Bridging the Employment Gap by Investing in Tomorrow’s Workforce, TODAY!

We need your partnership to continue building the workforce of the future and bridging the employment gap by Investing in Tomorrow’s Workforce—TODAY!

The Empowerment Network and the City of Omaha, in collaboration with community partners, are creating meaningful opportunities for youth and young adults to gain valuable job training and real-world work experience during the summer and year-round. Through this initiative, participants engage in job readiness training, paid work experiences, vocational exposure, career exploration, life skills development, and leadership growth.

STEP-UP OMAHA! recruits, trains, and places prepared Omaha youth and young adults ages 14 to 21 in mutually beneficial employment and career exploration opportunities. STEP-UP OMAHA! builds on the Empowerment Network and its community partners’ successes, and has now supported the hiring and placement of over 9,000 youth and young adults.

Based on their commitment to building a highly competitive workforce of the future, both the City of Omaha and the United Way of the Midlands have made significant investments to help expand the employment program.

With you and our valued partners, we will continue to build on the program’s success and expand our reach even further—and we invite you to be part of that impact. Our goal for Summer 2026 is to connect 1,000 youth and young adults to meaningful work experiences across the community.

Over the years, employers have included nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, government agencies, and private-sector businesses—all playing a critical role in developing Omaha’s future workforce.

STEP-UP OMAHA! is a community-based initiative of the Empowerment Network, funded in part by the City of Omaha and the Charles E. Lakin Foundation, in collaboration with community partners including: Boys & Girls Club of the Midlands, Girls Inc., Heartland Workforce Solutions, Hope Center for Kids, Metropolitan Community College, Omaha Public Schools, Urban League of Nebraska, and United Way of the Midlands.

Step-Up Omaha Vision
We collaborate to bridge the employment gap and invest in the workforce of the future by recruiting, training, and preparing youth and young adults to make positive life choices, empowering them to maximize their potential through educational and career opportunities.

PROGRAM IMPACT AT A GLANCE

9,000+ youth and young adults hired and placed

1,000 projected participants for Summer 2026

20 hours/week of meaningful work experience

$10+/hour minimum earnings for participants

THE PROGRAM (SUMMER 2026)

HOW YOU CAN INVEST IN STEP-UP OMAHA

Here are four ways you can invest in this vitally important initiative:

This is more than a summer job program—it is a direct investment in Omaha’s future workforce. When you invest in Step-Up Omaha, you are helping develop talent, strengthen our community, and create lasting impact.

STEP-UP OMAHA! PLEDGE:

A partial list of current and past participants, contributors, and sponsors since 2008