Year Up Chicago announced today that it will receive a $100,000 grant from The CompTIA Educational Foundation to help jumpstart its effective model for enabling young adults to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education.

The announcement comes as Year Up marks the official opening of its new Chicago site with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, October 28, 2010, at 3:30 p.m. Central, with a reception to follow. The ceremony will be held at Year Up Chicago's new office, located at 203 N. LaSalle St., Suite M-18.

Year Up is a national organization that provides professional career training to low-income young adults and helps them secure internships with top U.S. companies. Its scalable model prepares students for the workforce using a unique combination of technical and professional instruction, college credits, educational stipends and corporate internships. Successful completion of the intensive, one-year program enables graduates to move into employment and higher education. To date, 84 percent of graduates have been placed into positions within four months of graduation, earning an average salary of $30,000 per year. Many students also go on to pursue opportunities in higher education.

The CompTIA Educational Foundation's grant will fund Year Up Chicago's general operations budget, which provides for student stipends and tuition; student services partnerships for clothing, housing and transportation; classroom materials; and staff training. The grant also will provide for IT curriculum, training and certification for Year Up students.

"Our grant provides for a sustainable infrastructure so that Year Up Chicago can get up and running quickly and have the funds it needs to grow throughout 2011," said Charles Eaton, executive director of the CompTIA Educational Foundation. "The IT industry continues to need new technicians and a more diverse workforce. Year Up's concentrated training program, along with CompTIA's vendor-neutral tech certifications, helps individuals in need to build a solid career. By funding Year Up, we're creating a win-win situation for our industry and for Chicago’s urban youth."

Year Up Chicago launched its first class, F.I.R.S.T. - Future Innovators Ready for Success Today, in September 2010. Students receive a maximum of 18 college credits from Chicago-based city colleges plus certification testing from CompTIA and Microsoft. Currently, 22 students from across the greater Chicago area are enrolled.

"The CompTIA Educational Foundation's generous sponsorship of Year Up Chicago's inaugural year demonstrates their commitment to connecting Chicago's talented, urban young adults to the education and job training that will prepare them for successful futures," said Alan Anderson, executive director of Year Up Chicago.

About Year Up Inc.
Year Up's mission is to close the Opportunity Divide by providing low-income young adults with the skills, experience, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education. Year Up achieves this mission through a high support, high expectation model that combines marketable job skills, stipends, internships and college credits. Its holistic approach focuses on students' professional and personal development to place these young adults on a viable path to economic self-sufficiency. Year Up currently serves more than 1,000 students a year at sites in Atlanta, Baltimore (college-based pilot program), Boston, Chicago, New York City, Providence, San Francisco Bay Area, and the National Capital Region, and will be opening in Seattle in the year ahead. To learn more, visit www.yearup.org or www.youtube.com/yearupinc.

About the CompTIA Educational Foundation
The CompTIA Educational Foundation provides career opportunities for individuals who historically have been under-represented in the IT workforce. With the support of individuals, industry leaders, companies and the government, the Foundation creates and partners on programs to help U.S. military personnel, at-risk youth and individuals with disabilities to obtain the technical and business skills employers require. Since its creation in 1998, the Foundation has helped more than 1,000 individuals enter the IT workforce, helping the industry alleviate its shortage of skilled workers. For more information or to make a donation to the CompTIA Educational Foundation, visit http://www.comptia-ef.org.

Creating IT Futures Foundation

Creating IT Futures Foundation

The CompTIA Educational Foundation provides career opportunities for individuals who historically have been under-represented in the IT workforce. With the support of individuals, industry leaders, companies and the government, the Foundation helps U.S. military personnel and their spouses, at-risk youth and individuals with disabilities obtain the technical and business skills employers require. Since its creation in 1998, the Foundation has helped more than 1,000 individuals enter the IT workforce.

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