PITTSBURGH, PA (April 14, 2021) The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) is working to engage HACP residents and connect them with the nonprofit Year Up Pittsburgh (YUPGH), which aims to close the Opportunity Divide by ensuring that young adults gain the skills, experiences, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through careers and higher education.
HACP Residents will be referred through the Authority’s Resident Employment Program directly to Year Up. The opportunity will be made available to HACP residents through a collaborative engagement process that kicked off in early March 2021 and has since begun its first cohort.
"We're working as hard as we can to connect young Pittsburgh residents with opportunities and careers, and YUPGH is another great model of the partnerships we need to make those efforts as successful and meaningful as possible," Mayor William Peduto said. "I want to thank the Housing Authority and Year Up for their commitment to Pittsburgh youth."
Year Up Pittsburgh launched in March 2021 and will serve up to 40 students per cohort, with two cohorts per year. The YUPGH curriculum will provide students with a general foundation in workplace technology, business communications, and soft-skills training, and specialized training one of three tracks in preparation for their internship job assignment:
- Cyber security
- Web application development
- Data analytics
“HACP strives to ensure that our residents are provided with opportunities to obtain the skills and experience needed to thrive in the modern workforce,” said HACP Executive Director Caster D. Binion. “It’s a comfort to know that our corporate partners think of HACP when they conduct their outreach and I’m confident that the opportunity provided through Year Up will place several of our residents on a path toward economic advancement.”
The Year Up program will operate:
- Initial six months beginning March 2021, Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.; Wednesday, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Second six months beginning September 2021, hours will transition to full days, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
“Young adults are facing tremendous challenges in securing a livable-wage job with upward mobility. Year Up Pittsburgh will connect young people in need of an opportunity with top companies that need of their talent, ensuring a more vibrant community and workforce,” said John Galante, Managing Director at Year Up.
Students who enroll at Year Up Pittsburgh will first experience Year Up’s classroom-based training phase, which includes six months of technical and professional skills training. They will then participate in a full-time, six-month internship, where they can apply and enhance their technical and professional skills.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Year Up is conducting all information sessions, interviews, and onboarding activities virtually for the foreseeable future. For more information on Year Up Pittsburgh, visit: www.yearup.org.
