Wilkin Sanchez

Marsay McKinney

Built an email marketing career through hands-on, on-the-job learning.

Brynt Parmeter

Walmart: Betting on Skills Over Pedigree

Skills-Based Hiring

Roger Shields

IBM's Apprenticeship Program: 100% Hired Full-Time

IBM Network Admin Apprenticeship

Benny Paulino

Old Navy's This Way ONward: 15,000 Careers Started Since 2007

This Way ONward

Jesse Haines

Google Career Certificates: A Skills-First Path to Tech Jobs

Google Career Certificates

Amy Volz

Trane Technologies Tears the Paper Ceiling

Technician Apprenticeship Program (TAP)

Parisa Fatehi-Weeks

Indeed: The World's Largest Jobsite Tears the Paper Ceiling

BOOST

Fazri Zubair

18 months and 80 rejections later, a self-built app portfolio launched his engineering career.

Naomi Dodd

A decade in healthcare analytics, built on adaptability rather than credentials.

Travis Thomas

Built a global community platform after being screened out for lacking a degree.

Jubei Brown-Weaver

From a high school apprenticeship to Tech Analyst at Accenture.

Sandy T.

Construction and Remodeling Instructor (Retired)

Gabe Taylor

Learned project management on the job in creative media.

Diego Rubio

Built entrepreneurial experience into a Senior Program Manager role.

Freddie Rollinson

An apprenticeship opened the door to business operations.

Marcus Z

A training program, not a degree, launched his IT systems career.

Anthony Espinoza

From community college to Interim Executive Director.

Steeve Auguste

A bootcamp and mentorship built a Salesforce data career.

Patrick Simoneau

Patrick built a career leading people without a degree, then founded Leading Through to help other leaders connect, adapt, and grow.

Cherri McKinney

Applied to over 100 jobs before the State of Colorado said yes.

Sara Hartsell

You don’t need every opportunity — you just need the right one.

Matt Parker

Went from a CVS call center to leading a Mac tech team at BJ's.

MTTI (Computer and Network Technician certification)

Lisa Shirinian

When life gives you lemons, squeeze them!

Jin Yang Brancalhao

An apprenticeship turned a photographer into a business analyst.

General Assembly

Henry Gage

His last $400 bought a laptop — finished a 9-month cert in 2 months.

Google Cybersecurity Certification (via Coursera)

Danielle Hale

The biggest growth happens before you feel completely ready.

Keylin Haye

You can’t control the market… control how you respond to it all.

Year Up United

Stephanie Diaz

Left her job with no backup plan to become a project manager.

Google Project Management Certificate

Tina Hubbert

Spotted a broken process, recovered $3.5 million in revenue for AT&T.

Year Up United

Dau'ne B

Together, we’re tearing the paper ceiling and redefining opportunity.

Houston Community College

Paige B

When STARs shine together, we change what opportunity looks like.

Sara Krekorian

No mud, no lotus — your ability to shine is entirely up to you.

Jodee Talley

Learned accounting on the job — “everything is figureoutable.”

Mario Rodriguez

Turned down Goldman Sachs to build his own edtech company.

Brandon Brown

A local program turned his security background into a tech career.

Retrain Tulsa

Georgette Braxton

You are the blueprint for what is possible.

Charmagne Gomes

“Don't let a résumé tell an incomplete story about you.”

Kelly Powers

“Don't let a degree requirement define your potential.”

Mike Landa

From stocking shelves with his dad to leading hundreds of staff.

Kyle Petrosino

From mall jewelry sales to $18 million in tech sales closed.

Alyssa Varela

“No one questioned my ability — only the system did.”

Shayan Bari

100+ rejections, then Year Up led straight to Facebook.

Year Up

Samantha Hernandez

“I just pushed myself. I wanted my kids to never give up.”

JVS

LaShana Lewis

Rejected for lacking a degree — now she's CEO of her own company.

LaunchCode

Keith Parish

Finished Google's Data Analytics Certificate in just two months.

Google Career Certificates

Justin Hutchinson

Made smoothies, memorized orders, landed a CEO's internship.

