First published 2012
Gerald Chertavian spent years as a Big Brother mentor before launching his career as a technology entrepreneur. Through this work, he witnessed how America's Opportunity Divide traps millions of motivated young people in low-wage jobs despite their potential. In 2000, Chertavian founded Year Up, an intensive program that provides training, mentorship, internships, and job placement for low-income young adults. The program partners with Fortune 500 companies and achieves an 85 percent employment rate within four months of graduation. Chertavian follows one Year Up class from admission to graduation, allowing students to tell their stories directly. They describe their struggles, setbacks, and victories throughout the program year. The book explains Chertavian's educational philosophy and traces Year Up's development from concept to reality. By 2012, Year Up operated in nine cities and served over 1,300 students annually. Chertavian presents his program as a practical solution for economic inequality and a pathway for young adults seeking mainstream economic opportunity.
Genres: business, social-issues, education, non-fiction, 21st-century, academic
Vibes: inspirational, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: personal-journey, real-world-solutions
368 pages · Hardcover · Viking