Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology Partners with Year Up to Fill Middle-Skill Jobs with STEM-Ready Workers

February 5, 2020

The new articulation agreement awards up to 11 BFIT credits to Year Up students seeking post-secondary education and careers in high-growth STEM fields.

Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology (BFIT) today announced a partnership with Year Up Greater Boston awarding up to 11 credits towards BFIT’s STEM programs for young adults seeking post-secondary hands-on education upon completion of Year Up’s one-year intensive program.

The academic partnership between BFIT and Year Up will help continued efforts to scale an innovative and effective approach to job training in Greater Boston and bridge the Opportunity Divide by placing motivated, talented, and diverse young adults  in meaningful careers while contributing to today’s economy and community.

BFIT is a private non-profit college offering affordable education for people seeking technical careers whose partnership with Year Up Greater Boston enhances Year Up’s mission to close the Opportunity Divide by ensuring that young adults gain the skills, experiences, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through careers and higher education.

“This new partnership combines both organizational missions to train and connect young people seeking access to well-paying jobs in technical fields and high-demand industries in Massachusetts and the employers actively searching for skilled workers to fill them,” said Marvin Loiseau, Dean of Recruitment at Benjamin Franklin institute of Technology. “Rather than starting as freshmen, this program provides Year Up graduates a head start on earning a degree and entering the workforce.”

Year Up Greater Boston opened its doors to 22 students in July 2001 as the first Year Up site in the country. Year Up Greater Boston now serves more than 560 students each year across three campuses (Downtown Campus, Roxbury Community College Campus, and most recently, North Shore Community College Campus). The one-year intensive training program combines marketable job skills, stipends, internships, and college credits.

“Announcing the long-time coming partnership with BFIT is an exciting way to start the new year,” said Bob Dame, Executive Director at Year Up Greater Boston. “With 90 percent of Year Up graduates employed or enrolled in post-secondary education, this program with BFIT accelerates the process for those who seek hands-on college education and further prepares them for high-growth STEM careers.”

BFIT’s partnership with Year Up Greater Boston awards up to 11 college credits towards BFIT’s STEM programs to any Year Up graduate (nationwide) who, upon completion of the one-year program (those who have earned 26 credits and completed an internship), seek to continue post-secondary education. Year Up alumni across the U.S. (up to 10 years since program completion) can also take advantage of this new offering.

 About Year Up

Year Up is an award-winning, national 501(c)3 organization that enables motivated young adults ages 18-24 to move from minimum wage to meaningful careers in just one year by providing the skills, experience, and support they need to reach their full potential. Through a one-year, intensive program, Year Up utilizes a high-expectations, high-support model that combines marketable job skills, stipends, coursework eligible for college credit, and corporate internships at more than 250 top companies. Its holistic approach focuses on students’ professional and personal development to enable young adults with a viable path to economic self-sufficiency and meaningful careers. Year Up has served more than 26,000 young adults since its founding in 2000, and serves more than 4,700 young adults annually across 26 U.S. cities, including Arizona, Baltimore, Bay Area, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Greater Atlanta, Greater Boston, Greater Philadelphia, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, the National Capital Region, New York City/Jersey City, Puget Sound, Rhode Island, South Florida, Tampa Bay, and Wilmington. Year Up has been voted one of the “Best Non-Profits to Work For” by The NonProfit Times and rated a 4-star charity by Charity Navigator, placing them in the top 1% of tracked organizations.