Since the Year Up program first kicked off at Stanford in 2019, many of the participating interns across the university got their start in IT service desk positions.
In coming years, Year Up program leaders at Stanford hope to see the same excitement for additional internships that Year Up helps support. This includes Project Management, Application Development & Support, and Data Analytics tracks.
By offering more internship opportunities, the Year Up program can continue to broaden its reach with incoming students.
“Interns coming from these lesser known training tracks have a great deal to offer, especially for units that don’t have a large need for IT support. They can manage small projects, develop reports and dashboards, test software, and many other tasks in these fields."
—Hope Johnson, Year Up Program Lead with IDEAL IT at Stanford
How does Year Up work?
Year Up is a national organization aiming to close the opportunity divide in the U.S. by giving diverse populations the education and experience to start their careers.
Year Up students spend six months training in specific skill areas before being placed in real-world internships, where they spend another six months gaining work experience. By the end of the year-long program, Year Up participants are qualified and prepared to enter a competitive workforce in their skill areas.
At Stanford, Year Up internship opportunities are sponsored, or funded, by teams and leaders who can match a Year Up student with a skill area their team provides.
For example, in November 2021, Stanford Graduate School of Business sought a Year Up student being trained in project management. The team brought on America Armenta as a Project Coordinator. Her internship helped America gain experience and learn from mentors along the way. See this story's highlight "In the words of a former Year Up intern" to learn more about America's experience.
How can your team sponsor a Year Up intern?
Any group or department at Stanford can sponsor a Year Up intern. Here’s how:
- Talk with a Year Up program lead to discuss your team’s goals.
- Plan how to fund the position. (Typically $29,700 - $35,000 depending on the type of role.)
- Plan how to support and mentor a Year Up intern when the internship begins.
The next cohort of Year Up internships will begin at the end of January 2023, following the students’ training period.
Learn more
Year Up is an integral part of the CIO Council's strategic initiative IDEAL IT, which ensures we help build a diverse and inclusive space for the future. Visit the Year Up Internship Program page to learn more.
For more information on the Year Up organization, visit yearup.org.
