ACHIEVE TWIN CITIES

CAREER & COLLEGE INITIATIVES PROGRAMS - SEE SCHEDULE OCAREER & COLLEGE INITIATIVES PROGRAMS:SCHOOL-BASED CAREER AND COLLEGE READINESS PROGRAM ACHIEVE TWIN CITIES IS A UNIVERSAL CAREER AND COLLEGE READINESS PROVIDER, WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SAINT PAUL PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO HELP STUDENTS DEVELOP INDIVIDUALIZED PLANS FOR LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL. IN COLLABORATION WITH SCHOOL COUNSELORS IN 28 HIGH SCHOOLS, WE PROVIDE ONE-ON-ONE GUIDANCE AND CONNECT STUDENTS WITH A WIDE RANGE OF POSTSECONDARY AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING TWO AND FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE, APPRENTICESHIPS, TRAINING PROGRAMS, EMPLOYERS AND OTHER OPTIONS TO HELP THEM EXPLORE AND PLAN FOR PURPOSEFUL, LIFE SUSTAINING CAREERS. THESE SERVICES ARE ACCESSIBLE TO 17,000 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS EACH YEAR, WITH OVER 10,000 STUDENTS PARTICIPATING DIRECTLY IN OUR ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING 93% OF SENIORS. OUR PROFESSIONAL TEAM-WHICH INCLUDES LICENSED COUNSELORS, SOCIAL WORKERS, ADMISSIONS EXPERTS, EDUCATORS AND YOUTH WORKERS-WORK ONE-ON-ONE WITH STUDENTS TO BUILD THE KIND OF TRUSTING, LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL FOR CREATING POST-GRADUATION PLANS AND CAREER SUCCESS. THEY OFFER PERSONALIZED CAREER EXPLORATION ADVISING, CAREER EVENTS WITH LOCAL PROFESSIONALS, COLLEGE FAIRS AND TOURS, COLLEGE REP VISITS, ASSISTANCE WITH COLLEGE, FINANCIAL AID AND FAFSA APPLICATIONS, SUPPORT WITH RESUME WRITING AND JOB INTERVIEWING, CONNECTIONS WITH INTERNSHIP AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES, AND LINKS TO OTHER COLLEGE ACCESS PROVIDERS. ACHIEVE TWIN CITIES CAREER EXPLORATION PROGRAMMING-FULLY INTEGRATED INTO THESE HIGH SCHOOL SERVICES-CONNECTS STUDENTS WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF CAREER AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES THAT HELP THEM PREPARE TO ACCESS FAMILY-SUPPORTING, HIGH-DEMAND AND HIGH-GROWTH CAREERS MORE QUICKLY AFTER HIGH SCHOOL. ACHIEVE TWIN CITIES ALSO BRINGS EMPLOYERS INTO HIGH SCHOOLS TO MEET WITH STUDENTS VIA CAREER SPEAKERS AND CAREER FAIR EVENTS. PROGRAM DATA SHOWS THAT 93% OF STUDENTS WHO UTILIZE ACHIEVE'S SCHOOL-BASED SERVICES GRADUATE WITH A CAREER PATHWAY PLAN. LOWER INCOME STUDENTS AND STUDENTS OF COLOR WHO UTILIZE THESE SERVICES ENROLL IN POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS AT 50+% HIGHER RATES THAN THOSE WHO DO NOT. WITH ACHIEVE TWIN CITIES SUPPORT, MORE STUDENTS ARE PURSUING THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING THEY NEED FOR MEANINGFUL CAREERS AND FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE.STEP UP YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM: STEP UP PREPARES TODAY'S YOUTH FOR TOMORROW'S CAREERS BY RECRUITING, TRAINING AND PLACING HUNDREDS OF MINNEAPOLIS YOUTH (AGES 14-21) IN PAID SUMMER INTERNSHIPS WITH OVER 50 REGIONAL EMPLOYERS, FROM FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES AND SMALL BUSINESSES TO PUBLIC AGENCIES AND NONPROFITS. A PROGRAM OF THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ACHIEVE TWIN CITIES, THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND PROJECT FOR PRIDE IN LIVING, STEP UP IS ONE OF THE NATION'S LEADING YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS AND LEVERAGES A COLLECTIVE THAT SPANS 15 INDUSTRIES AND MULTIPLE SECTORS. STEP UP SUPPORTS HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED YOUTH IN MINNEAPOLIS WHO ARE READY TO NAVIGATE THE PROFESSIONAL WORLD. IT ALSO HELPS ORGANIZATIONS DIVERSIFY