Talent in America is equally distributed, but opportunity is not. Year Up United serves young adults who are often overlooked as a source of talent, but are motivated, resilient, and bring a diverse range of skills, experiences, and perspectives to the workforce. These young adults are capable and driven to succeed, but they lack access to quality job pathways and economic mobility due to systemic barriers and social and economic inequities that perpetuate the Opportunity Divide. Once connected to opportunity, they are able to launch professional careers, strengthen their communities, and lift others while they climb.
Founded in 2000, Year Up United has served more than 45,000 young adults (Opportunity Talent) in 25 cities across the United States. Since our program launched locally in 2016, Yea Up United has served more 1,500 young adults in North Texas. Four-month outcomes demonstrate that Year Up United in Dallas/Fort Worth graduates are career ready with 80% of our graduates employed and/or enrolled in postsecondary education; with those employed full-time earning an average starting wage of $25.48/hour, equivalent to a salary of $53,000 per year. In partnership with our portfolio of leading employer partners, Year Up United connects young adults who need access to opportunity with companies that need access to talent—the bright, motivated, and career-ready talent they need to remain competitive and fill the jobs of today and tomorrow. Year Up United’s Opportunity Talent bring valuable skills and talent to corporate partners invested in providing economic opportunity, such as Amazon, Bank of America, Deloitte, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Fidelity, Hillwood, JPMorgan Chase, New York Life, Palo Alto Networks and Wells Fargo.
In collaboration with education partners, like Dallas College El Centro Campus and these incredible corporate partners, Year Up United provides an intensive training program that combines technical and essential skill training in high-demand fields, such as business and financial operations, IT help desk and application and software development. The training along with a work-based experience (internship), wraparound services, educational stipends, and stackable and transferable college credits and/or certificates provide a comprehensive blend of services and training preparing Year Up graduates for professional employment immediately upon program completion.