Growth and Development

I came in the door as a call center agent, and I am now running onboarding for all of Nelnet — and that's all because of the opportunities I've had here and the leaders who encouraged me.

Nelnet's parental leave policy has been a life saver. I'm a new father to a nine month old daughter, and my wife also works here at Nelnet. So between the two of us, the parental leave policy really enabled us to get our daughter from birth and infancy all the way to daycare without needing to find any bridge or stopgap solutions.

The benefits package really affected me personally because I love to travel — that's one of my life goals, to see as much as possible. Nelnet's ETO policy has allowed me the time to do that. And the leadership here prioritizes your personal time and taking that time off — and that has really been amazing for me.

I was able to earn my master's degree in Organizational Leadership and Change completely for free. I know Nelnet partners with Colorado Technical University — and I just can't believe it, honestly. I tell everyone, go get your master's. It has helped me advance in my career quicker, and I've been able to take what I learned and apply it directly to my day-to-day responsibilities.

I feel included and connected here at Nelnet, and I feel like my job really matters to the people I work with and the organization. And that's a feeling you can't replicate.

Nelnet's investment in the community really shows that they're committed not only to the success of Nelnet, but the success of the city and the communities in which we work and live. It means something to an associate when their employer is genuinely invested in making it a great community to live in.

Nelnet is one of the best places to make sure that you still have work life balance in your life. They're going to make sure you love where you work — and also make sure that you still have a life outside of work.

You're treated as a professional, with hands-on projects, a mentoring program, and exposure to a large, diverse organization.

I often compare Nelnet to a small rural Nebraska town — it's a place where everyone seems to know everyone who knows someone else. And it makes the community here feel really unique and special.

Nelnet values people that raise their hand, that step up. And I knew that if I leaned into that — it's really true of anyone — you have a lot of opportunity to grow with this company.

Nelnet has been really supportive of my professional development — from attending conferences every year to really focusing on what I'm looking for in professional growth. I feel like professional development is really genuine here.

I've never worked with so many people who are so passionate and just so good at their jobs. No matter what department or team I'm on, I feel like I'm always on the winning team.

I love working at Nelnet because of the endless growth opportunities. You can start in one area and move to a different area — or stay in the same area and keep leveling up. That opportunity is always there.

If a friend asked me why they should work at Nelnet, I would tell them to go for it. Nelnet is one of the best places to make sure that you still have work life balance — and also make sure that you still have a life outside of work.

Nelnet has just offered the opportunity for me to move into different roles over a period of time. And each role is just getting better and better — I'm honing my skills and learning new things about new departments.

People rally…no big egos…doing the right thing for customers and communities.

You can pretty much create your own path here at Nelnet.

Leadership here has done a fantastic job — not just handing me the answers, but stretching me in a way that helps me understand how I would solve a problem. They want to grow you into a problem solver.

I feel like I can take chances and risks…I have a soft place to land if things don't work out.

My leadership here at Nelnet has done a fantastic job helping me realize that I'm not limited here, but truly unlimited in what I could do.

If a friend asked me to work at Nelnet, I would say yes, do it — because you're going to love the atmosphere, you're going to love the interaction, and you're going to love the benefits.

Get really comfortable with getting uncomfortable. Nelnet is a fast-moving place — it's a challenging environment, but it's really rewarding for people.

The thing I love about Nelnet is the communication and transparency. I've worked at other organizations where leaders were hesitant to share information until they had all the answers — but I really appreciate the openness, even when we don't know everything.

I love working at Nelnet because it genuinely feels like a family here. Everybody is looking out for each other, genuinely curious and wanting to get to know you better — and wanting to help you succeed.

I've had great connections because of the mentorship program. I've met people outside of my department that I wouldn't normally have — who have helped me grow and learn more about myself.

My leaders always had a deep understanding of the fact that we're all people. Understanding that we are all human, we make mistakes, things happen — and just how much of a community that builds.

I feel supported. I feel grounded… I have a sense of purpose and belonging… I feel like I'm part of something bigger.

We're really doing things that other companies haven't done, especially in the space of artificial intelligence. Our careers are changing, the way we do things is changing — and Nelnet knew right away that this is something we need to invest in for our people.

With the benefits package, what's different from Nelnet from any other job I've worked at — they are curious about the wellness of our health. Not only that, but even the incentives — we get those quarterly bonuses every three months. I always look forward to that.

You can come in and you're going to learn so much from so many different people — and you are going to leave a much better person.

I didn't push opportunities away — I grabbed them. That's how you grow here.

When I made the switch from marketing to software development, it took a lot of trust and support from Nelnet to sponsor my participation in the code school program — and it ended up being the best thing.

What it says about this company — for someone like me that started as a payment processor to be able to elevate to managing director — is that Nelnet really values people and values growth and lifetime learning. If you're willing to put in the effort, Nelnet makes the opportunities available.

Nelnet is just innovative. The business is truly out there, always looking for what's next. They're willing to take a chance to see if it's something we can get comfortable in, which then provides a lot of opportunity for all of us here.

I came in at an entry level and I'm now in IT Infrastructure — I did not come from an IT background. All it took was somebody to say yes and give me a chance.

I didn't think I could lead people… my leaders saw it before I did… and it fell into place.

When I get an opportunity to talk to customers, I'm proud to represent the organization… they tell us how great our associates are and how they're doing amazing things.

Across the board, people genuinely support each other. You’re not just working alongside people — you’re working with them.

Being a Nelnet associate makes me feel empowered…if you have a vision and desire to do something cool, nothing's going to stop you here.

Nelnet has allowed me to be involved in the community and be a part of United Way here at the office — and play a different role than I would anywhere else.

I've never seen so much emphasis on understanding that these are people and that we need to do the right things for them and by them.

What's surprising is the ability to speak with executives. People such as Jeff Noordhoek or Mike Dunlap come in and talk to us on a one-on-one basis for our teams, which is surprising. How many companies do that?

Here at Nelnet you really do get to create your own journey.

I love how Nelnet has been focusing on AI, and I love that I got to work with AI. It's really given me a lot of real world experience and insight into how AI actually works in the real world.

I went back to school… got my bachelor's, my master's, certifications — and Nelnet paid for it. If you invest in yourself, Nelnet invests in you.

There are so many opportunities here. You don’t always know where you’ll end up, but that’s part of what makes it exciting. I’ve been able to try new things and grow in ways I didn’t expect.

When we are boots to the ground with our communities… that's where Nelnet really shines.

I came in here just thinking this is another job…and the commitment to growth and the friendly attitude from all my leadership — that's what kept me here.

Nelnet has had the same core values from day one… we do what we say… you don't see that everywhere.

Being a Nelnet associate makes me feel proud… a company that cares about associates, customer service, and the communities we work in.

I'm more excited about what the next 10, 15, 20 years look like… I'm almost maybe more excited looking forward.

Going back to school changed everything for me — and Nelnet made it possible. Their tuition reimbursement and partnership with Colorado Technical University opened doors I didn't think were available to me.

My career at Nelnet has gone from being a job where I just show up every day, to being something that I truly want to excel at. And that's a reflection of the leadership I've had over the years.

If you raise your hand and step outside your comfort zone, your career is unlimited here.

There's so much opportunity here. I've never held the same role for more than four years. When I'm ready for something new, I can grow into a different role — and still stay at Nelnet.