Industry
Education
Client
UX/UI
Tech careers for those without four-year degrees
CHALLENGE
Breaking through tech's credibility barrier
Merit America creates pathways to family-sustaining tech careers for people without college degrees. Graduates land real jobs with real companies. But their site was focused on describing their program rather than funneling potential learners into expressing interest. Many potential learners doubted whether someone "like them" could actually break into the tech industry. Merit America needed to prove their graduates' success while building confidence in hesitant applicants.
APPROACH
Graduate stories first, then a funnel
We rebuilt Merit America's visual brand to feel tech-forward without intimidating newcomers. The website redesign centered graduate transformation stories—showing real people's journeys from their previous jobs to thriving tech careers.
OUTCOME
Legitimacy that drives real career change
The new website delivered measurable results: 155% increase in application submissions and 77% increase in conversions. More importantly, we helped Merit America look like what they actually are—a legitimate pathway to economic mobility. The graduate-focused approach worked because it answered the real question potential learners ask: "Can someone like me actually succeed?" By leading with transformation stories, we gave people permission to believe in their own potential while building trust in Merit America's proven track record.