What is Step Up?
Step Up is a Minneapolis-based partnership of the City of Minneapolis, AchieveMpls, CareerForce Minneapolis, and Project for Pride in Living. The Step Up program provides summer internship opportunities for youth ages 14-21 from Minneapolis who have not yet enrolled in a post-secondary opportunity. The program places more than 1,400 diverse and talented young people in paid online and in-person professional internships with approximately 200 top Twin Cities employers. Step Up has provided more than 30,000 internship opportunities since 2003, including more than 600 at the University of Minnesota, yielding tremendous benefits for young people, businesses, and our regional economy.
Why Step Up?
Step Up allows the University of Minnesota to fulfill our mission as the state's flagship land-grant university and provides an opportunity to address social equity issues within communities by facilitating the development of regional talent.
Benefits for supervisors and interns include:
- Supporting youth in developing their potential – interns gain work experience that prepares them for further education and/or employment
- Mentoring and inspiring students to pursue post-secondary education – having a mentor on campus makes college more attainable. Over 75% of interns reported that their experience on campus impacted their career choice
- Increasing productivity – interns complete a work-readiness training certified by the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce, providing them with the skills necessary to meaningfully contribute in the workplace
How do I hire a Step Up intern?
To hire a Step Up intern, submit an online Job Description Form by March 31, 2023. Please note that forms received after that date will still be considered. Internships run from June 20, 2023 to August 18, 2023. The approximate cost is $4,000 and we have a limited funding available. If you would like to be considered for this supplemental funding, please complete the Funding Request Form by April 24, 2023.