MrBeast partners with East Carolina University to train skilled workers for the creator economy

MrBeast, who just became the most-subscribed-to creator on YouTube, has partnered with East Carolina University (ECU) to launch a training and credentialing program for people who want to work with content creators.

Staffers like editors, camerapeople, and artists are often off-camera, but play absolutely vital roles in keeping creators’ channels going. Behind the scenes at his content production headquarters, MrBeast (aka Jimmy Donaldson) has around 125 full-time staff plus another 125 contractors, he and ECU revealed in a post about their partnership.

Finding all those highly skilled and much-needed people was a difficult process, he said. Donaldson and ECU hope their program can help make that process a little easier for other creators—plus help eager aspiring professionals get accredited in a field they enjoy without having to commit the time or money needed for a traditional, multi-year college education.

“This program is focused on addressing these challenges head on,” ECU Chancellor Philip Rogers said in a statement. “In this program, industry insiders collaborate directly with academic experts to connect cutting-edge techniques with the knowledge creation engine of a university.”

Described as “microcredential courses,” the program will involve “a curriculum that addresses the workforce needs and meets rigorous academic standards,” ECU said.

Donaldson and other creator industry insiders will work with ECU to develop the program’s curriculum. Courses will “be delivered fully online and prepare enrollees for entry-level positions in camera work, editing, analytics and other needed creator industry skills,” ECU added.

People do not have to be enrolled as “traditional four-year students” at ECU in order to enroll in the program and get certified, the university said. It’s not clear yet what the specific eligibility requirements will be, but ECU said the program will launch between six and 12 months from now.

When it launches, it will be part of ECU’s established research, economic development, and engagement strategies department, which is led by Dr. Sharon Paynter.

“This innovative program expands ECU’s offerings to meet demand from today’s adult learners,” Paynter said. “It gives the university a way to provide alternative pathways for career preparation and allows ECU to meet students where they are in the workforce landscape.”

“Genuinely, I hope this is as beneficial for you as it’s going to be for a lot of creators like us,” Donaldson told ECU. “I can see this completely changing the industry. I’m excited!”