engagement (9 a.m. - 4 p.m. GMT). Fellows should be prepared to stay focused and engaged throughout the sessions, which requires freeing your schedule and communicating to friends and colleagues that you will be unavailable for the duration of the session. If for any reason this is not possible, you will be expected to withdraw from the program.
Over the course of the Fellowship, you will be expected to work together with other Fellows in your cohort to complete assignments. You must complete all tasks assigned to you, and you should actively work with your team to meet both individual and group deliverables.
Fellows are placed into groups of three to five and work together as a team to complete their academic goals. These smaller teams are designed to have goals at the individual level and group levels. Hence, Fellows are not just preoccupied with their own learning but are also concerned with their teammates’ advancement. Every team has a designated team captain, who will be responsible for keeping each member accountable.
Fellowship groups are independent and autonomous; they decide how to plan their learning experience, how to organize themselves, and how to track progress. Regarding communication channels, for example, they either use Telegram or WhatsApp. We’ve found that having independent and autonomous Fellowship groups working towards an end goal (tied to a learning milestone) is a great way to put Fellows in control of their own learning process. At the same time, it’s proven to be, by far, the best way to teach collaboration and communication skills.
At the end of each project, new Fellowship groups are formed. We do this to build adaptability skills. With this, Fellows learn to be comfortable with building new working relationships.
The Blossom Fellowship program brings together individuals from across regions, sectors, ages, genders, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Each Fellow is carefully chosen because they bring to bear a unique set of experiences and accomplishments. We expect that you will treat your colleagues as equals and show them the utmost respect. Further, we expect that you will treat with due discretion and confidentiality what you share and learn from others during the program, to enable an environment of openness and honesty.
Blossom Academy celebrates diversity in our community, and will not tolerate discriminatory behavior on the basis of gender, nationality, tribe, sexuality, disability, cultural background, religion, marital status, age, or political conviction.
In addition, Blossom Academy affirms that the Fellowship is a place of camaraderie and collaboration and that it is not a place for competition between Fellows. The sanctity of this space is preserved by these expectations; as guardians of the space, the Blossom Academy Team has the sole discretion and authority to remove any individual from the program who has violated these norms of confidentiality and respect.
Our primary goal for every session is to create a safe and productive environment where you feel comfortable bringing your full self. Blossom Academy will not tolerate harassment in any form. Our virtual and in-person sessions are dedicated to providing a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of sex, gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, race, ethnicity, religion, age, or any other legally protected category.
What we are referring to as harassment is unwelcome conduct that can be verbal, physical, nonverbal, or visual and can happen in person and/or through written communication or social media before, during, or after sessions. Specifically, sexual harassment in the form of a “hostile environment” consists of words, signs, jokes, pranks, intimidation, or physical violence that are of a sexual nature, or that are directed at an individual because of that individual’s sex (even if not sexual in nature). The person who determines whether the conduct is unwelcome is the recipient of the conduct.
A key aspect of the Fellowship Program is the opportunity to network and share lessons among the cohort. Recognize that you may possess insights and professional experiences that may be valuable to another member of the cohort, and we ask that you be responsive, courteous, and prompt when approached by other Fellows. We encourage you to actively search for opportunities to collaborate with other Fellows for mutual benefit.