Year Up Uses Technology from Microsoft to Provide Students with Industry-Leading IT Training

BOSTON, Sept. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Year Up is upgrading the training curriculum and computer systems in its classroom sites across the nation to ensure that its students are proficiently trained on the most current Microsoft software used throughout the business community, including Windows 7 and Microsoft Office 2010. The installation of the new software, which is valued at $2.2 million and has been provided through Microsoft's nonprofit software donations program, will be completed in time to welcome the next Year Up class of students.

Recently highlighted by former President Clinton and the Clinton Global Initiative, Year Up is a national nonprofit organization that provides career training to urban young adults and helps them secure internships with top U.S. companies, including Microsoft. Its scalable model prepares students for the workforce using a unique combination of technical and professional instruction, college credits, an educational stipend and corporate internships. Successful completion of the intensive, one-year program enables graduates to move into full-time employment and higher education. Newly released research independently conducted by Economic Mobility Corporation indicates that students who complete the Year Up program have access to higher quality jobs and earned up to 30 percent more than those who did not.

"Microsoft's generous contribution to Year Up enables us to continue providing our students with state-of-the-art training as they prepare for lifelong careers at America's top companies, as well as pursue opportunities in higher education," said Sandy Stark, Year Up's National Director of Development and External Affairs. "Microsoft has been a valued partner of Year Up since 2006, and their continued support helps to provide our country with the trained talent we need to remain globally competitive."  

The software grant also includes Microsoft SharePoint 2010, which will allow Year Up to create and launch a portal to more efficiently connect and collaborate between geographically dispersed locations, teach students workplace collaboration skills, and provide easy access for alumni to tap into Year Up's ongoing support and professional development resources and rapidly expanding network of peers.

"Equipping students and young adults with access to technology, and the skills required to use that technology is not only essential in helping them to pursue sustainable careers, it's vital for our economy.  We are proud to support programs like Year Up that provide our nation's young adults with those skills and the benefits for society at large," said Andrea L. Taylor, director of community affairs for North America at Microsoft.

About Year Up Inc.
Year Up's mission is to close the Opportunity Divide by providing urban young adults with the skills, experience, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education. Year Up achieves this mission through a high support, high expectation model that combines marketable job skills, stipends, internships and college credits. Its holistic approach focuses on students' professional and personal development to place these young adults on a viable path to economic self-sufficiency. Year Up currently serves more than 1,300 students a year at sites in Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, New York City, Providence, San Francisco Bay Area, the National Capital Region, and Puget Sound (Seattle). To learn more, visit www.yearup.org or www.youtube.com/yearupinc.

ABOUT CITIZENSHIP AT MICROSOFT
Microsoft (http://www.microsoft.com/citizenship) believes that technology can accelerate change to help solve some of society's most pressing issues. Microsoft supports programs and organizations that address the needs of communities worldwide through monetary grants, software and curriculum donations, technology solutions, and employee volunteer hours. Since 1983, Microsoft and our employees have provided more than $4.6 billion in cash, services and software to nonprofits around the world through localized, company-sponsored giving and volunteer campaigns.  You can find the latest Citizenship-related news from Microsoft on our blog and by following us on Twitter.

SOURCE Year Up Inc.