GWBA provides pathways to career success for high school students in underserved communities through skills training, meaningful work experiences, and impactful relationships. Despite the influx of wealth in the Bay Area, there is still an overwhelming opportunity and achievement gap that creates a grim future for our youth. Low-income students are not graduating high school, not going to college, and not being prepared for 21st century jobs. These students have potential, but lack the technical and communication skills, confidence and realization that they can enter and compete in the corporate job market. They grow up believing that higher education and success in the corporate world is unattainable. In 2013, the California Department of Education reported dropout rates in San Francisco to be over 50% for minorities. Less than 15% of today’s low-income youth will achieve a college degree and yet, according to Georgetown University, by 2018, two-thirds of all jobs created in America will require a college education. This is devastating for our future youth and local economy. This challenge is particularly acute in the Bay Area’s growing technology industry. Bay Area tech companies have pledged to support diversity in the field, however, the matter goes beyond recruitment and hiring. The problem lies in the pipeline. These same companies also struggle to find local talent. To truly tackle this issue, companies must support developing a local resource pool by supporting meaningful tech training and work experience for the Bay Area’s youth. Genesys Works bridges the gap between low-income students, underserved schools, and the business community to create a society where the pursuit of academic and professional success is a given for all students.
