There are so many nonprofits to choose from when it comes to deciding where to donate. Here are just a few reasons why your donation to Summit will make a big impact:
1. All training and services are NO COST TO STUDENTS! Grants and donations like yours cover the cost of tuition, textbooks, and affordable meals.
2. Your support helps Summit provide training for industry-specific programs in high demand job fields like Construction, Healthcare, and IT.
3. We meet students where they are at when they enter Summit’s doors and supply them with the tools they need for success, including discount bus passes, professional development luncheons, mock interviews, and resume workshops.
Preparing the workers of today, tomorrow, and the future for high growth careers. <p>[/rs-one_half_cic]</p> <p>[/rs-column_in_column]</p> <p>[rs-button label="EXPLORE SUMMIT" link="https://saoic.org/give//" new_win="no" full_width="no" position="center" size="btn-large" type="btn-default" class="" wrap="no"/]</p> </li><li>Summit is innovative and results driven; our 10-week GED program has a pass rate of 85% — higher than the national average! Since launching the program, we have awarded more than 200 GEDs.</li><li>Summit provides financial literacy training, structured tutoring, and lifetime career services.</li><li>Summit breaks down barriers for people of color in each industry <ul><li><em>African Americans currently represent less than 3% of the IT workforce</em></li><li><em>People of color make up only 5% of Minnesota’s construction industry</em></li><li><em>17% of healthcare employees in Minnesota are non-white</em> </li></ul></li><li>Our training programs lead to successful career pathways. More than 80% of our career placements are within the student’s field of study. By working with our Industry Advisory Council, we are able to meet local employer job needs. [rs-image img_url="https://saoic.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/FY19-Highlights-Website.png" link="" alt="" width="" height="" class="" type="primary" border="default" new_win="no" margin="" pos="center" wrap="no"/]</li><li>The majority of Summit students nearly <strong>triple</strong> their annual salary upon program completion and job placement.</li><li>Summit empowers our students to take charge of their lives and make positive changes for themselves and their families.</li><li>Alongside community partners, Summit is working to increase our impact by starting community STEM programs for children and teens in Pre-K through grade 12</li>
Preparing the workers of today, tomorrow, and the future for high growth careers.
Transcript - Summit Students Are a Hardworking Pipeline for Our Employers
MITCH DEJONG: Why Summit is important is so obvious that I have a hard time thinking that I have to explain that to someone. Most of our system is set up so that you go to high school and then from high school you go to college. And if that doesn't work for you, you're left behind.
ANNE-MARIE KUIPER: We, society, is fed this myth that for you to move into an IT occupation, you need to have a bachelor's or a master's. I start reading the research; we found that 53% of STEM jobs do not require a bachelor's degree or above. That's a lot of jobs. And that is where the growth is.
MITCH DEJONG: I don't look at people being left behind as they failed. No, the system kind of failed you.
ANNE-MARIE KUIPER: Employer partnerships is why students come to Summit.
MALLORY MONGE: We have all of these open jobs because we're growing extremely rapidly. We're bringing on larger clients quicker than we can, kind of, keep up with. What we run into is a lack of dedicated, passionate, and hardworking individuals.
ANNE-MARIE KUIPER: Many of our students have faced significant barriers or experienced challenges.
AHMED OMAR: School was rough for me because, you know, we did not have access to computers and stuff.
ANNE-MARIE KUIPER: They're persistent. Our students have grit.
AHMED OMAR: I always want to learn more every time I see stuff. So, I became the guy in the family who used to, like, fix stuff that is broken - phones, you know, TV.
ANNE-MARIE KUIPER: And they're serious about making a good income, getting a good career.
AHMED OMAR: I just wanted to get my GED and go to college afterwards.
ANNE-MARIE KUIPER: When you deliver a platform with committed instructors, with quality education, and you attach it to a career... You can get people through the door.
MALLORY MONGE: What we do is literally from that first day, Atomic is involved in the programs. So every week we're bringing in a guest speaker. They're learning about growth positions in the company. They're learning about what they can do long-term.
He was one of our students who, again, a little quieter in the back of class, but did so well. And the questions he asked were very inquisitive and showed that while he's quiet there's a lot of gears in his head turning and he's understanding and thinking more in depth about how do these systems work.
ANNE-MARIE KUIPER: So they're acclimating to the culture, they're understanding the needs of the employers- What we've created is a seamless path into employment.
AHMED OMAR: Look where we are right now. You know, we have a great life, a courier. You know, that's great. What more we need?
ANNE-MARIE KUIPER: And the sky is the limit. That's the other cool thing. Take where they are and move into 100k+ positions. That's kind of mind-blowing when you think about that.
We need to be very proactive about developing the future workforce. And that starts at a young age.
ERIC MAHMOUD: A lot of times, our students are behind when it comes to STEM. You wouldn't find much technology in our school in comparison to other schools serving a more affluent population.
ANNE-MARIE KUIPER: We already have a digital gap, or digital divide. This is just going to increase over time. There's an urgency for us to address this.
ERIC MAHMOUD: I think that there's a narrative about students that come through poor circumstances. That they don't have the mental capacity to do STEM. They think about that themselves. And so by exposing them early, they can create a new narrative.
ANNE-MARIE KUIPER: When you set them up for what the jobs will look like in the future.
ERIC MAHMOUD: What I hope is that more students become inspired about school and they can make that connection to the real world, and real world opportunities.
ANNE-MARIE KUIPER: We are in a geography with a tremendous amount of talent and to look at North Minneapolis as the STEM hub for the Twin Cities is pretty awesome.
4. Summit is innovative and results driven; our 10-week GED program has a pass rate of 85% — higher than the national average! Since launching the program, we have awarded more than 200 GEDs.
5. Summit provides financial literacy training, structured tutoring, and lifetime career services.
6. Summit breaks down barriers for people of color in each industry
7. Our training programs lead to successful career pathways. More than 80% of our career placements are within the student’s field of study. By working with our Industry Advisory Council, we are able to meet local employer job needs.
8. The majority of Summit students nearly triple their annual salary upon program completion and job placement.
9. Summit empowers our students to take charge of their lives and make positive changes for themselves and their families.
10. Alongside community partners, Summit is working to increase our impact by starting community STEM programs for children and teens in Pre-K through grade 12