Global Business Coalition for Education

Youth Skills and Employment Accelerator

The Accelerator is a network of leading community organizations focused on delivering quality, innovative results-oriented skills programming for youth in the United States. Each year, select organizations gain access to resources, expertise and partnerships with the private sector to create workforce opportunities for all American youth.

Justin van Fleet, CEO

A Message from our CEO

More than one in ten young people in the U.S. — around four million American Gen-Zers — are not in education, employment or training. At the same time, employers are increasingly reporting difficulty in finding candidates with the skills needed for today’s workforce – including 90% of small businesses.

From technology and manufacturing to retail and customer service, there is a missing link between skills and job opportunities. To address the disconnect, the Global Business Coalition for Education’s Accelerator brings together cohorts of community-based nonprofits working to enhance the quality and scale youth skills initiatives and connects them to a network of expert trainers, corporate partners, employee volunteer and pro-bono services, and accelerator funding opportunities.

The results speak for themselves: participating community-based organizations have expanded their work and helped more young people enter jobs and apprenticeship programs. And we have been approached by new partners to replicate the model in other regions around the world.

We look forward to working with more youth-serving organizations and businesses to help young people have the skills necessary for the future of work.

Our impact so far

Now in its third year, the Accelerator has engaged 43 organizations in 28 states, which collectively reach over 250,000 young people – with future plans to expand the model internationally.

The organizations participating in the Accelerator have helped:

  • 6,320 youth attain internships or job-shadowing
  • 9,481 young people land their first job
  • 47,690 participate in youth skills program as direct beneficiaries

The network

    • Achieve Twin Cities

      2023/24

      Achieve Twin Cities' mission is to rally community support and deliver best-in-class programming to inspire and equip Minneapolis and Saint Paul youth for careers, college, and life.

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      ACLAMO

      2023/24

      ACLAMO is a nonprofit community service organization that provides educational programs, social services, and access to health and wellness programs to Latinos and other community members to empower them to fully achieve their life potential. Their vision is for every family, every child, and every adult to reach their full potential, independence, and happiness

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      Action Greensboro

      2022/23

      Action Greensboro connects talented college students and the Greensboro, NC community, preparing students for the 21st-century workforce. Building and strengthening relationships between sectors enables Greensboro to equitably meet economic and business demands. This ability to attract and retain a diverse, well-educated, skilled workforce is essential in today’s knowledge-based economy.

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      All Stars Project INC

      2023/24

      Through the developmental power of performance, All Stars Project INC transform the lives of youth from poor and underserved communities in partnership with caring adults, giving everyone the opportunity to grow.

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      America Needs You

      2023/24

      America Needs You fights for economic mobility for ambitious, first-generation college students. They do this by providing transformative mentorship and intensive career development.

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      AZ Cyber Initiative

      2024/25

      AZ Cyber Initiative is dedicated to empowering young people, particularly those from underserved communities, with the skills and inspiration needed to discover and pursue meaningful, household-sustaining careers in the digital economy. Their vision is to close the cyber skills gap, build a robust workforce pipeline for cybersecurity and related digital jobs, and foster regional economic security in Arizona and beyond.

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      BridgeYear

      2024/25

      BridgeYear's mission is to connect underserved youth to careers and educational pathways that provide economic stability and independence. Their vision is for all students to graduate high school with a path to stable employment. As the only nonprofit in Houston focusing exclusively on non-four-year-degree postsecondary career pathways, BridgeYear employs a data-driven approach grounded in their three-pronged Theory of Change: belief, knowledge, and access.

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      Build UP

      2022/23

      Build UP is the nation’s first and only early-college workforce development high school to empower youth with the skills and agency to tackle poverty and urban blight. They provide low-income youth with career-ready skills through paid apprenticeships with industry-aligned secondary and postsecondary academic coursework, leading them to become educated, credentialed, and empowered civic leaders, professionals, and homeowners.

