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Net Pathway

Net Pathway

By Chernet Asmamaw • June 29, 2025

Net Pathway is an innovative platform designed to help African students make informed career choices by aligning their skills and interests with market opportunities. We address common challenges in career guidance and educational pathways to reduce skill mismatches and improve employment outcomes.

Overview

Net Pathway helps students navigate their career journey through comprehensive assessments, personalized recommendations, and direct mentorship connections. Our platform bridges the gap between education and employment, specifically tailored for the African job market.

Features

  • User Authentication: Email/password registration, Google OAuth integration, and role-based access control
  • Assessment System: Academic transcript analysis, extracurricular activities evaluation, and behavioral/personality assessment
  • Career Path Guidance: University matching, personalized career recommendations, and skills gap identification
  • Mentorship Platform: Smart matching system connecting students with relevant mentors and direct messaging
  • Blog Platform: Career-focused articles, industry insights, and success stories
  • Admin Dashboard: User management, content moderation, and system analytics

Technologies

  • Frontend: Next.js 14, React, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS
  • State Management: Zustand
  • Backend: Node.js, Express.js with TypeScript
  • Database: MongoDB with Mongoose ODM
  • Authentication: JWT tokens with Google OAuth via Passport.js
  • File Storage: Cloudinary
  • Form Management: React Hook Form with Zod validation

Getting Started

To get started with the project, clone the repository and install dependencies:

git clone https://github.com/ChernetAsmamaw/net-pathway.git
cd net-pathway
npm install

Frontend Environment Variables (.env.local):

NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL=http://localhost:5000/api
NEXT_PUBLIC_CLOUDINARY_CLOUD_NAME=your_cloudinary_cloud_name
NEXT_PUBLIC_GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID=your_google_client_id

Backend Environment Variables (.env):

PORT=5000
MONGODB_URI=mongodb://localhost:27017/net-pathway
JWT_SECRET=your_secure_jwt_secret_here
GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID=your_google_client_id
GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET=your_google_client_secret

Start the development servers:

# Backend
cd net-pathway-backend
npm run dev

# Frontend  
cd net-pathway
npm run dev

The application will be available at http://localhost:3000.

Impact

Net Pathway addresses critical challenges in African education and employment by providing skills alignment, career guidance, mentorship connections, and employment readiness preparation.