THIS WAY AHEAD: GAP INC. AND PARTNERS PROVIDE CAREER READINESS, JOB TRAINING,
AND FIRST-TIME WORK EXPERIENCE FOR UNDERSERVED YOUTH
Gap Inc.
GAP INC.’S THIS WAY AHEAD INITIATIVE PROVIDES LOW INCOME YOUNG PEOPLE WITH OPPORTUNITIES
FOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND CAREER EXPLORATION. THIS PROGRAM ENABLES YOUTH TO SEE BRIGHTER
FUTURES, WHILE PROVIDING GAP INC. EMPLOYEES WITH MEANINGFUL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES,
DEEPER CONNECTIONS WITH CO-WORKERS, AND INCREASED LOYALTY TO GAP INC.
Founded in 1969, Gap Inc. is a leading global specialty retailer offering clothing, accessories, and personal care products for men, women,
children, and babies. With more than 134,000 employees and about 3,100 company-owned stores and 200 franchise stores, its presence
is felt around the world. Since Gap Inc. was founded in 1969, it has given hundreds of thousands of young people their first job in its retail
stores. Gap Inc. employees have expertise in hiring and training young people and, through This Way Ahead, they volunteer to share their
knowledge with underserved youth on what it takes to get and keep a job.
In 2006, Gap Inc. developed This Way Ahead, a program that provides career exploration, job readiness training, and competitive internship
opportunities for young adults. Employees take an active role in training and mentoring interns. Gap Inc. launched the program in New
York City in partnership with The Door (www.door.org), and worked with Enterprise for High School Students (www.ehss.org) to expand to
San Francisco in late 2009. More than 1,000 youth have participated in training since its inception.
Youth Impact
»» More than 250 students received
paid internships
»» To date, 76% of youth who
completed the program showed
improvement in job attainment
skills
»» 67% of interns have been hired as
part-time employees
»» Receive 12 months of support, post
internship, from their nonprofit’s
career coach
»» Receive career readiness and job
readiness training
»» Build education and work portfolio
for future career
Business Impact
»» 74% of employee volunteers said
they improved their leadership
skills
»» 100% of employees said
that working with youth was
professionally rewarding
»» Higher retention of employees
who participate in the program
This Way Ahead
»» Career exploration classes
»» Job readiness training
»» Competitive internship
opportunities
»» Serving more than 250 youth
each year
Four Steps to Get Ahead
Gap Inc.’s two nonprofit partners share a
common passion for helping youth fulfill their
potential and develop skills that will serve them
in the workplace and are also valuable in other
aspects of life. Between the two cities, more than
250 youth are served each year.
Spanning 20 months, This Way Ahead features
four phases: career exploration classes, job
readiness training, a competitive paid fourmonth internship with a Gap or Old Navy store,
and ongoing support from a career coach for
12 months after the end of the internship.
During the first phase – career exploration –
the two nonprofit partners offer participants
individualized career assessment exercises,
exploration of the different roles in various
industries, and long-term planning and goal
setting. The second phase – job readiness
training – runs for 18 weeks and uses a
curriculum that was jointly designed by the
two nonprofits as well as Gap Inc.’s Learning
& Development team. Some of the classes are
taught by Gap Inc. employees, and some by
the nonprofit staff members. The curriculum
covers the hard skills needed to find a job,
such as resume writing, as well as soft skills
needed to keep a job, like conflict resolution,
customer service, smart decision-making, and
presentation skills. Gap Inc. also offers students
unique experiences, such as behind-the-scenes
tours of local stores and HQ offices and insight
into Gap Inc.’s business.
After completing the career exploration and job
readiness phases, any participant who is 16 years
of age or older is invited to interview for a fourmonth, paid internship with participating Gap
or Old Navy stores. Approximately 40-45 percent
of the youth who complete the job readiness
training are hired. Before they begin their new
roles, interns complete a two-week preparatory
course. Interns work 13 hours per week and
along the way, they receive monthly coaching
sessions from store managers and support from
the nonprofits’ career coaches. For a full year
after the youth complete their internship, they
are given follow-up support from their career
coaches to help them advance their educational
and career goals, or to assist them with any
other challenges.
powered by
“This Way Ahead gives underserved youth the opportunity to
develop skills that will be valuable in any professional setting.
Past participants tell us that they have increased confidence and
motivation to pursue their educational and career goals, and
that they’re also more realistic about these goals, and what it will
take to achieve them. By preparing youth for work, we’re also
preparing youth for life.”
– Gail Gershon, Senior Director of Employee Engagement and Service Leadership at Gap Inc.
Leveraging Employee Expertise
Throughout This Way Ahead, Gap Inc. engages
employees, who report that their involvement
in this program has made them feel more
invested and proud to work for Gap Inc. One of
the most highly valued aspects of the program
is that students engage with professionals from
Gap and Old Navy stores who demonstrate
that work can be fulfilling and even fun. The
program has proven to make an impact on
students and current employees, as 74 percent
of employee volunteers say they have improved
their leadership skills and found the work
professionally and personally rewarding.
Emerging Returns for
Strategic Investments
To date, 76 percent of youth who completed
the program showed an improvement in job
attainment skills, more than 250 students
received paid internships, and 67 percent of
interns have been hired by Gap Inc. as parttime employees. Through the program young
people are building an education and workforce
portfolio for their future careers.
To understand the impact of This Way Ahead
on youth, on the partner nonprofits, and on
employee volunteers, Gap Inc. partnered with
The TCC Group (www.tccgrp.com) to evaluate
the program. Results indicate that This Way
Ahead has produced positive results on three
fronts:
1. Youth participants are building their
confidence, improving their ability to more
accurately self-assess their skills, and learning
how to get and keep a job;
2. The nonprofit partners are deepening their
impact, as staff members increase their
understanding of what it takes to help youth
succeed in a real work setting; and
3. Gap Inc. employees are developing their own
skills through the program, enriching their
experience at Gap Inc.
Personal Story
Sharese moved to New York City when she was seven years old. For most of her life she had been
shy and not particularly outgoing. After seeing flyers in her school guidance counselor’s office
advertising This Way Ahead, Sharese decided to apply. Little did she know that the opportunities
offered to her through This Way Ahead would enable her to change her life, both professionally and
personally. Sharese recently completed the fourth phase of the program and is currently employed at
a local Gap store, but she has learned so much more than job-related skills. She has become a more
confident and outgoing individual, willing to take on any challenge or simply start up a conversation
with a new acquaintance. Sharese attributes the interview preparation, job training, and real world
exposure to her new found confidence. Currently a junior in high school, Sharese is eager to attend
college and study Criminal Justice.
Background Information
Gap Inc. is a leading global specialty retailer
offering clothing, accessories, and personal care
products for men, women, children, and babies
under the Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy,
Piperlime and Athleta brands. For more than
40 years, Gap Inc. has supported communities
where we live and work through grants, in-kind
donations, community outreach, and employee
volunteer programs. Gap Inc. strives to make a
long-term impact in communities by focusing on
creating opportunities for underserved youth and
women through innovative social solutions.
For more information on Gap Inc.
community investment, please visit
www.gapinc.com/socialresponsibility
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FIND OUT MORE
This case study was funded, in part, by the New
Options Project, an initiative of the W.K. Kellogg
Foundation that seeks to establish new pathways
to meaningful career opportunities for young
adults who are out of school and seeking work,
while at the same time meeting the demands
of employers who require a qualified entry-level
workforce.
For more information, please visit
www.newoptionsproject.org
Copyright © 2012 by Corporate Voices for Working Families