Cindy Veach

“I definitely thought at times I had hit a paper ceiling.”

IBM Network Admin Apprenticeship

Benny Paulino

Told he could never be district manager — now he runs one.

Angel Pla

Nearly ten years and five promotions later at Walmart.

Shanel Adams

Turned a part-time baker tryout into General Bakery Manager.

Alisha Wilson

Outpaced four-year-degree peers with just a two-year degree.

Jon

From pension analyst to systems analyst in under two years.

Cale Simmons

Three promotions in four years — no degree, all on-the-job skill.

Technician Apprenticeship Program (TAP)

Thaddaeus Edwards

No formal IT training — now the go-to tech problem-solver.

Tayshawn Mims

From injured athlete to owning his own fitness studio.

Taylor Clark

From mailroom coordinator to managing faculty finances and grades.

Tadarius Leak

Identity theft taught him credit repair — now he runs that business.

Sheronda Baltimore

Built 80 apps for her county — now mentors the next STAR leader.

Sheree Murphy

"No such thing as wasted experience" — insurance agent turned teacher.

Sharon Miller

No college degree, but steady moves to higher-paying jobs.

Sean Fitzpatrick

"You'll never make money doing art" — now a reputable sculptor.

Sam (Samuel) Day

"Give me a week and I'll figure it out" — his business motto.

Robert McKeefrey

"Be the first to show up, the last to leave, get your job done."

Ricky Montez

"You're never really failing, you're just trying to get better."

Reyna Gutierrez

From a youth IT internship to a licensed insurance sales career.

Quinn Deutschendorf

"We're not the liability" — a veteran fighting hiring stigma.

Micah Paroline

Runs his own company — still turned down for lacking a degree.

Meghan Mishalanie

"It's more about hanging out with me than the haircut."

Mary Freimark

Ran a respected team for 20 years, then hit the 2005 degree wall.

Mark Lorando

"A couple of semesters off" turned into 40 years in journalism.

Mark Mishalanie

"It's one plate at a time" — from ketchup bottles to culinary manager.

Lynnette Jones

After 31 years in academic advising, she launched a mask business.

Lawrence Johnson

A CEO watched him clean litter — then hired him to manage facilities.

Clean Slate

Laura Cooper

From pharmacy counter to IT training: "the world is my oyster."

Lakisha Guinyard

"Knowing your worth" — she asked for a raise and got one.

Kent Jones

Set me up with a temp ID — that's how I got my job.

Katy Broerman

Rugby teammates coached her from music studios into data analytics.

Jonte Hawkins

From the trades to a role where he answers to just two people.

Jonathan Day Walton

Foster care taught him the patience to lead without ultimatums.

Jay Giles

A house, a car, two jobs — less than two years after release.

Jamie Almond

From prison work-study to governor's mansion staff to nonprofit lead.

Giancarlo Martinez

Built a UI development career through a micro-credential, not a degree.

Erin Harris

13 years a subject matter expert, still fears losing out to a degree.

Erika Walden

Proving herself on the motor line as a young working mother.

Elizabeth Butler

Incarcerated 5 years, now a counselor who helps others avoid her path.

Debrena McEwen

Crashed a company event uninvited, walked out with an apprenticeship.

Darryl Thompson

From selling drugs to survive to Sanitation Supervisor for the city.

Second Chance program

Daquan Greene

"As long as I have my hands and a skill, no one can take it from me."

Danielle Christensen

From dog-walking gigs to HR coordinator over a 150-person hotel team.

Dalton DeLima

EMT by day, building an online video platform on the side.

Courtney McGowan

Hired as a project manager despite not knowing what one was.

Casey Peoples

From door-to-door knife sales to drag star to jewelry entrepreneur.

Carol Cortez

Turned a lifelong art hobby into her own product business.

Carmen Monroe

From CNA to unit coordinator, now building her own home care agency.

Barbara Leach

Put college on hold for a family crisis, built a 35-year career.

Ansaer Wumaier

"Adversity feels like home" — from Navy service to tech internship.

YearUp

Ali Jaffar

Paid taxes at 15 on a hobby website — now runs his own design firm.