Executive Summary
Since 2020, nearly 3 million Texans have filed for unemployment, most from underrepresented backgrounds. Today’s challenge is about more than just getting Texans back to work: it’s about creating pathways to higher paying, more resilient careers and building a more equitable future as the country recovers.
Over the next 5 years, Merit America will prepare vulnerable Texan STARs (individuals “Skilled Through Alternative Routes”) for careers in IT, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare with fast, flexible programs focused on what employers need most. This includes growing our current site in Dallas, and expanding into Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and multiple rural distressed communities. Our programs will allow underrepresented, underemployed Texans (including veterans) to upskill while balancing work, family, and social distancing.
Through this work, we will drive $1 billion in total wage gains over the next five years by serving 25,000 Americans (and 2,500 Texans) with a model that is 90% self-funded.
Charity, fund, non-governmental organization, religious institution, school, or other entity
Organizations may provide budget and employee data based on this proposal or the organization as a whole. For more information on this proposal or organization, please email us.
Accomplishments
Since our 2018 launch, we have served more than 7,000 learners, 86% with no four-year college degree and 70% people of color, with 83% earning industry-recognized credentials in 14-22 weeks, and over 60% job placement for learners. Professor Ben Castleman and the University of Virginia recently completed our second longitudinal study and validated that Merit America drove an average annual wage gain of $24,000 for graduates in new roles, not including the value of benefits and long-term advancement opportunities.
We continue to lead the charge to help other workforce development leaders benefit from our learnings. We’ve launched a Community of Practice with the CEOs of Year Up, Choose U, NPower, Per Scholas, and ClimbHire. We host regular sessions to share data and learnings on key areas, such as charging employers, recruitment strategies and admissions procedures.
