YUPRO Placement’s Michelle Sims Named to SIA Global Power 150 Women in Staffing List

This award recognizes remarkable women in the staffing ecosystem who uplift their communities and advance DE&I initiatives

Boston, MA, November 18, 2022 – The nation’s leading skills-first placement firm, public benefit corporation YUPRO Placement, announced today that its CEO, Michelle Sims, has been named to the 2022 Global Power 150 Women in Staffing list by Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) for a second consecutive year. SIA is a global advisor on staffing and workforce solutions and its annual Global Power 150 list recognizes the most influential women in staffing, the top 100 in the Americas and the top 50 internationally. Michelle leads the charge in connecting the National Opportunity Workforce to mission-driven organizations.

“I’ve always felt called to steer the expansion of diversity of the workforce,” said Michelle Sims, CEO of YUPRO Placement. “I believe in purpose-driven leadership and challenge my team to seek new ways to support entry-level, traditionally excluded talent and renew American prosperity for all. I live by YUPRO Placement’s mission to help overlooked talent secure jobs with fair market wages and economic mobility. Receiving this recognition from SIA and standing amongst these distinguished female leaders, gives me hope and optimism for the future of our industry.”

Michelle is known for her ability to defy the status quo and exceed expectations. She secured a new pathway for overlooked talent to achieve family-sustaining wages through YUPRO Placement’s Earn More, Learn More Registered Apprenticeship Program. This program serves as an intermediary for corporations seeking innovative hiring solutions for early-career talent. Through a partnership with OpenClassrooms, YUPRO Placement now offers employers an all-inclusive, turnkey approach to the U.S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship Program. 

Additionally, in addressing the skills gap for diverse, entry-level talent, Michelle led the initiative to secure a grant partnership with IBM SkillsBuild in August 2021 to offer no-cost, industry-recognized, IT certifications to their entire talent community with the goal to upskill 1,000 talent in 2022. This program earned the American Staffing Association Elevate Award in 2022 which recognizes the best work-based learning programs in the industry.

“These forward-thinking women have turned challenges into springboards to success. From heading up impactful organizations to steering essential projects to fine-tuning the hybrid model, they have led with grace and empathy,” said Subadhra Sriram, SIA’s editor and publisher, media products.

Michelle stays active in the industry, is an advocate for diversity and female leadership, and proudly leads an all-female leadership team at YUPRO Placement. Additionally, Michelle is an active board member for the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School and is a volunteer for the American Staffing Association Women in Leadership Council. She is also a member of the nonprofit Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and was featured as a TroubleMaker for Good, supporting the organization’s mission to inspire and support women, fund women’s causes, and recognize the barriers caused by intersectionality. In 2021 and 2022, Michelle was recognized by SIA as a Top 50 DE&I Influencer.

See the full 2022 Global Power 150 Women in Staffing list here.

About YUPRO Placement

YUPRO Placement is the nation’s leading skills-first placement firm offering a strategic, socially responsible alternative to the traditional corporate staffing model. Our employer partners have access to a diverse talent community at various career stages, who have the technical, professional, digital, and interpersonal skills required for in-demand jobs. Our shared social mission with our parent company, 501c3 Year Up, Inc., drives our talent placement, where fair market wages, economic mobility, and career progression are priority. At YUPRO Placement, we match our National Opportunity Workforce, comprised of 100,000+ trained and ready-to-work talent, with employer partners who commit to an inclusive workplace that starts with removing barriers for entry-level and middle-skill talent hiring. Learn more at www.yupro.com.