YouthForceNOLA

Founded in 2015, YouthForce NOLA is a business‑education collaborative co‑founded by civic leader Leslie Jacobs and career‑pathways strategist Cate Swinburn. It links New Orleans public high schools with the region’s high‑wage, high‑demand industries through soft‑skills training, free technical courses, dual‑enrollment college credits, and paid summer internships. To date it has placed 1,500 + teens in stipended internships, put more than $2 million in students’ pockets, and partnered with 250 + local employers—fueling over 11,000 career‑connected experiences. In 2024 the organization unveiled the Future Ready Guide, a student‑friendly checklist distilled into six milestones: career exposure, soft‑skill mastery, industry credentials, college credits, paid internships, and a professional network. Graduates who check every box earn a “Future Ready” seal that tells colleges and employers they can contribute on day one. In its first year, Future Ready participants logged 11,000 + learning experiences and earned 975 industry credentials—evidence the playbook can scale city‑ and statewide.