Professional Development
At the USOPC, we know that professional development equips athletes with skills beyond sport, enhances career prospects, and fosters personal growth. Investing in athlete's holistic development supports them during their athletic career and beyond.
1:1 Career Coaching
Learn More, opens in a new tabGuild career coaching is available at any stage and will meet Team USA Athletes where they are to provide personalized, 1:1 guidance to help clarify direction and take confident next steps.
Career coaching support is available via video, phone, email, or text and includes:
- Creating or updating a standout résumé, cover letter, and other application materials
- Building interview skills, including confident storytelling, common questions, and negotiation prep
- Strengthening networking strategies and polishing a professional brand on LinkedIn
- Exploring career pathways aligned to interests and experience
- Translating training, competition, and leadership experiences into compelling, employer-ready stories
USOPC Athlete Fellowship Program
Learn More, opens in a new tabCalling all retired Team USA athletes! The USOPC is thrilled to launch the application for the second cohort of the donor-funded USOPC Athlete Fellowship Program – an incredible opportunity to launch your post-athletic career journey. Join the Team Behind the Team and embark on a transformative year-long experience within the heart of a global, purpose-driven, multi-sport ecosystem.
Impact Academy
Learn More, opens in a new tabThe Impact Academy is an exciting new series of programs created especially for the Olympic and Paralympic Movement by Tuck Executive Education at Dartmouth.
Each program offers Team USA athletes and USOPC, NGB, and LA28 employees the opportunity to build their professional network with others in the movement and learn immediately applicable skills for work and life.
As the first learning and development opportunity for both employees and athletes, the Impact Academy is designed to help everyone learn together as a community, as an investment in their growth.
Next Step: Transition to Business
Learn More, opens in a new tabThe transition from athletics into the civilian world is complex and demands new skills and knowledge. Next Step, at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, was designed specifically to help elite athletes and military veterans navigate that transition and prepare them for a career in business.
This general management certificate program combines a self-paced online learning phase with a live online learning phase to deliver an educational experience that is both flexible and immersive. Next Step helps participants refine what they know, discover what they don’t, and build the right business acumen to move their careers forward. It also allows them to build a robust network of ambitious peers who are also experiencing a career transition—bonds that last for years after the program concludes.
Monthly Career Conversations & Workshops
Every month we offer Team USA athletes the chance to join exclusive Career Conversations and Workshop programming. Each session is designed to deep dive into a relevant topic or translatable skill that they can take with them through any aspect of their athletic journey and beyond.
These sessions are designed to be highly interactive and connect athletes with both peers and experts in their field. Some topics include:
- 'Exploring the Medical Field Career Path'
- 'So You Want to Be an Entrepreneur?'
- 'Presenting with Confidence'
Athlete Only Mental Health First Aid Training
Mental Health First Aid is a course that teaches attendees how to help someone who may be experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge. The training helps attendees identify, understand, and respond to early or worsening symptoms as well as mental health crises. This virtual training is for Team USA athletes only.
Most programs should have general dates/timeframes of their offerings in the program description. To get a full sense of what's coming up, you can check out our calendar on Agora.
Predominantly, the USOPC covers the cost of professional development programs for athletes. If you would like to participate in a learning or skill development program with a fee, you may be eligible to receive a Team USA Tuition Grant to help offset program costs.