Year Up

Year Up seeks to close the Opportunity Divide by providing young adults with the skills, experience, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education.

To achieve these goals, Year Up offers a one-year, intensive training program that provides low-income young adults, ages 18-24, with a combination of hands-on skills development, coursework eligible for college credit, corporate internships, and wraparound support. Over the course of a year, students receive six months of hard skills training in one of four career paths, along with extensive soft skills training. Then, students spend another six months interning at a company in their career pathway for 30-35 hours/week. Interns are classified as educational internships, not employees of the company. Hiring occurs primarily through converting internships to full-time employment.

Year Up also operates a staffing agency for alumni that can fulfill immediate employer needs. Employers pay a fee for participant stipend and training. The ideal position for a Year Up candidate is middle-skill – a position that doesn’t require a college degree, but does require advanced technical skills beyond a high school degree.

EMPLOYER REQUIREMENTS

• $26,000 fee per student
• Guaranteed placement filling real company need
• Assigned company mentor for intern(s)
• Managers must participate in Year Up training session

EMPLOYER SUPPORTS PROVIDED

• Retention support