“The PACE evaluation results show that investments in job training for young adults pay off with high returns and far-reaching impact. The latest findings prove Year Up United’s program enables impressive sustained earnings gains for its graduates, and also demonstrates the transformative potential to expand economic mobility and racial equity. This is an exciting indicator for what job training programs like Year Up United could achieve at scale.”

“The latest findings attest to the remarkable staying power of Year Up United’s benefits. Our report also offers a series of suggestions for increasing equity and scale in future iterations of the program. The study is an example of how a rigorous evaluation can help both to prove a program’s success and guide its improvement.”

“As a Year Up United graduate, I know just how transformative the program is and how it changes the trajectory of your whole life. Not only does Year Up United empower you to launch a professional career, it gives you the ability—and the passion—to open doors for others and help employers shift their perspective of what it means to be a qualified candidate. This study makes it clear that what Year Up United provides is truly unique and effective.”

“The return on my investment in Year Up United has been phenomenal—beyond Year Up United’s unprecedented, sustained increase in earnings for young adults, this study shows how the program benefits society more broadly. Year Up United is a win for its students, for employers, for communities, and for people looking to make a real impact in closing the Opportunity Divide. Year Up United is the best investment I ever made!”

"The future of our economy depends on our ability to upskill, reskill and provide opportunities to the millions of workers who are currently at risk of being left behind. I've seen firsthand how Year Up United's approach to providing young adults with in-demand skills, support, and on-the-job experience provides so much value to both the participants and to the companies that hire them. By scaling effective training programs like Year Up United, we can realize a more equitable economic recovery and help our communities thrive."

“The Year Up United program works as intended. I mastered the professional soft skills and gained marketable job skills that led me to my career. Year Up United helped me realize my potential and gave me the confidence to pursue my dreams with poise and planning. I felt supported then and still do to this day. I’m proud to be a Year Up United alumnus because I am actively receiving the benefits from all the effort I put in that year. I’m excited to know that Year Up United will continue to give other people who look and live like me a chance to improve their life circumstances.”

“These findings provide further evidence of the powerful impact of Year Up United’s model, which generates substantial, sustained earnings gains for participants and a broader, notable net benefit to society. Through close partnerships with employers, paired with professional and in-demand technical skills and on-the-job training, Year Up United creates pathways to economic mobility for young people at a critical juncture in their lives. We are proud to support Year Up United as it continues to innovate to reach significantly more young people in the years to come.”

"The PACE study shows the broader social benefits of investing in effective job training for young adults, with every $1 put into Year Up United generating a $2.46 return to society. We’re not only enabling economic mobility among Year Up United participants, we’re building an inclusive economy where Black, Latino, and other young adults of color can access meaningful careers at top companies in their community."

“Six years out, our graduates are continuing to see a significant boost in their earnings thanks to Year Up United. Their accomplishments and career success serve as powerful evidence of what young adults can achieve when given the opportunity, to the benefit of themselves, their families, their employers, and their communities.”

Why Bank of America's Top Tech Exec Partners with a Non-Profit Training Program to Recruit Diverse Talent for Wall Street Jobs

Year Up United is a training program for non-traditional candidates to get Wall Street tech jobs. Cathy Bessant, Bank of America's top tech exec, told Insider how the bank partners with Year Up United. Bessant, who comes from a modest background, calls Year Up United fundamental to "the new capitalism."

Can Biden Save Americans Like My Old Pal Mike?

When I’ve previously written about Americans falling behind, readers have challenged me to say what would make a difference. So here are five policies to create opportunity... A higher minimum wage and broader effort to train people for well-paying jobs by scaling up proven initiatives like Year Up United and Career Academies.

Tech Jobs Lead to the Middle Class. Just Not for the Masses

Year Up United, one of oldest, largest and fastest-growing in the group, illustrates the evolution, potential and limits of the model... Year Up United “embodies strong forms of what we know makes sense and seems to work,” said David Fein, principal investigator for Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education, a multiyear evaluation of training and education programs. “The impact is real for those who are chosen.”

Year Up United’s Sustained Earnings Impacts Indicate A Pathway Towards An Equitable, Just Economy

In working towards a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce for everyone, Year Up United's impact will affect generations. Our graduates are becoming economically mobile: they’re becoming homeowners, community leaders, and supporting their families through good jobs.