More than 4,000 students have completed hands-on artificial intelligence training through two externship programs developed by Outamation, a mortgage operations technology company, and Extern, a platform that connects students with real-world work experience. The programs, announced on October 13, 2026, were designed to bridge the gap between learning AI concepts and applying them in professional settings. Instead of theoretical study, students worked with sample mortgage documents to build working AI tools, delivering their findings directly to Outamation as a professional technology team would.
The initiative matters because employers increasingly seek AI-ready talent, yet many graduates lack practical experience. By providing structured, project-based learning, Outamation and Extern are helping to create a pipeline of skilled workers. The programs also demonstrate how companies can contribute to workforce development while benefiting from fresh perspectives on real business challenges.
Outamation and Extern co-designed the curriculum, with Outamation’s mortgage domain experts and AI engineers creating the materials. Nirmal Patel, Outamation’s Chief AI Officer, led program design, supported by Devang Kamdar, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer. Mike Eng, Head of Partnerships, led the effort for Extern.
The externships were offered at two levels. A seven-week Foundational program introduced AI, natural language processing, and computer vision. A five-week Advanced program had students fine-tune their own AI models and build multi-step AI agents to automate document workflows. Using sample files, students trained AI to recognize common mortgage document types and wrote Python code to extract key information automatically. They also built AI systems that answer questions about documents and tested open-source AI models, skills applicable across finance, real estate, and other industries. Advanced participants compared AI models on accuracy, cost, and ease of use, and presented their recommendations to Outamation stakeholders.
The scale of participation was notable: students from 934 schools and 59 countries took part, regardless of location or background. This open access at scale highlights the potential for remote, part-time projects to democratize AI education. For Outamation, the programs yielded independent evaluations of open-source AI models that its own team is considering. For Extern, it validated its model of hosting remote projects with dedicated mentorship.
“Every student today will build a career alongside AI. The question is whether they learn it by doing real work or by watching from the sidelines,” said Lisa Guadagno, Chief People Officer of Outamation. “More than 4,000 students chose to do the work. Our job as employers is to give the next generation the tools and the opportunity to succeed.”
“AI skills on their own are not enough. Students learn the most when they solve real business problems with people who know the industry and people who know the technology,” said Sapan Bafna, Founder & CEO of Outamation. “Our mortgage experts and AI engineers designed this curriculum together. Students learned to use AI the way it is used on the job.”
“Most companies stay out of this because they picture a program they would have to build and staff. Taking that burden on is what Extern is for. Outamation handed students a real problem and got independent evaluations of the open-source AI models their own team is weighing in return. Having to make a recommendation and defend it to the people who will act on it is the part no course can simulate,” said Matt Wilkerson, CEO at Extern.
Building on these results, Outamation and Extern will collaborate on a new program designed to evolve alongside advances in AI, ensuring students continue learning the skills employers will need next. Students interested in future programs can learn more at www.extern.com.
The implications extend beyond immediate skill-building. As AI transforms industries, initiatives like this could become a blueprint for how companies and educational platforms partner to close talent gaps. By involving students in real projects, they not only gain experience but also contribute to solving business problems, creating a mutually beneficial ecosystem. With 74% of Extern participants landing a job or internship within 12 months, the model shows promise for improving employment outcomes. For Outamation, the programs reinforce its position as an innovator in mortgage technology and AI, while Extern continues to scale its reach—90,000 students from over 150 countries have participated in its externships with companies like TikTok, Amazon, and Pfizer. This collaboration underscores the growing importance of experiential learning in preparing the workforce for an AI-driven future.