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      Café Momentum

      2023/24

      Café Momentum's mission is to transform young lives by equipping justice-involved youth with life skills, education, and employment opportunities to help them achieve their full potential. They are building clear pathways out of incarceration so today's justice-involved youth have access to resources, opportunity and trauma-informed support such that they and their future generations can thrive.

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      Center for the Future of Arizona

      2022/23

      Center for the Future of Arizona brings Arizonans together to create a stronger and brighter future for our state. They listen to Arizonans to learn what matters most to them, share trusted data about how Arizona is doing in those priority areas, bring critical issues to public attention, and work with communities and leaders to solve public problems.

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      Cincinnati Youth Collaborative

      2023/24

      Cincinnati Youth Collaborative's mission is to empower young people to overcome barriers and excel in education, career and life. They are committed to providing inclusive and equitable programs, policies and procedures that empower everyone they serve.

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      Dent Education Inc.

      2024/25

      Dent Education empowers Baltimore youth aged 14-24 from underserved communities with the skills, mindsets, and networks to thrive in the 21st-century economy. Their programs use an Earn-to-Learn model, offering paid internships where young people gain real-world experience in innovation-focused pathways: entrepreneurship, design, engineering, and technology.

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      Education to Employment Partners

      2022/23

      Education to Employment Partners (E2E), formerly Citizens for Educational Excellence (CEE), was established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization in 2003 by the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce Foundation as a way to improve high school graduation rates. Education to Employment Partners is a catalyst to bring together people, resources, and information to increase educational and job attainment in the Coastal Bend.

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      EmployIndy

      2022/23

      EmployIndy guides the local workforce ecosystem and makes strategic investments in partners focused on underserved and underrepresented residents.

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      exalt Youth

      2024/25

      Founded in 2006 and incubated at the Blue Ridge Foundation, exalt Youth's mission is to raise the expectations of personal success for court-involved youth ages 15-19 by combining a rigorous, culturally responsive curriculum with paid internships, individualized support/advocacy to navigate the education/justice systems, and a dedicated alumni network for ongoing assistance. This cross-sectoral approach achieves outstanding impact with youth in three areas: criminal justice avoidance; academic progression; and employability.

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      First Graduate

      2024/25

      Founded in 2001, First Graduate's mission is to assist San Francisco students in becoming the first in their families to graduate from college ready to pursue careers that are meaningful to them. They level the playing field for low-income students of color and those otherwise disenfranchised in the dominant culture, ensuring educational equity that leads to graduation from some of the best colleges and universities nationwide. First Graduate believes all students deserve access to higher education, regardless of their economic status.

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      Future Chefs

      2024/25

      Future Chefs empowers Boston's low-income youth of color to take charge of their future by providing opportunities to practice leadership and to develop the skills needed to grow in their personal and professional life beyond high school. They engage and inspire teens to develop a broad range of essential life skills, in addition to culinary skills, while engaged in paid, productive work. Teens explore their identity, practice leadership and teamwork, strengthen their confidence and communication, learn to nurture their mental health, and create strong relationships with caring adults.

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      Futures and Options

      2024/25

      Futures and Options empowers New York City's youth, particularly youth of color and students from historically underrepresented communities, to acquire transferable professional skills, pursue higher education, and successfully compete in a global 21st century economy. They collaborate with employers to provide transformative career development opportunities to young people, enabling them to succeed in college and inspiring them to pursue meaningful careers.

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      Hopeworks 'N Camden

      2023/24

      With a focus on skill development, real-world job experience, and trauma-informed care, Hopeworks propels young adults into long-term living wage careers that put them on the path for healing and financial stability.

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      INCO Community Inc.

      2024/25

      INCO is a global nonprofit group on a mission to unlock young people's potential through skilling and entrepreneurship programs that contribute to breaking the poverty and exclusion cycle. Through accelerating the growth of small community businesses and innovative social impact startups, INCO aims to create a more inclusive and environmentally sustainable economy by supporting the workforce and business leaders of tomorrow. The social enterprise helps sidelined communities access fulfilling employment in the tech and sustainable development sectors through training and matchmaking.

