LEADERSUP

LeadersUp is committed to advancing equity and correcting the imbalances that exist in the labor market for the most vulnerable and under-served communities. We envision an era of disruptive evolution of entire systems driven forward by a network of leaders committed to making this the last generation where the potential of BIPOC talent is needlessly lost to systemic racism. As a demand-driven talent development accelerator that seeks to scale talent solutions at the intersection of community impact and systems change, LeadersUp seeks to bridge the gap between diverse young talent and opportunity through the deployment of our proprietary Inclusive Talent Solutions (ITS) designed to create a more just and competitive economy.

The LeadersUp Talent Solutions Model is a talent pipeline development, expansion and management framework that is employer-focused, young adult-centered and community-based. It is our theory of change for creating large scale shifts in business practice and generating bottom-line benefits to employers, young adults and the community at large. As an organization, we are focused on launching our talent solutions model across more markets, industry sectors and other under-served communities. The priority objectives for our talent solutions are:

1. To engage cross-sector stakeholders to INNOVATE talent solutions that are employer-led, demand-driven and career-pathway centered.
2. To collect and build INSIGHTS that build evidence for shifting business practice.
3. To amplify results and INFLUENCE key stakeholders and decision-makers.
4. To create sustained IMPACT through a data driven implementation science that fuels systems change drivers and informs policy practices.

LeadersUp’s unique value exists in our demand-driven approach that focuses on the role of employers as the key to addressing the issues around the talent divide. Our Inclusive Talent Solutions is engineered and delivered on a continuous-improvement framework that is focused on testing and validating evidence of impact through a multi-layered process of discovery, design, deploy, sustain and amplify -- each uniquely customized to meet the needs of our stakeholders. We also work with each of our stakeholders – employers, BIPOC population ages 18-29, talent/system partners -- to advance career pathway objectives that support, train and ultimately advance BIPOC up their careers while providing employer partners with the tools and support they need to manage and maintain a more diverse and inclusive talent pool. Sustainability assets are leveraged through a network model that cultivates shared ideas and principles, reinforces the employability framework and facilitates tangible shifts in practice to drive broader system change.

Our underlying assumption is that by generating demand-driven career pathway opportunities for the next generation of BIPOC in partnership with employers and other key stakeholders, we are offering a tangible strategy for disrupting the cycle of poverty and tilting the trajectory of the hardest to serve communities – creating a triple bottom line for society at large.

LeadersUp has market presence in Los Angeles, Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area with plans to expand into other markets across the nation. In addition to our Inclusive Talent Solutions that serves as the foundation for our industry engagement and talent development work, we also provide industry analysis, program management and technical assistance/strategy development for private, government and nongovernment entities interested in connecting industry to the next generation of diverse talent. To date, LeadersUp has impacted over 66,600 young adults in partnership with 90+ companies and 65 talent/systems partners. Nearly 70% of all LeadersUp talent pool is Black/African American and we specifically target our products and services to serve the unique needs of Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) that come from under-served and traditionally marginalized communities.