YUPRO Placement is Empowering STARs and Reshaping the Future of Work

At YUPRO Placement, we believe in the power of hiring for skills and potential over traditional proxies. As a mission-driven placement firm, and proud member of the Opportunity@Work coalition, together we are advancing a hiring revolution—one dedicated to creating job opportunities in the form of professional apprenticeships for talent Skilled Through Alternative Routes, or STARs.

Through education, advocacy, and non-traditional hiring solutions, we are reshaping outdated hiring models and building a labor market that values matching talent to jobs based on skills, versus traditional credentials and filters such as 4-year degrees and past job titles.

From Partnership to Placement: An Innovative Hiring Model

As a partner with Opportunity@Work and advocate for the #TearthePaperCeiling campaign, we encourage employers to look beyond traditional credentials and create a hiring model that embraces the value of STARs. These individuals have built job-ready skills through workforce development training, community college, military service, certification bootcamps, and on-the-job experience like apprenticeships.

But advocacy and encouragement are not enough. Businesses need early-career talent who have in-demand skills and are ready to contribute from day one.

YUPRO Placement’s Skills-to-Staff™ professional apprenticeship program skill-matches STARs with real business needs. By hiring STARs as professional apprentices and providing on-the-job learning, mentorship, and wraparound supports, STARs solve skills gaps employers crave in today’s evolving economy. 

We are proving that STARs are indispensable contributors to the future of work. And with on-the-job learning, your strategy is not just about hiring but instead creating a tailored workforce required to remain competitive and grow.

STAR Success Stories: Real Impact, Real Change 

The true testament to our efforts lies in the success stories of the STARs we’ve placed in professional apprenticeships offering career and economic mobility. Below, we showcase two remarkable STARs through the power of skills-based apprenticeships.

Alexis Owens entered our Skills-to-Staff™ professional apprenticeship program with the drive to succeed and a strong interest in HR but no formal corporate background. As an apprentice, she supported YUPRO Placement’s internal recruiting team with real-world projects—managing candidate data in our CRM, participating in team meetings, and assisting with candidate outreach. She built foundational recruiting, customer service, and systems knowledge. Upon completion, Alexis transitioned into a contract-to-hire Operations Specialist role, where she continues to apply her skills and grow in the HR field. Her story demonstrates how apprenticeships transform potential into high-performing early-career talent.

Eryn Spencer did not have professional office experience, though what she did have was a willingness to learn and a sharp attention to detail. As a YUPRO Placement apprentice, Eryn took on core administrative and recruiting tasks, including entering candidate resumes into our CRM, writing and sharing job postings, and completing Excel-based reporting projects. Eryn proved herself to be consistent, coachable, and capable of learning quickly. Post-apprenticeship, Eryn secured a role as a Customer Service Representative and is building her career in a new industry she never thought possible.

Alexis’ and Eryn’s stories underscores the business case for STARs: with on-the-job coaching and support, talent quickly acquire essential skills, take on key tasks, and deliver measurable results.

Our apprenticeship success stories are proof that STARs can meet business needs when given the opportunity to learn and apply skills in real-time.

Build a Pipeline that Performs

At YUPRO Placement, we don’t just talk about the future of work, we help build it.

If you’re an employer looking to join the skills-first hiring movement, access a candidate pool of highly skilled STARs, or just learn more, we invite you to visit our Skills-Based Hiring Hub here.