Today, “Year Up” holds its fourth annual Walk for Opportunity across the U.S. to shine a light on talented young adults in our cities. The event calls attention to the workforce of talent that lives in our urban neighborhoods by bringing together 2,000 students, staff and supporters for walks, rallies and flash mobs in eight cities across the country.
The Year Up organization is a partner of Microsoft YouthSpark, and works to close the “opportunity divide” by providing young adults in urban areas with skills, experience and support to help them reach their potential in higher education and in their careers. Year Up CEO Gerald Chertavian writes about the program and today’s Walk for Opportunity in a guest post on the Microsoft Citizenship Blog.
The image above shows the 2012 Walk for Opportunity flash mob that surprised folks in downtown Seattle last year.
Chertavian says that companies can take advantage of the existing talent that’s already here and available, which will help companies compete in the global economy. Of the youth he says, “They’re smart, motivated, and perseverant; all they need is an opportunity to learn marketable skills and then prove themselves in the workplace.”
“Those students on the street today are not looking for pity or charity. Quite literally, they’re looking for opportunity, not only for themselves but for the 6.7 million young adults in this country who are out of school and out of work.”
Check out the Walk for Opportunity site to learn about Year Up events in your area and get the rest of this story on the Microsoft Citizenship Blog.
Deborah Pisano
Microsoft News Center Staff