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      Jeffco Schools Foundation

      2022/23

      Jeffco Schools Foundation believes every student in Jeffco deserves to have access to the educational experiences they need to thrive. They partner with Jeffco Public Schools to fund programs and initiatives that remove barriers to student success and ensure equitable learning opportunities for all.

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      Junior Achievement of Arkansas

      2022/23

      At Junior Achievement, they believe in "possible." Each day, they work to help young people discover what's possible in their lives by helping them connect what they learn in school with life outside the classroom. They let them know it's possible to invest in their future, to gain a better understanding of how the world works, and to pursue their dreams. They show them that it's possible for tomorrow to be a better day.

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      Junior Achievement of South Florida

      2024/25

      Junior Achievement of South Florida is training the next generation of business leaders, employees and consumers by educating students about financial literacy, entrepreneurship and work readiness. They aim to empower a generation of students equipped with the knowledge, ability and confidence to navigate their futures, drive the economy and lead the community.

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      Junior Achievement of Southwest New England Inc.

      2023/24

      Junior Achievement of Southwest New England's (JA) mission is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in global economy. Junior Achievement gives young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success and plan for their future. Their business and community volunteers deliver relevant, hands-on experiences that teach students in kindergarten through high school the basics of financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. Programs empower students to connect what they learn in school to meaningful careers and make their dreams a reality.

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      LIFE Leaders Inc.

      2024/25

      L!FE Leaders is a youth-centered organization, empowering Detroit's young people, ages 14 to 24, to create the future they envision for themselves and their communities. L!FE student-internships provide experience-based career and life skills training that fosters self-confidence, professional networks, and workforce preparedness for youth participants. Students receive relevant work experience and explore topics of financial literacy, college and career readiness, health and wellness, relationship building, community engagement, and more.

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      Los Angeles Conservation Corps

      2024/25

      The LA Conservations Corps creates equitable opportunities for young people to build resilience in themselves, their communities, and the environment through a program of work, education, and support. They envision a world with resilient communities where young people are inspired to connect, learn, live, work and enjoy.

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      MAGNET

      2023/24

      The mission of MAGNET: The Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth Network Inc. is to grow the manufacturing sector in Northeast Ohio. Half of the regional economy in Northeast Ohio depends on manufacturers, most of which are small or medium-sized companies. Northeast Ohio's past, present, and future are integrally tied to the success of manufacturing and MAGNET's goal is to tackle the tough problems that risk holding our region back from an even more prosperous future.

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      MyPath Mahoning Valley

      2023/24

      MyPath empowers students to succeed in whatever directions they choose – college education, career/technical training, employment or military service.

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      New Door Ventures

      2024/25

      New Door's mission is to prepare Opportunity Youth for work and life, by providing the jobs, training, education, and support they need to discover and achieve their potential so that they can transition to independent adulthood. New Door has been serving Bay Area communities facing structural inequities and other barriers to economic opportunity since 1981. In 2005, they focused their services on Opportunity Youth during the critical transition between childhood and adulthood, when skill development and workforce readiness are key to lifelong employability and financial independence.

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      Orlando Community Youth Trust

      2022/23

      Orlando’s Youth Employment Program (YEP) began as part of the big idea to harness city resources, wrap-around services and partnerships to invest in the success of young people from Orlando’s Parramore neighborhood, building on the community’s strengths.

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      Philadelphia Works Inc.

      2022/23

      Philadelphia Works is a 501c3 non-profit organization that invests in solutions and services that grow Philadelphia's economy. They support employers in developing strong and diverse talent pipelines and connect career seekers to quality employment and training opportunities.

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      Sidekick Education

      2022/23

      Sidekick Education works to help students lower their math anxiety and build interest in math futures through SMS conversations with their identity-building chatbot.

