YUPRO Placement and Franklin Skills Launch SKILLSFIT™ to Deliver Job-Ready IT Talent, Filling Urgent Gaps

New apprenticeship program enables companies to build the workforce they need with zero risk to employers

AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- YUPRO Placement, a leading skills-first talent placement firm, and Franklin Skills, a workforce training innovator, announce the launch of SKILLSFIT™, a wage-based, contract-to-hire apprenticeship program designed to help organizations solve their critical skills gaps while building a workforce that performs, grows, and stays. SKILLSFIT delivers some of the tech industry's most in-demand and hard-to-fill skilled roles, including mainframe, data analytics, networking, and project management, at all levels.

In today's disrupted labor market, the traditional way of hiring—chasing the "perfect fit" on paper based on degrees, titles, and experience—leaves job roles unfilled, creates mismatched placements, and drives up costs. SKILLSFIT offers companies a new talent acquisition strategy: hiring nontraditional, motivated talent who learn by doing, contribute from day one, and are supported by structured coaching and technical training. Through the program, companies de-risk their hiring, reduce high consultancy costs, build institutional knowledge, and retain a high-performing talent pipeline.

The program aligns with the Trump administration's newly announced workforce development plan, detailed in the report, America's Talent Strategy: Equipping American Workers for the Golden Age. The report provides a clear action plan to transform the nation's workforce through training and wage-based apprenticeships. The strategy will provide companies with the talent they desperately need, increase worker mobility through higher-paying jobs and career pathways, and drive resilient economic growth.

"We hear the same thing from CTOs, CIOs, and Heads of Workforce every day: 'We can't find people with the right skills—and the ones we do find don't stay,'" said Franklin Skills Founder and CEO Kimberly Nichols. "SKILLSFIT changes that. We're not just sourcing talent—we're building it. This is what sustainable workforce development looks like."

How SKILLSFIT Works

• Strategic selection: Candidates first complete a career-matching assessment and, upon role matching, must complete a proprietary Franklin Skills 100-hour pre-apprenticeship program prior to the contract placement.
• Train while they contribute: Apprentices work on contract as employees of YUPRO Placement, earning competitive wages while working in the client's environment to learn its systems, tools, AI applications, and processes.
• Support without the burden: Franklin Skills delivers industry-relevant and role- customized training; YUPRO Placement handles hiring, payroll, and compliance. The solution includes on-the-job career coaching and advancement support to boost retention, retain institutional knowledge, and reduce talent churn.
• Hire when you're ready: After the 26- or 52- week program, employers can seamlessly convert apprentices to full-time - at no additional cost.

YUPRO Placement CEO Michelle Sims said, "This is a new way to hire. SKILLSFIT is not staffing; it's a workforce strategy designed to reduce turnover costs, accelerate time-to-productivity, and build a pipeline that performs. Franklin Skills and YUPRO Placement together drive a 94% retention rate. We are building teams that grow with your business."

Sims added, "Employers today lack the budget and infrastructure to hire, train, and support the talent needed to move their business forward. We believe SKILLSFIT is the solution to scale wage-based learning models for employers, accelerate apprenticeship adoption nationwide, and advance the Administration's mission to build a workforce that drives significant economic growth."

Employers ready to shift from reactive hiring to strategic workforce building can learn more here.

About YUPRO Placement

YUPRO Placement delivers skills-first contingent workforce hiring solutions that connect companies with job-ready talent and backs every placement with coaching and retention support that drives long-term performance. As a mission-driven placement firm and a subsidiary of Year Up United, we partner with forward-thinking employers to build high-performing teams that stay, grow, and contribute from day one. The result: stronger business outcomes and a more resilient workforce. Build a workforce that stays at www.yupro.com.

About Franklin Skills

Franklin Skills helps employers solve their toughest talent challenges by building high-performing teams with the skills to adapt to a rapidly changing environment. We design and deliver apprenticeship, upskilling, and reskilling programs that align with business goals, fill critical skills gaps, and drive measurable performance. With a deep understanding of local labor markets and a track record of proven results, Franklin Skills is the trusted partner for organizations navigating change and preparing for what's next. Learn more at www.franklinskills.com.

Media Contact:
Ann Warren
[email protected]
770.328.8384

SOURCE YUPRO Placement