Closing the Opportunity Divide
Building on a foundation of technology skills, Year Up teaches the ABC’s of success: attitude, behavior and communication.
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| Gerald Chertavian, Founder and CEO, Year Up |
Six of the 10 fastest growing job categories in the United States are technology or technology-related. Yet, in Massachusetts, one-third of adult workers and thousands of unemployed high school graduates lack basic computer or other technical skills that could help them thrive in a rapidly evolving and increasingly knowledge-based economy.
This mismatch between the demands of the knowledge economy and the skills possessed by thousands of young adults is shocking. But here in Massachusetts, an innovative alliance between Year Up and local employers is helping bridge this opportunity divide — in ways that benefit disadvantaged young adults and help keep our business community and local economy competitive.
Year Up is a one-year, intensive education and apprenticeship program, which trains motivated, low-income young adults and matches them with businesses that have a need for entry-level, knowledge-based workers. Students earn college credit for their work through a partnership with Cambridge College. What’s unique about Year Up is that it combines training in basic computer skills with an intense focus on other, less tangible, but equally important qualities valued by employers: a good attitude, appropriate behavior and the ability to communicate effectively.
By the end of 2007, more than 600 young people in Massachusetts will have graduated from Year Up. Of the graduates to date, 87 percent found full- or part-time jobs within four months, at an average of $15 an hour — twice the minimum wage in Massachusetts.
By working closely with partners such as Microsoft, State Street Corporation and Bank of America, Year Up is able to prepare students with the technical literacy and professional skills that employers need. This combination of skills significantly increases the success of Year Up students during and after their apprenticeship with local employers.
A recent $10 million commitment from Microsoft will empower Year Up to do even more to help create living wage jobs for young adults in Massachusetts. With the latest software and training in how to use it, Year Up staff and students will be able to develop specific computer skills used in today’s workplace. These new technology resources will enable Year Up to target other financial resources toward direct services for students.
Through guest presenters and trainers, one-on-one mentoring by Microsoft employees and field trips to Microsoft’s local offices, our students have a chance to learn about real-world IT opportunities and receive guidance on how to be successful. The Microsoft partnership will also empower Year Up students to continue advancing their skills after graduation by providing access to professional certifications in technical fields at a fraction of the normal cost.
Collaborations such as the one between Microsoft and Year Up are helping build a skilled workforce needed to maintain Massachusetts’ competitiveness nationally and globally. Most importantly, it is providing at-risk youth an opportunity to break the cycle of poverty and realize their full potential.