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      Southern California College Attainment Network

      2023/24

      SoCal CAN's mission is to increase the rate at which underrepresented students access and complete post-secondary education.

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      The Center for Teen Empowerment

      2023/24

      To employ, train, and empower youth to, in collaboration with adults, create peace, equity, and justice. They envision a world in which youth with adults, in mutually respectful and supportive relationships, use their voices creatively to inspire, lead, and empower their communities to achieve justice and peace.

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      The LEAH Project & Health Resources in Action

      2023/24

      The mission of the Leaders through Education, Action, and Hope (LEAH) Project is to promote the power of young people, especially Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) youth, to diversify the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.

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      The PAST Foundation

      2024/25

      The PAST Foundation's mission is to transform education by connecting learning to life through the partnership of anthropology, science, and technology. PAST joins forces with community, industry, and educators, integrating education to encompass transdisciplinary teaching and learning to better reflect relevant real world experience.

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      The Trust for Public Land

      2022/23

      The Trust for Public Land believes everyone should have access to the outdoors. That is why they create parks and protect land for the people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come.

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      United for College Career Success

      2023/24

      UFCS is dedicated to empowering each learner by honoring their self-determined journey, amplifying their educational potential, and creating equitable pathways to meaningful career opportunities. They focus on meeting learners where they are and supporting them with the resources and guidance needed to thrive academically, socially, and economically as they prepare for the future.

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      Urban Alliance

      2022/23

      Urban Alliance connects students to equitable, inclusive careers through paid high school internships, mentorship, and professional development. They work with schools and employers to address systemic barriers to economic mobility for young adults of color and to bridge the gaps between education and workforce development for all young people.

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      Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership Inc

      2024/25

      Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership Inc's mission is to enhance the ability of public and private sector organizations to recruit, develop, and retain a more diverse, qualified workforce in construction, manufacturing, and emerging sectors of the regional economy.

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      Youth Development Initiatives

      2024/25

      Youth Development Initiatives provides critical life-job skills training and individualized career/post-HS education planning after school for disadvantaged high school students that results in upward economic mobility. They have served more than 3,500 students since 2006.

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      Youth Job Center

      2023/24

      Youth Job Center envisions a future where all young people have the support they need to build meaningful careers and fulfill their potential—and for the last four decades, we have worked to make that vision a reality.

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    We are proud to support this holistic initiative that drives innovation at the community level.

    Maia Wagner, Director, Giving and Impact at Dell Technologies
    Lottie Holland

    Education is one of the most powerful drivers of progress and ensuring young people have access to the right tools, skills and training is essential for building a strong future. By working together with GBC-Education, we can create lasting impact for the next generation.

    Lottie Holland, Vice President, Diversity, Inclusion, Engagement & EEO at Stellantis

    The Accelerator is a one-year program, including:

    • Recruitment: A call for applications is open all year with application deadlines set in mid-November for the following year.

    • Workshops and programming: Including corporate pro-bono opportunities, fundraising, peer resource sharing, and “on-demand topics” like AI and nonprofit leadership.

    • Corporate pro-bono support: Opportunities for technology donations, hosting employee volunteers on site, pro-bono consulting and training programs from our corporate partners.

    • Pitch sessions: Each cohort culminates in a showcase of idea pitches for local businesses and other stakeholders to gain new insights and potentially secure financial support.

    • Networking: Participants receive stipends to attend regional or national conferences to build their networks.

    • Long-term support: At the end of the year, participants move into our alumni network and have opportunities to continue to engage with past and future cohorts.

    We're excited to be a part of the Accelerator, which will support us in aligning Detroit youth with stable careers.

    Angelica Williams, Associate Director of Youth Engagement, L!FE Leaders Inc., Detroit, MI

    We’re joining the Youth Skills and Employment Accelerator to better equip NYC’s young talent with the skills and opportunities they need to thrive in our city’s dynamic workforce.

