Love Mobile opens Cohort 3 of free career tech certifications

Love Mobile has opened applications for Cohort 3 of its Love Grows program, which gives learners free career tech certifications and coaching. The Tulsa-based company says 232 learners have already earned 622 certifications, and applications close Nov. 30.

Why it matters: - Love Mobile’s Love Grows program gives people a no-cost path into higher-paying tech fields without requiring existing customers to enroll. - The program pairs certifications with career coaching, which can help learners translate training into jobs. - The offer targets people rebuilding after layoffs, delaying school or looking for a new career path.

What happened: - Love Mobile opened applications for Cohort 3 of Love Grows, with the deadline set for Nov. 30. - Tulsa chef LaToya Larkin Parker earned six free career tech certifications through the program. - Larkin Parker owns Black Girl Tamales in Tulsa and previously spent 26 years teaching cooking. - Larkin Parker said, "I'm not tech," before entering the program. - Larkin Parker earned certifications in UX Design, Project Management and Business Intelligence, among others. - Love Mobile said applicants do not need to be Love Mobile customers. - Interested applicants can apply at Love Grows applications.

The details: - Love Grows offers free certifications in cybersecurity, data analytics, AI, project management and UX design. - Graduates also receive free career coaching focused on resumes and interviews. - Cohort members meet virtually once a month with company founders and fellow participants. - Those sessions are used to check in, celebrate completed certifications and prepare for the job search. - Love Mobile said Cohorts 1 and 2 included 232 learners, 622 career tech certifications, 3,334 hours of learning and more than $100,000 in scholarships. - The program is funded through Love Mobile partners and subscribers. - The company operates on three major U.S. networks under the brands Love Pink, Love Blue powered by AT&T and Love Red. - Love Mobile describes its service as a prepaid wireless provider headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma. - The Give Back Model means every plan supports nonprofits in subscribers’ home communities.

Between the lines: - Love Grows is built around a simple bet: short-term credentials can create faster career mobility than a traditional degree path for some workers. - Co-founder and COO Wade Dunn Jr. tied the program to his own experience, saying one certificate changed the direction of his life. - Co-founder and CEO Koddi Dunn framed the program as ongoing support, not a one-time scholarship. - The strongest demand from past learners has come in cybersecurity, data analytics and AI. - The program’s pitch fits a labor market where technical roles can pay well above the U.S. median wage. - The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects data scientist jobs will grow 34.6% from 2025 to 2035, and information security analyst jobs will grow 21.0%, compared with 3.5% for all occupations. - Median annual pay in May 2025 was $129,180 for information security analysts, $120,230 for data scientists, $104,000 for web and digital interface designers, $102,320 for project management specialists and $61,860 for computer user support specialists. - The median for all U.S. workers was $50,980.

What's next: - Love Mobile will review Cohort 3 applications through Nov. 30. - The company says co-founders Koddi Dunn and Wade Dunn Jr. are available for interviews. - New cohort members will move into the monthly virtual support and certification process after acceptance.

The bottom line: - Love Mobile is using free credentials, coaching and community support to turn entry-level learning into a more direct path to tech careers.