CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 20, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Continuing to expand its proven program to create pathways to meaningful employment for low-income youth, the national nonprofit Year Up announced today that it is launching a new site in Charlotte, North Carolina, with generous support from Bank of America and the John M. Belk Endowment and in partnership with Central Piedmont Community College and Leading on Opportunity, a nonprofit focused on improving economic mobility in Charlotte.
Year Up Charlotte will be the nonprofit's first site in North Carolina, and will offer courses to prepare students (ages 18-24) for entry-level technology and customer-facing roles. Nationwide, 90% of Year Up graduates are employed or attending college full-time within four months of completing the Year Up program, with average starting salaries of $38,000/year.
Year Up received funding from Bank of America and the John M. Belk Endowment to support the launch of the new site, which will begin serving its first class of up to 50 students in August 2019.
"We can drive economic mobility if we invest in the future workforce and give them the tools to build a career," said Charles Bowman, Charlotte and North Carolina market president for Bank of America. "Year Up has been a great partner for us nationally since 2004, and we've hired more than 470 interns through their program as a way to connect people to important skill-building opportunities and future career pathways."
"As we work to transform postsecondary educational opportunities to meet North Carolina's evolving workforce needs, the John M. Belk Endowment is excited to support the launch of Year Up Charlotte to provide young adults with in-demand skills and credentials to access meaningful careers," said MC Belk Pilon, President and Board Chair of the John M. Belk Endowment.
Year Up Charlotte students will take part in an intensive, one-year program combining professional coaching, hands-on skill development, and internships at top companies like Bank of America. In partnership with Central Piedmont Community College, young adults will have access to the library, tutoring resources, and other services offered by the college, in addition to the services offered by Year Up.
"By partnering with Year Up Charlotte, Central Piedmont Community College will offer students an accelerated pathway to careers in project management, software development, and cybersecurity. These one-year programs reflect our commitment to meeting labor market demands and providing real-world experiences to students," said Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer, President of Central Piedmont Community College.
Participants will spend one semester taking technical and professional skills classes taught by Central Piedmont Community College and Year Up staff, and the following semester in a full-time, credit-bearing internship at a corporate partner firm. The program is provided to students at no cost. Throughout the year, students also earn a college credits and a weekly stipend.
"As the city continues to make strides in improving economic mobility, Year Up Charlotte will work to connect young adults in need of an opportunity with companies in need of their talent," said Gerald Chertavian, Year Up Founder and CEO. "We expect to grow quickly as more employers recognize the value of these young adults, leading to a more vibrant community and workforce."
A recent federally-sponsored evaluation of Year Up showed a 53% increase in initial earnings for young adults randomly assigned to Year Up compared with similar young adults in a control group—the largest impacts on earnings reported to date for a workforce program tested in a randomized controlled trial.
To learn more about Year Up Charlotte, including how to apply for the program, how to become a corporate partner or how to sign up as a volunteer, please visit http://www.YearUp.org.
About Year Up
Year Up is an award-winning, national 501(c)3 organization that provides talented and motivated young adults ages 18-24 with the skills, experience, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education. Through a one-year, intensive training program, Year Up utilizes a high-support, high-expectations model that combines marketable job skills, stipends, coursework eligible for college credit, and corporate internships at more than 250 top companies. Its holistic approach focuses on students' professional and personal development to enable young adults with a viable path to economic self-sufficiency and meaningful careers. Year Up has served more than 19,500 young adults since its founding in 2000, and will serve more than 4,000 young adults in 2018 across 21 U.S. cities in Arizona, Baltimore, Bay Area, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Greater Atlanta, Greater Boston, Greater Philadelphia, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, National Capital Region, New York City, Providence, Puget Sound, South Florida, and Wilmington. Year Up has been voted one of the "Best Non-Profits to Work For" by The NonProfit Times for eight consecutive years, and rated a 4-star charity by Charity Navigator for twelve consecutive years, placing them in the top 1% of tracked organizations.
To learn more, visit http://www.yearup.org, and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.
SOURCE Year Up
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