Merit America

🎉It’s official! Thanks to our Merit America team, we’re proud to have earned the Great Place to Work® Certification™. Our company culture is a top priority, and we are grateful for this esteemed certification! #GPTWcertified

We're excited to announce our new partnership with Eden Housing, Inc. Together, we're committed to providing training and economic mobility opportunities for Eden Housing residents across the Bay Area. By working together, we aim to support residents in their journey toward meaningful careers and financial stability. This collaboration marks another step in our mission to empower communities through education and skill-building. Thank you, Eden Housing, for helping us make a lasting impact! #PartnershipForChange #CareerDevelopment #EconomicMobility #BayArea

We’re so proud of our alum Yahlamed Israel for inspiring the next wave of cybersecurity professionals! Her commitment to sharing knowledge, building strong security practices, and supporting the tech community is a true testament to the power of alternative career pathways. Cybersecurity Awareness Month may be ending, but the journey continues. #TearThePaperCeiling #oneofmillionschallenge #hirestars #cybersecurity #MeritAmerica Opportunity@Work

Meet Melissa, a STAR who is reshaping the future of work through Merit America. As part of the #OneOfMillions challenge with Opportunity@Work, let’s celebrate these STARs who prove that talent knows no boundaries—it just needs the right chance to shine. #TearThePaperCeiling #MeritAmerica #HireSTARs #CareerGrowth

GROWTH is key to learning new skills and applying them. Stories like Briana's inspire us to continue guiding our learners as they grow and thrive in their careers, even as alumni. 🌱 #CareerGrowth #ContinuousLearning #MeritAmericaAlumni #Oneofmillions #tearthepaperceiling #hirestars Opportunity@Work

✨ We're thrilled to partner with an organization that shares our vision for a more equitable and sustainable future! Huge thanks to Banyan Software Foundation for their incredible support in helping our learners prepare for new opportunities. 

It’s time for another Alumni Panel! 🧠 If you're thinking about your 2025 career goals, now’s the perfect opportunity to learn how Merit America can help. ✨ Join us for an inspiring session where our recent alumni share their success stories, insights, and tips on how they transformed their careers. 🔖 Don’t miss out—RSVP today and get ready to be motivated for your journey https://bit.ly/4dXo4N1

Meet Chakayla, a STAR who is reshaping the future of work through Merit America. As part of the #OneOfMillions challenge with Opportunity@Work let’s celebrate these STARs who prove that talent knows no boundaries—it just needs the right chance to shine. #TearThePaperCeiling #MeritAmerica #HireSTARs #CareerGrowth

It is not easy for #California students to transfer between community colleges and the California State University and University of California systems and advocates want it fixed. A recent audit found very low transfer rates for California community college students, especially for students of color. The data show from 2017 through 2019, just 21% of students who intended to transfer to a four-year school did so within four years. Linda Becker, Bay Area director of regional partnerships for the nonprofit Merit America, said it highlights structural barriers within the education system. "The high cost in California is a real barrier for people to be able to access education," Becker pointed out. "At the same time, we know that with just a high school degree, you really are excluded from a lot of jobs." The report called for schools to make sure more of their classes count for transfer to a four-year university, and to expand the Associate Degree for Transfer program. It offers a streamlined transfer pathway to state university campuses. Merit America offers an alternative pathway, with five online programs in the tech field lasting 14 to 23 weeks with intensive career counseling. Becker pointed out the program is designed for people stuck in low-wage jobs who want to move to a more rewarding career. "Thousands of people start our program and about 40% have tried some college and not been able to finish," Becker reported. "It's mostly because of financial reasons. They can't take the time away from working to support going to college." The program is subsidized and learners can get a 0% loan to cover the rest, to a maximum of $5,700. Students do not have to pay the loan back until they get a new job paying at least $40,000 a year. Disclosure: Merit America contributes to our fund for reporting on Education, and Livable Wages/Working Families.

Join us at SOCAP Global's flagship event in San Francisco from October 28 to 30! Built around the theme of “Going Deeper: Catalyzing Systems Change,” the #SOCAP24 framework is grounded in the people and organizations doing the work and facilitating capital flow to help drive us toward solutions. Solutions Insights Lab will be participating in THREE dynamic delegate-led sessions: 🌟 Invest in Success: How a Solutions Focus Can Supercharge Your Strategy and Maximize Impact Conversation between Ambika Samarthya and Abigail Steinberg of Livelihood Impact Fund 🌟 Reimagining Capital to Fuel Education for Economic Mobility Moderated by Jenn Rosen with Jordan Blashek of America's Frontier Fund, Alicia MacHale of Merit America, Tony Emerson-Zetina, Ed.L.D of Crankstart, Rebecca Taber Staehelin of Merit America 🌟 Regenerative Food Systems: The Track's Opening Panel Moderated by Ambika Samarthya with Heiner Baumann of CASH Coalition, Bernhard Kowatsch of UN World Food Programme, and Ada Osakwe of Agrolay Ventures. Be a part of the community building a better world for all. Register here with code  "s24_spk" to save $250 on your ticket: https://bit.ly/471XGQd