Press Kit

Our Mission

Our mission at Opportunity@Work is to rewire the labor market so that everyone Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs) can work, learn, and earn to their full potential.

Our Vision

In the next decade, Opportunity@Work aims to enable at least 1 million working adults in America to translate their learning into earning – generating a $20 billion boost in annual earnings.

Our Beliefs

We believe in the potential of all people to learn and contribute their talents in our dynamic economy.
We believe the capacity for change is one of the wonders of America’s economy.
We believe nationwide change requires a movement that connects many organizations working to make STARs visible and to develop and advance scalable solutions.
We believe rewiring the job market will clear pathways for STARs and revitalize companies that need skilled workers.
We believe employers, training providers, and advocacy groups can come together to bridge the opportunity gap, open access to middle-wage jobs, reverse the decline in real wages, and generate benefits that cascade through the entire country.
And, by doing so, we believe Opportunity@Work, our partners, and our network – together – can provide the leadership, collaboration, and inspiration to renew the promise of the American Dream for millions of skilled, hard-working STARs.

Our History

In 2017, Opportunity@Work evolved into an independent 501c3 with two ambitious goals: (1) developing and testing platforms to provide tech-enabled solutions to solve the opportunity gap; and (2) rallying public, private, and nonprofit partners to rewire the labor market so that everyone can contribute their skills, talent, and energy in pursuit of a better life.

Our leaders came to social entrepreneurship following successful careers with McKinsey, Upwork, Lyft, Year Up, and other for-profit and nonprofit market leaders. They have started, scaled, and sold companies, advised Fortune 500 clients, patented new technologies, launched national workforce training and hiring initiatives, and managed large-scale strategic alliances.

STARs – Skilled Through Alternative Routes

Individuals Skilled Through Alternative Routes have gained valuable skills on the job, in the military, through training programs, or at community colleges, for example. They are among our country’s greatest under-valued resources – the invisible casualties of America’s broken labor market, where low-wage work is often equated with low-skill work and the lack of a degree is presumed to be synonymous with a lack of skills.