Achieve Twin Cities equips Minneapolis and Saint Paul youth for careers, college, and life. In partnership with Minneapolis Public Schools and Saint Paul Public Schools, local city government, businesses, and community organizations, Achieve Twin Cities provides high school students and young graduates with career readiness experiences, 1:1 and group advising, and paid internship opportunities with local employers.

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ACLAMO is a community service organization that provides education, social services, and access to health programs to Latinos and others. ACLAMO is building skills through its Youth Mentoring and Career Development program, which provides literacy, math, and science mentoring, tutoring, and homework support, as well as S.T.E.A.M-focused enrichment activities to students who are learning English. And their Summer Bridge helps students use vacation time for academic enrichment and connects local business owners and community leaders with students to inform them about different career paths in STEAM Fields.

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America Needs You works for economic mobility for first-generation college students, providing mentorship and intensive career development. Their Fellows Program is a two-year initiative to help these students prepare to transition into careers through one-on-one mentorship, connections to paid internships and networks, and support, including counseling and financial aid. The program has worked in several places and is now expanding in Los Angeles.

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Café Momentum provides justice-involved youth with an ecosystem of support that provides workforce development and life skills through a paid culinary training program in their downtown Dallas restaurant, access to mental health services, one-to-one case management, and a tailored path to high school graduation. Café Momentum works with youth to identify, develop, and hone their skills while providing resources to overcome the obstacles Dallas’ most marginalized youth face. They partner with organizations and businesses within the community to provide employment and education opportunities upon completion of the Café Momentum program.

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The Cincinnati Youth Collaborative helps young people overcome academic, career, and life barriers through mentoring, college preparation, and workforce readiness programs in collaboration with local school districts, businesses, and community organizations. The group aims to make Cincinnati known as “America’s #1 Mentoring City,” creating a diverse workforce pipeline and connecting disadvantaged people across generations.

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Hopeworks is dedicated to guiding young adults in the greater Philadelphia region into living wage careers through skill development, real-world job experience at Hopeworks-owned businesses, and care for those who have experienced trauma. Their “Recode Your Future” training program provides unemployed young adults with opportunities in computer-aided design, web design, and data visualization, along with academic support and career readiness coaching.

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The LEAH Project develops and evaluates solutions to improve the health of different populations in the Boston area. Through their Leaders through Education, Action, and Hope (LEAH) Project, they are helping young people, especially Black, Indigenous, and people of color, to diversify the science, technology, engineering, and math fields through paid STEM internships, college and career readiness programming, and youth leadership opportunities.

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Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts offers youth programs in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and career exploration. In October 2023, they opened JA CLIC (Career, Leadership, and Innovation Center) for young people to develop manufacturing skills, explore high-demand careers, improve financial literacy, and boost leadership skills. They focus on middle and high school students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, working with schools, businesses, community organizations, and the City of Springfield, Mass. Through JA CLIC, young people can develop portfolios and earn credentials in high-demand industries like advanced manufacturing, information technology, and healthcare services.

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Junior Achievement of Southwest New England is tackling some of Greater Hartford’s biggest challenges, helping prepare the next generation workforce for rewarding careers paired with strong financial literacy skills. JA uses business and community volunteers to work with schools, businesses, governments, and community organizations to arm young people with skills for their future. Their initiatives include Career Connections for Young Women, Entrepreneurial Academies where students start and run real businesses, an Innovation Challenge styled as a “Shark Tank” competition, and a “Stock Market Challenge.”

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Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth Network Inc. (MAGNET) expands pathways from high school to manufacturing jobs in the Cleveland area. To make the region more skills-friendly, they are engaging students through tours at their Manufacturing Innovation, Technology, and Job Center, building skills through a high school training program, and establishing connections with local employers. The program aims to help fill thousands of open manufacturing jobs in Cuyahoga County and develop a network of student ambassadors with the skills for these jobs.

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MyPath Mahoning Valley and their partner Youngstown Works collaborate with nonprofit agencies and educational institutions dedicated to workforce preparation to help students pursue a range of pathways after high school, including college, career, and technical training. The organization offers career assessments, training, and job recruiting, especially in underserved areas. The group is connecting employers with people who need jobs and training.

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SoCal CAN’s mission is to increase access to and completion of post-secondary education for underrepresented students through collective action. Project SOAR, a partnership between SoCal CAN and the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA), provides comprehensive college and career advice to public housing residents, focusing on breaking the cycle of poverty.

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The Center for Teen Empowerment trains and empowers young people for employment. They are partnering with the City of Sommerville, Mass in creating a youth development model for people of color that draws on the skills of trained peers. These paid youth leaders address employment, education, health disparities, and gun violence. They collaborate with small businesses, including arts groups and other nonprofits, to train youth in job readiness, offer mentorships, and provide on-the-job apprenticeships.

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United for College|Career Success serves young people in the greater Houston (Texas) area, using research, technology, and data to help underserved learners obtain meaningful credentials and careers with upward mobility. They are creating strategic partnerships, a gamified technology app, and engaging youth as leaders to advise peers. They work with the City of Houston Education Department and the Hire Houston Youth initiative.

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Youth Job Center (YJC) is a workforce development and job placement organization that serves young people throughout Cook County, IL. The organization equips youth with the skills they need to contribute to the economy and tackle challenges they may encounter. YJC`s MySkills Paid Work Experience program immerses young people in a planned work experience with a focus on structured learning in a workplace environment for key industries of growth.

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