Symplicity, an Arlington-based higher education career and student engagement platform, recently announced its acquisition of Canadian experiential learning company Orbis. While terms of the acquisition were not disclosed, the deal allows Symplicity to offer a more expansive employer network to universities in Canada and bolster its experiential learning offerings.
Connecting students with job opportunities isn’t an easy job, nor is managing student life, accommodations services, academic advising or any of the other dozens of responsibilities higher education professionals juggle. Pair that with the high unemployment rate and number of businesses struggling to hire, preparing students for careers post-graduation is a tall order.
“If there is anything the post-pandemic world of work has shown, it is that it’s not just about jobs — there are endless job boards out there for students. It’s about preparing students for careers through meaningful experiences with work projects and skill development pathways based on the real needs of employers,” Symplicity President and CEO Matthew Small said in a statement.
With 20 years of experience, Symplicity offers a platform that brings together solutions for multiple aspects of the student journey from career services, to tutor scheduling, to accessibility accommodations. The Symplicity One platform empowers higher education professionals with a holistic view of their students’ needs and engagement to make important campus life decisions and guide students toward fulfilling careers.
The company has been a gamechanger for the 2,000 universities it works with. In just the last 12 months, Symplicity has placed 450,000 students in internships and according to its website, universities using the platform have experienced a 75 percent increase in student engagement. The company also boasts a network of more than 500,000 active employers that students can connect with. Companies Symplicity works with include big tech stars like Apple, AT&T, Twitter and NASA.
With the acquisition of Orbis, Symplicity plans to further expand its experiential learning capabilities to prepare students with skills they’ll need and employers want. Orbis connects students with real world experiences that enhance skills learned in the classroom. With Orbis, career service professionals can help students find jobs and internships that align with their degrees, prepare for interviews and more.
“By joining Symplicity, we are aligning with an organization that shares our values and our goals,” Cameron Ballantyne, founding partner at Orbis, said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing to provide the solutions that bind industry, post-secondary institutions, government and students in a way that meets them where they are today with what they need for tomorrow.”
As Symplicitiy expands its market, the company is also expanding many of its teams. Departments across the company have open positions including Symplicity’s design, engineering, finance, marketing, operations and sales teams.
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