DALLAS, Sept. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T* is
contributing $2 million to Genesys
Works, a unique program that connects rising high school seniors
with critical college and career skills. The program aims to better
students' prospects for college and career success.
This contribution brings AT&T investments in Genesys Works
to a total of $6 million since 2012
as a part of AT&T Aspire, its signature philanthropic
initiative. It will also jump-start Genesys Works' program
expansion initiatives with a goal of opening new programs in
another 15 cities by 2022—serving up to 11,000 new students. The
program currently serves students in Houston, Chicago, Twin
Cities, the San Francisco Bay
Area, and Washington's
National Capital Region.
"After going through the Genesys Works program, these
highly-trained students see more doors open for them, and they
learn about opportunities they never dreamed of before," said
Nicole Anderson, assistant vice
president, social innovation, and president, AT&T Foundation.
"This real-world experience through meaningful internships changes
a young person's life trajectory. It equips them with the skills to
thrive in the workforce of tomorrow."
Genesys Works offers an intense summer training program with
professional and technical skills development, as well as career
coaching. After the training, students begin a paid, year-long
internship.
Students served by Genesys Works are from low-income households
and 96% of them are students of color. 84% are the first in their
family to go to college, putting them at higher risk for
under-employment. Genesys Works helps these students succeed in a
professional environment while still in school. The internships
also connect their job experience to their academics, which
increases their odds for enrolling in a secondary degree.
Internships give participating students real-world experience in
fields like information technology, finance, and business
operations, and are with nearly 200 established organizations,
including AT&T. This fall, AT&T will welcome interns in
Chicago, Houston and Northern Virginia.
Genesys Works boasts a remarkable success rate. To date, 100% of
participating students have graduated from high school and have
been accepted into college. The organization recently surveyed
program graduates with full time jobs who graduated five or more
years ago and found their median annual income is $50,000. That's about $10,000 more than the median income for the U.S.
population of 25-34-year-olds.**
"Young Americans are experiencing unemployment rates at least
twice the national average. It's essential we empower them with
skills and work experiences to succeed in a professional career,"
said Rafael Alvarez, founder and
CEO, Genesys Works. "Genesys Works aims to give every young person
the opportunity to have a first big break. Thanks to AT&T,
we'll be able to offer that opportunity to thousands of students in
more communities around the country."
Starting in 2017, Genesys Works will select new cities for
program expansion through a request for proposal (RFP) process.
Cities meeting the basic criteria to establish and sustain a
Genesys Works operation can apply for planning grants to cover the
cost of conducting feasibility studies in their communities. Learn
more about Genesys Works and its programming at
genesysworks.org.
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by
subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T
brand and not by AT&T Inc.
**National Center for Education Statistics, 2016
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) helps millions around the globe connect with
leading entertainment, mobile, high speed internet and voice
services. We're the world's largest provider of pay TV. We have TV
customers in the U.S. and 11 Latin American countries. We offer the
best global coverage of any U.S. wireless provider.* And we help
businesses worldwide serve their customers better with our mobility
and highly secure cloud solutions.
Additional information about AT&T products and services is
available at http://about.att.com. Follow our news on Twitter at
@ATT, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/att and YouTube at
http://www.youtube.com/att.
© 2016 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved.
AT&T, the Globe logo and other marks are trademarks and service
marks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated
companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of
their respective owners.
*Global coverage claim based on offering discounted voice and
data roaming; LTE roaming; voice roaming; and world-capable
smartphone and tablets in more countries than any other U.S. based
carrier.
About Philanthropy & Social Innovation at
AT&T
AT&T is committed to advancing education, strengthening
communities and improving lives. Through its community initiatives,
AT&T has a long history of investing in projects that create
learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement;
or address community needs. AT&T Aspire is AT&T's signature
philanthropic initiative that drives innovation in education by
bringing diverse resources to bear on the issue including funding,
technology, employee volunteerism, and mentoring. Through Aspire,
we've passed the $250 million mark on
our plan to invest $350 million in
education from 2008-2017.
About Genesys Works
Genesys Works is a non-profit
social enterprise changing the trajectory of life for disadvantaged
high school students through meaningful work experiences. Its
program consists of eight weeks of technical and professional
skills training, a paid year-long corporate internship, college and
career coaching, and alumni support to and through college.
Its goal is to move more students out of poverty and into
professional careers, creating a more productive and diverse
workforce in the process. Since its founding in 2002, Genesys
Works has grown to serve nearly 3,000 students annually in
Houston, Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Washington's National Capital
Region. To learn more, visit www.genesysworks.org.
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SOURCE AT&T Inc.