AT&T Aspire: $250 million national job readiness program already given $800k locally

In its new $250 million initiative program called AT&T Aspire, the company aims to help young and driven students to graduate from high school with the technological tools and skills they need to advance into a successful career.

AT&T unveiled their newest goals for the program recently, promising a five-year financial commitment to the program which urges proactive and successful schools to apply.

Apply here.

The program has helped Philadelphia-based organizations over the last year to succeed. With almost $800,000 going to local drop-out initiatives, programs such as Philadelphia’s Children First Fund and Let’s Get Ready at Penn have been positively involved with Aspire.

“Equipping our students to graduate ready for the workforce is an important issue for students, our company and our country. Without key college and career readiness skills, students miss out on significant work and life opportunities,” AT&T Pennsylvania President J. Michael Schweder said in a press release.

[Full Disclosure: AT&T is the title sponsor of the 2012 Philly Tech Week, which is organized by Technically Philly.]

AT&T has also worked closely with Mayor Nutter’s office to support his drop-out prevention reforms, contributing $35,000 dollars last year for a graduation coaching program.

The AT&T’s King of Prussia store will host 32 Girl Scouts today from Nueva Esperanza Academy and Germantown High School in a job-shadowing event, where participants will nationally celebrate the program’s success in reaching 100,000 students in the United States.

The students will also explore how AT&T uses technology to connect Philadelphia and why learning about science and technology is important for future jobs.

This is a report done in partnership with Temple University’s Philadelphia Neighborhoods program, the capstone class for the Temple’s Department of Journalism.