MISSION AND WORK

Workforce development is a well-documented, high-risk “people-readiness” challenge facing our nation’s critical infrastructure sectors.

Starting from a unique “Community-Building” lens – iyai+’s mission is to motivate all young people to choose infrastructure careers and become tomorrow’s infrastructure leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, and skilled workforce – with emphasis on increasing the career awareness, participation, and retention levels of historically-underrepresented youth – young women, people of color, youth from areas of persistent poverty and historically disadvantaged communities.
Working collaboratively with public and private sector owners, operators and major employers, organized labor (“worker voices”), academic and job-readiness focused educators and trainers, local philanthropy, community-based organizations, families and youth – WE can unlock untapped potential, expose our youth to a much broader range of careers, personal and professional development opportunities.

Iyai+ programming is cross-sectoral and partnerships-based by design. Our increasingly interdependent world requires re-thinking the “career-readiness” education skills, experiences, and exposures necessary for the 21st century. Including attention to transferable skills (“good” jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities) that can expand gateways to opportunity. And, most importantly, increase their personal readiness and earning potential, build their leadership potential and abilities – and help to instill the importance of public service and active civic engagement.

In addition to career awareness programming, we include exciting Youth Voice experiential learning opportunities – our signature virtual “Innovative Challenge” Competition and “Critical Conversations” program elements that provide a meaningful opportunity for our youth to share their considerable knowledge – learned and lived experiences – and fresh insights and perspectives.
Finally, we also make it a point to expose our youth participants to important lifetime “values” and “success skills” – the iyai “+” – emphasizing the importance of civic engagement and public service.