More than 4,000 students have gained practical experience building artificial intelligence tools through two externship programs developed by Outamation, a mortgage operations technology company, and Extern, a platform connecting students with real-world work experience. The initiative, announced on October 13, 2026, aims to bridge the gap between academic learning and on-the-job application of AI.
The programs were designed collaboratively by Outamation and Extern, with Outamation's mortgage domain experts and AI engineers creating the curriculum. Nirmal Patel, Outamation's Chief AI Officer, led program design for Outamation, supported by Devang Kamdar, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer. Mike Eng, Head of Partnerships, spearheaded the effort for Extern.
Students engaged in two levels of learning: a seven-week Foundational externship introducing AI, natural language processing, and computer vision, and a five-week Advanced program where they fine-tuned their own AI models and built multi-step AI agents to automate document workflows. Using sample mortgage documents, participants trained AI to recognize common 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 models on accuracy, cost, and ease of use, and presented recommendations to Outamation stakeholders.
The initiative reached students from 934 schools and 59 countries, ensuring open access regardless of location or background. Lisa Guadagno, Chief People Officer of Outamation, emphasized the importance of experiential learning: "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. 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."
Sapan Bafna, Founder & CEO of Outamation, added, "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. Our mortgage experts and AI engineers designed this curriculum together. Students learned to use AI the way it is used on the job."
Matt Wilkerson, CEO at Extern, highlighted the mutual benefit: "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."
Building on these results, Outamation and Extern plan to launch a new program designed to evolve with AI advances, ensuring students continue learning skills employers will need. Students interested in future programs can learn more at www.extern.com.
This collaboration matters because it directly addresses the talent gap in AI, providing students with practical experience that traditional education often lacks. For industries like mortgage operations, which are increasingly reliant on AI for document automation and quality control, such programs cultivate a pipeline of skilled workers. Extern's track record shows that 74% of participants land a job or internship within 12 months, underscoring the program's effectiveness. As AI continues to transform business processes, initiatives like this ensure the next generation is prepared to meet evolving demands.
