YUPRO Placement and Merit America Join Forces to Transform the Workforce Through Skills-Based Hiring and Career Advancement

[Austin, TX, — November 16, 2023] – YUPRO Placement, a pioneer in skills-first hiring solutions, and Merit America, a national nonprofit dedicated to preparing low-wage workers for family-sustaining careers, are proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership aimed at reshaping the landscape of the American workforce. 

With over 8 million unfilled jobs today, YUPRO Placement’s Skills-to-Staff ™ Apprenticeship Program is a fundamentally new approach to staffing as employers face challenges to filling critical jobs while keeping pace with the changing nature of work. 

Employers nationwide will have access to Merit America alumni through Skills-to-Staff ™, as an innovative and nontraditional hiring strategy that opens equitable job opportunities to talent skilled through workforce training, bootcamps, community college and certification programs.  With Merit America’s progressive approach to training and workforce development and a shared mission with YUPRO Placement to close the opportunity gap, these alumni are a perfect match for the Skills-to-Staff ™ hiring model as they embark on employment post-training.    

Alumni of Merit America complete rigorous, industry-driven training in IT support, data analytics, UX design and Java development. Skills-to-Staff ™ opens the workforce where these same alumni earn a family-sustaining wage with additional upskilling, mentorship, and supports that drive employee engagement, loyalty and business results with employers putting skills at the forefront of their talent strategies.  

“With talent shortage projections reaching 21 million by 2030, collaboration is key to democratizing access to higher-wage jobs. Placing Merit America alumni in our Skills-to-Staff ™ Apprenticeship Program underscores the shared commitment to unlocking the potential of talent in low-wage roles who possess skills and abilities for higher-wage entry and mid-career roles left unfilled today and, in the future,” shares Michelle Sims, CEO at YUPRO Placement.  

“Our partnership with YUPRO Placement demonstrates the power of collaboration in skills-based hiring initiatives. Together, we’re creating new opportunities at scale, breaking down barriers, and ensuring that talent and potential are not constrained by circumstances. This partnership grants our learners access to additional job opportunities, resources, and an expanded network, opening doors to thousands of meaningful career paths and driving social impact within underrepresented talent pools,” said Rebecca Taber Staehelin, co-founder and co-CEO of Merit America.  

For more information, please visit www.yupro.com http://www.yupro.com/and www.meritamerica.org. 

About YUPRO Placement: YUPRO Placement champions skills-first hiring by sourcing, recruiting, retaining, and advancing historically excluded talent. As a mission-driven placement firm, we serve as the connector between forward-thinking employers, a nationwide training provider network, and career-ready talent. With upskilling and coaching for placed candidates, YUPRO Placement creates pathways to upward economic mobility and workplace diversity. The result: a high-performing workforce with the skills to drive positive career and business outcomes. Learn how placement with social impact is better business at yupro.com. 

About Merit America: Merit America is a national nonprofit preparing workers stuck in low-wage roles for family-sustaining careers at scale. Hailed by the New York Times as “the hybrid future of training programs for the disadvantaged,” we offer fast and flexible training and job search programs that work for working adults and are aligned to the most in-demand roles in the fastest-growing sectors of the U.S. economy. Founded in 2018, we now serve thousands of working adults across the country, driving an average annual wage gain of $24,000 for alumni three months or more after program completion. We’re on track to drive $1B in wage gains by 2025.