BridgeYear

Big news! You can now sign up to give your spare change to BridgeYear and help create more opportunities for Houston students to explore career pathways, gain hands-on experience, and connect to workforce opportunities. 💙

RoundUp.org makes it easy to round up all of your Visa or Mastercard transactions and donate your spare change to nonprofits making an impact in their communities.

How it works:
1. Follow this link: https://www.roundup.org/nonprofits/bridgeyear-tx-houston-4e561sg
2. Select the credit card you want to enroll
3. Set an optional maximum monthly donation

That’s it! Sign up takes les

Ready to see a BridgeYear Career Test Drive® Fair in action?

We’re bringing the future of career exploration to the community! Join us at The Garden on Friday, June 12, from 10 AM to 2 PM for our upcoming Community Fair.

This hands-on event gives young people the space to test-drive different in-demand careers in Houston, connect with vital resources, and learn directly from professionals who know what it takes to succeed in the region's workforce.

Come see how we are bridging the gap between classroom learning and real-world opportunity.

📍 The Garden
🗓️ Friday, June 12 | 10 AM - 2 PM

Help us spread the word! Share this post or tag someone who should be there.

Jobs for the Future highlights the importance of work-based learning in helping young people build career-connected skills, expand professional networks, and gain real-world experience before entering the workforce.

That’s why partnerships with employers like Gulf States Toyota and Houston Methodist matter. Through these collaborations, BridgeYear students and recent graduates gain firsthand exposure to workplace environments while developing the skills and confidence needed for high-demand careers.

By connecting students to career exploration, employer engagement, cohort-based learning, and individualized advising support, BridgeYear continues to strengthen pathways between education and Houston’s workforce needs.

A future workforce starts with students who can see what’s possible.

Last week, we celebrated Decision Day and recognized students committing to career pathways in industries like healthcare, skilled trades, automotive, and technology after high school.

Whether pursuing CNA, Welding, Pharmacy Technician, Electrician, Automotive Technician, or IT Support pathways, these students are taking meaningful steps toward careers that support both their futures and Houston’s growing economy.

Thank you to the educators, employers, and partners helping open these doors for the next generation. 💙

BridgeYear is honored to have been selected as a recent workforce development grant recipient by Bank of America.

This continued partnership helps expand access to career exploration and workforce pathways for Houston students, creating more opportunities for long-term economic mobility and future success.

We’re grateful for partners who believe in investing in Houston’s next generation of talent. 💙

At BridgeYear, career exploration is paired with the support students need to move forward with confidence.

From 1:1 coaching and financial support to guidance from BridgeYear Advisors, students are equipped with resources that help them persist through their postsecondary journeys and prepare for long-term career success.

Through partnerships with organizations like Gulf States Toyota and Houston Methodist, BridgeYear helps Houston youth engage directly with industries shaping the region’s future economy. These work-based learning experiences give students valuable exposure to professional environments while helping employers invest in the next generation of talent.

BridgeYear continues to play a vital role in connecting education, workforce development, and industry leaders to help create stronger pathways toward economic mobility across Houston.

Interested in joining our network of corporate partners? Learn more: https://www.bridgeyear.org/corporate-partners/

Strong healthcare workforce pipelines begin by supporting students throughout every stage of their journey. 🩺💙

Through BridgeYear’s partnership with Memorial Assistance Ministries (MAM), students recently explored the Academy of Exceptional Healthcare Training as they prepare to earn Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certifications through an accelerated, high-impact summer training pathway.

BridgeYear’s Career Cohorts are designed to support more than enrollment alone. Through financial support, coaching, and consistent guidance from BridgeYear Advisors, students are equipped to persist through their student journey with the confidence, motivation, and support needed for long-term success.

Programs like these highlight how targeted, short-term workforce pathways can strengthen the healthcare talent pipeline while helping build a more resilient workforce prepared to meet critical industry needs across Houston.

Learn more about our impact and workforce pathways: https://www.bridgeyear.org/

Is it time to rethink how we define "job-ready"?

Yesterday, our Executive Director, Victoria Chen, joined the Greater Houston Partnership for a conversation on durable skills and the future of Houston’s workforce.

While technical skills may get a candidate through the door, durable skills such as adaptability, communication, and problem-solving allow them to stay, grow, and lead. But as Victoria shared during the panel, we have to be honest about where those skills actually come from.

The reality is that our schools are already carrying a heavy load. While K-12 education focuses on the fundamental building blocks of literacy and academic readiness, there is a vital middle ground that often goes untended. For employers, this isn't just an educational issue; it’s a business continuity issue. If our talent pipeline lacks the confidence to apply what they’ve learned in a real-world environment, the economic engine of Houston slows down.

BridgeYear acts as the connective tissue in this ecosystem. We believe that academic expertise isn't enough; students need real-world exposure and a safe place to build confidence. Our Career Cohorts pair technical training with intentional opportunities to develop and practice durable skills. By providing recent graduates with 1:1 advising and cohort-building experience, we are ensuring they have the self-assurance and skills to claim their place in Houston’s future.

We’re grateful to Berkan Kaya and the team at Harmony Public Schools for partnering with BridgeYear to help create impactful career exploration experiences for students. Through Career Test Drive® Fairs and Essential Soft Skills for Success (ES3s) workshops, students are discovering high-demand career pathways while strengthening the real-world skills that help prepare them for long-term success in the workforce.

Interested in bringing Career Test Drive® Fairs to your students? Learn more at https://www.bridgeyear.org/schools/ctd/

The future workforce won’t build itself. It starts with giving students real opportunities to explore careers before graduation.

Through BridgeYear’s Career Test Drive® Program, Houston students are gaining hands-on exposure to industries like healthcare, energy, manufacturing, construction, and technology through immersive career experiences.

We’re proud to partner with organizations like Honeywell, H-E-B , CenterPoint Energy, and Phillips 66 to help strengthen Houston’s talent pipeline and prepare students for the future of work.

With a goal to serve 20,000 students by the 2026-27 school year, we’re just getting started.

Learn how your organization can get involved: https://www.bridgeyear.org/corporate-partners/