    Carolyn Silver, Executive Director, Futures and Options, New York, NY

    By being part of the Accelerator, we hope to enhance our programs with innovative strategies and partnerships that prepare young people for the evolving job market.

    Marcy Raymond, Chief Strategy Officer, PAST Foundation, Columbus, OH

    Meet some of our Accelerator participants:

    Helping the Global Business Coalition for Education unlock employment opportunities

    We’d like to say thank you to our partners who have provided support for the Youth Skills and Employment Accelerator.

    If you’d like to see your logo alongside this group of businesses, please contact us [email protected]

    Project participant Ciara speaks to Ara Anoshiravani, Deloitte. Southern California College Access Network (SoCal CAN), winners of the Skills Friendly Cities challenge (Big Ideas, Bright Cities) 2023 are visited to be congratulated by Caroline Macaulay from GBC-Education/Theirworld and Ara Anoshiravani, Education and Workforce Development Leader, Deloitte.

    The business case

    Businesses supporting in the Accelerator program have opportunities to enhance brand recognition and strengthen community ties. The model allows for companies to provide pro-bono products and services to support Accelerator participants. Moreover, companies with employee engagement programs can set up employee volunteerism activities at participating organizations or engage employees in coaching and skill-building training. It is also possible to align employee giving with vetted accelerator non-profits through bespoke presentations and team-building activities.

    Elizabeth Guevara, Danny Garcia, Maryori Hernandez, Lina Calderon-Morin, Niña Abonal and Tiara Collier with Caroline Macaulay, GBC-Education/Theirworld. Southern California College Access Network (SoCal CAN), winners of the Skills Friendly Cities challenge (Big Ideas, Bright Cities) 2023 are visited to be congratulated by Caroline Macaulay from GBC-Education/Theirworld and Ara Anoshiravani, Education and Workforce Development Leader, Deloitte.

    Join us

    Are you a representative of a U.S. registered 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization interested in participating in the Youth Skills and Employment Accelerator program? You can apply now to be considered for the next cohort.

    Apply now

    Our progress

    Pre-2021

    Skills Commission and Community Engagement

    Youth Skills Commission, supported by Intel and Deloitte, launches “Preparing Tomorrow’s Workforce for the Fourth Industrial Revolution: A Framework for Business Action.”

    Working with Deloitte Monitor Group, a series of focus groups and interviews across the nation to help to shape a new U.S. youth skills program model.

    2022

    Scaling up Promising Innovations

    Action Greensboro (Greensboro, SC), Sidekick Education (Madison, WI), and Orlando Community Youth Trust (Orlando, FL) are awarded grants as the winners and runners-ups of the Big Ideas, Bright Cities Challenge. The first Youth Skills and Employment Accelerator program convenes exceptional organizations from 12 U.S. states.

    2023

    Accelerator Round Two & Engaging Employee Volunteers

    The Southern California College Attainment Network (SoCal CAN) was declared the winner of the second challenge, joining 14 other nonprofits in the second cohort of the Accelerator program. Partners convened for a roundtable discussion entitled Bridging the Gap Together: Empowering Youth for Future Workforce Success in New York. Deloitte’s StepUP skills-based volunteering program teams worked on several pro-bono projects with Accelerator organizations.

    2024

    Harnessing AI and Growing Interest

    More than 700 organizations apply to participate in the Accelerator program. Corporate partners visit winning nonprofit organizations across the country. Partners convene for an event focused on Harnessing AI for Skill Development, with interactive AI demos by Dell Technologies to help young people interview for jobs. Professional support provided to the cohort members and alumni to develop join program proposals and engage in corporate volunteer activities, such as Deloitte Impact Day.

    2025

    Accelerator Cohort Three and New Partners

    Stellantis joins as the newest supporter of the Youth Skills and Employment Accelerator program. A new cohort is announced, reaching a total of 43 participating organizations in the U.S. and a footprint of 250,000 young people. The Accelerator grows to include new workshop topics and expert speakers, stipends to attend industry events, and funding pitch training.