Even with a degree in computer networking and cybersecurity, Geraldine struggled to find a job after immigrating to the United States from Peru in 2016. A spouse in the military meant the family relocated frequently. The combination of resume gaps brought about by moving and out-of-country work experience kept opportunity out of reach.

ActivateWork helped Geraldine get practical experience, expand her network within the tech field, earn a CompTIA A+ certification, and engage in work-based learning through The Cybersecurity Center of Metropolitan State University of Denver. An apprenticeship as a security analyst soon followed, and now Geraldine says she’s just getting started.

For Estevan, ActivateWork’s boot camp helped get him the career traction he lacked. Estevan had earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and worked in a wide range of roles including finance, education, and hospitality before developing the skills to follow his passion for technology. Since graduating from ActivateWork’s training, he has moved into an apprenticeship with the Governor’s Office of Information Technology.

Helen Young Hayes founded ActivateWork in 2016 with a mission to connect diverse, qualified talent to leading employers through tech skills training, community resources, and professional life skills development.

Hayes, a child of Chinese immigrants, had attained a lot of firsts before shifting her career to help others do the same. She was the first Asian American girl to graduate from her high school, the first of her family to attend and graduate from an Ivy League school, and the first Asian American woman to manage a global multi-billion-dollar fund during her time at Janus Henderson.

Talent, Hayes says, is equally distributed, but opportunity is not. Sixty-six percent of ActivateWorkers learners are people of color, 84% are low income, and 35% are women. Hayes designed ActivateWork to support the significant number of workers who traditional hiring practices fail to reach.

ActivateWork’s services are free for learners, most of whom graduate from one of the organization’s training programs within 6-18 weeks, depending on the course—and go on to earn 92% more in annual wages because of their education.

Learners participate in a pre-admission evaluation designed to select for work ethic, coachability, initiative, and follow-through—four key qualities for predicting on-the-job success. Admission depends on performance in a 5-hour behavioral and aptitude assessment and work experience validation.

ActivateWork helps graduates with interview skills, resume building, and career coaching that extends through the first year on a job to help ensure success for graduates and improve retention for employer partners.

There’s a growing gap between entry-level and mid-level IT workers. To help address this gap and to ensure employees have the skills employers want, ActivateWork is increasing its efforts to provide apprenticeships with its employer partners. ActivateWork’s apprenticeship program provides a proven “Earn & Learn” model that equips participants for in-demand IT and cybersecurity roles. This structured approach combines paid employment with rigorous industry-aligned training and credentialing, ensuring dedicated time for both practical work and focused learning.

ActivateWork also fosters apprenticeships as a sponsor and intermediary for the Department of Labor Registered Apprentice Program (DOL RAP). Participation in a DOL RAP apprenticeship further increases the earning power of an ActivateWork graduate.

For businesses looking to hire skilled IT workers and diversify their talent pipeline, ActivateWork offers a vetted, skilled talent pool—and then helps their employer partners retain those new hires. Hayes also stresses true partnership that helps meet the rapidly changing needs of Denver-area employers.

The objective overall is building Colorado’s economy by helping overlooked talent connect with jobs that help them, their families, and their communities thrive. To date, more than 500 learners have enrolled in ActivateWork’s IT boot camps.

ActivateWork depends on support from the community, as do the learners who utilize its programs. Here are three ways to help: