Newsroom

" Year Up's CIO, Gary Flowers, shares insights into strategies to confront tech debt accrued by IT leaders during the pandemic. Year Up's commitment to bridging the Opportunity Divide became even more crucial during the pandemic, requiring a swift adaptation of their in-person program to virtual environments. Year Up made efforts to revamp systems, like their Salesforce CRM, to allow for more flexible pathways, reflecting a broader trend among organizations grappling with pandemic-induced tech debt. "

" Amidst the economic upheaval of the pandemic, individuals like Mark Wray are turning to programs such as Year Up to cultivate essential tech and business skills. Transitioning from a low-wage job at a movie theater to a position at an online mortgage lender, Wray's story underscores the transformative potential of career-focused programs. By providing pathways to higher-paying roles in sectors like technology, Year Up empowers workers to pursue fulfilling careers and achieve significant increases in income."

Ensuring that individuals receive holistic support beyond skills training is essential to enabling talent to obtain quality employment and forge enduring career paths. Labor experts emphasize the significance of soft skills and personalized guidance in connecting skilled workers to job opportunities, particularly for those without four-year degrees and from marginalized communities. Successful nonprofits like Year Up and Goodwill exemplify this approach, offering training and wraparound support with housing, transportation, and childcare.

This segment highlights Year Up partners JPMorgan Chase and Salesforce alongside Year Up alum Allie Alcala. Allie's experience demonstrates how Year Up can provide individuals without college degrees with clarity and a career path, echoing sentiments from Salesforce's Marc Benioff, who emphasizes the potential for creating value without a college degree.

Student loan debt is having a profound impact on individuals like Jeremy Porter, an alum of the Year Up program. The segment delves into the debate surrounding loan forgiveness, with policymakers advocating for solutions to alleviate the $1.7 trillion student debt crisis, which disproportionately affects communities of color.

" Year Up founder Gerald Chertavian shares how “Young people need a hand up, not a handout,” and how Year Up is working towards tackling the racial wealth gap in the United States by providing vital skills and internships to help young adults climb the career ladder."