THEIR WORKFORCE AND BUILD A BASE OF YOUNG, SKILLED WORKERS FOR THE ENTIRE REGION. STEP UP HAS PROVIDED OVER 34,500 INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCES SINCE 2003, YIELDING A COMPETITIVE TALENT PIPELINE, A STRONGER ECONOMY AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN WAGES FOR STEP UP INTERNS. INTERNS COLLECTIVELY EARN OVER $1.69 MILLION IN SUMMER WAGES FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS: EACH YEAR, OVER 300 TWIN CITIES COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES FROM LOCAL COMPANIES VOLUNTEER WITH ACHIEVE TWIN CITIES TO INTRODUCE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO NEW CAREERS, EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES AND SKILLS THROUGH SCHOOL-BASED CAREER EVENTS, STEP UP MOCK INTERVIEWS, AND OTHER CAREER EXPLORATION SUPPORT. SCHOOL-BASED CAREER EXPLORATION EVENTS CONNECT VOLUNTEERS WITH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO SHARE THEIR CAREER JOURNEYS AND INSIGHTS ON A WIDE RANGE OF CAREER AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES. THROUGH IN-SCHOOL CAREER SPEAKER EVENTS AND FAIRS, STUDENTS EXPLORE NEW CAREER FIELDS, MEET LOCAL PROFESSIONALS, AND LEARN THE STEPS THEY NEED TO TAKE TOWARD SPECIFIC FIELDS AND INDUSTRIES. IN THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR, 149 INDIVIDUALS FROM 184 TWIN CITIES COMPANIES AND ORGANIZATIONS SERVED AS CAREER VOLUNTEERS. EACH SPRING, COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATE IN THE ANNUAL STEP UP MOCK INTERVIEWS, INTERVIEWING AND COACHING STEP UP YOUTH PARTICIPANTS ONE-ON-ONE IN PREPARATION FOR THEIR SUMMER INTERNSHIP INTERVIEWS AND OTHER CAREER OPPORTUNITIES. THE MOCK INTERVIEWS ARE PART OF STEP UP WORK READINESS TRAINING, WHICH EACH INTERN MUST COMPLETE BEFORE THEY ARE MATCHED WITH THEIR SUMMER EMPLOYER. IN SPRING 2025, 160 VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATED IN THE STEP UP MOCK INTERVIEWS. IN ADDITION TO THESE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES, EMPLOYEES FROM ACHIEVE TWIN CITIES PARTNER COMPANIES ALSO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME WITH STEP UP AND ACHIEVE COLLEGE INTERNSHIPS PARTICIPANTS AS WORK READINESS TRAINERS, CAREER EXPOSURE EVENT LEADERS, AND FINANCIAL LITERACY AND CAREER SKILLS EVENT FACILITATORS. PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EVENTS ACHIEVE TWIN CITIES ALSO HOSTS PUBLIC EVENTS THAT INFORM AND SPARK CONVERSATIONS ON A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES IMPACTING OUR STUDENTS AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND CONNECT OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT AND ADVOCATE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE ANNUAL PRINCIPAL PARTNER DAY MATCHES TWIN CITIES BUSINESS, PHILANTHROPY, MEDIA AND CIVIC LEADERS ONE-ON-ONE WITH PRINCIPALS FOR A HALF-DAY JOB SHADOWING AT THEIR SCHOOLS. PARTICIPANTS GET A RARE BEHIND-THE-SCENES EXPERIENCE AT A MINNEAPOLIS SCHOOL, SEE THEIR PRINCIPAL IN ACTION AND INTERACT WITH STAFF AND STUDENTS. FOLLOWING THEIR SCHOOL EXPERIENCE, THEY GATHER WITH OTHER EVENT PARTICIPANTS TO SHARE INSIGHTS AND EXPLORE NEXT STEPS IN RESPONSE TO WHAT THEY'VE SEEN AND HEARD THAT DAY. ACHIEVE 101 AND LUNCHBREAK WITH ACHIEVE TWIN CITIES PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM OUR CAREER AND COLLEGE READINESS (CCR) STAFF EXPERTS, VISIT OUR SCHOOL-BASED CENTERS AND EXPLORE CCR AND YOUTH WORKFORCE ISSUES. PARTICIPANTS HEAR FROM ACHIEVE PROGRAM LEADERS AND OTHER PARTNERS IN THIS WORK, MEET YOUNG PEOPLE WHO UTILIZE OUR SERVICES, AND LEARN HOW THEY CAN SUPPORT STUDENTS AS CAREER EVENT VOLUNTEERS, INTERNSHIP EMPLOYERS, DONORS AND PARTNERS.