A Student-Centric Freelancing Platform for Bridging Academia and Industry

In today’s competitive environment, students often struggle to gain practical experience due to limited access to real-world projects and the dominance of experienced professionals on existing freelancing platforms. This paper presents the design and development of a student-centric freelancing and hiring platform exclusively for verified students, aimed at connecting academia with industry. The system enables students to register using their institutional credentials, create professional profiles, and apply for jobs, internships, or projects posted by employers. It ensures fair opportunities by restricting participation to verified students and promotes skill development through motivational features such as ratings, rewards, and skill badges. The platform is developed using React.js and Node.js, offering a secure, user-friendly, and scalable web application hosted on Vercel. The proposed system not only bridges the gap between students and employers but also encourages continuous learning, practical exposure, and career growth. Experimental evaluation and user feedback demonstrate the platform’s effectiveness in enhancing student employability and facilitating efficient talent discovery for recruiters.