{"id":9877,"date":"2022-05-28T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-28T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.generation.org\/?post_type=news&p=9877"},"modified":"2026-01-07T08:56:36","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T13:56:36","slug":"from-unemployment-to-2-billion-in-wages-the-roi-case-for-employment-programs-that-work","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.generation.org\/news\/from-unemployment-to-2-billion-in-wages-the-roi-case-for-employment-programs-that-work\/","title":{"rendered":"From Unemployment to $2 Billion in Wages: The ROI Case for Employment Programs That Work"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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The Proven ROI of Untapped Talent: How Global Employers Are Solving Skills Gaps While Driving Economic Mobility<\/strong><\/br>\r\nUnlock ROI by hiring untapped talent\u2014solve skills gaps, boost retention, and drive inclusive economic mobility globally.<\/p>\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\tRead it now \n \n \n \n <\/svg><\/a>\n\n\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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What if every dollar of philanthropy investment returned not just measurable impact, but generational wealth?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stanley grew up in Kawangware, one of Nairobi’s poorest neighborhoods. His family lived in a single-room hut. If you asked about the poorest family in the area, people pointed to his home. Today, Stanley runs his own transportation business. He’s married to a fellow Generation graduate. Their two children drive to school, have a laptop, watch TV. Their life is nothing like Stanley’s was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That’s the difference between a job placement and durable impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most workforce programs measure placement rates. The best measure is what happens years later. Generation’s 10-year track record proves employment programs can deliver both immediate and lasting ROI. The kind that changes not just one life, but entire family trees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u2192 Watch Stanley\u2019s <\/a>story<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The $2 Billion Proof Point: When Data Meets Impact<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Over the past decade, Generation has built something rare in the nonprofit sector: a proven track record of economic transformation at scale. Our 145,000+ graduates have earned $2.1 billion in life-changing wages. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But let’s break down what that really means.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Graduates earn 3-4X their previous earnings immediately. That’s not a typo. Within six months of completing our programs, 83% land jobs. But here’s where it gets interesting: 76% remain employed 2-5 years later. And 58% earn above living wage long-term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consider the ripple effect. Each graduate supports an average of 0.28 dependents. That’s 145,000 graduates plus 600,000-750,000 family members achieving upward mobility. We’re talking about adults striving to establish careers who lacked access to proven pathways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stanley’s story isn’t unique. It’s replicable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But individual earnings alone don’t tell the full story of ROI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Three Dimensions of Measurable Impact<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Generation measures impact differently. We call it Breadth, Depth, Durability. This framework is unique to us, and it’s why our outcomes last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breadth means scale that matters.<\/strong> In 2024 alone, we graduated 26,770 people across 17 countries, 49 professions, and to date have had partnerships with 23,000+ employers. Our model adapts across industries and geographies. Tech in Colombia. Healthcare in Australia. Green jobs in the UK. The methodology works everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Depth means immediate outcomes.<\/strong> When people enter our programs, 90% are unemployed. Seventy percent have been unemployed long-term or never worked. Six months later, 83% have jobs. Eighty-nine percent land roles directly related to their training. And here’s the social proof: 79% get hired by repeat employers. Companies come back because our graduates perform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Durability is the game-changer.<\/strong> Most programs don’t measure what happens years later. We do. Seventy-six percent of our graduates remain employed 2-5 years post-graduation. Eighty-six percent feel optimistic about the future. Eighty-two percent want to give back to Generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ask yourself this: How many programs can prove their impact lasts half a decade?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why This Model Works: The Seven-Step Difference<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Forward-thinking funders ask the right question: What makes this different?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Generation’s <\/strong>seven-step methodology<\/strong><\/a> delivers strong employment and income outcomes across a wide range of learner profiles, professions, and countries:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Jobs and employer engagement from the start<\/strong> \u2013 We design programs backward from real opportunities, not theoretical training.
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  2. Learner recruitment based on intrinsics, effort, and employment standards<\/strong> \u2013 We assess grit, professional fit, literacy, and numeracy. Not degrees or previous experience.
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  3. 4-16 weeks of technical, behavioral, mindset training with social supports<\/strong> \u2013 Intensive preparation that integrates hard skills with mentorship and wraparound services.
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  4. Interviews with employers for rapid job placement<\/strong> \u2013 Direct pathways to employment, not vague job search support.
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  5. Mentorship and an alumni community that follows graduates into the workplace<\/strong> \u2013 Support doesn’t end at placement.
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  6. Return on investment for employers, graduates, and society<\/strong> \u2013 We measure what matters for all stakeholders.
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  7. Data at the center<\/strong> \u2013 57+ million data points tracked, analyzed, and used to improve outcomes.
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    Independent validation backs this up. A Mathematica study in India showed Generation graduates achieved 50% higher employment rates and 75% higher income versus a control group 15 months later. The researchers credited our seven-step methodology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We don’t just train people. We transform the education-to-employment system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Business Case: ROI for Every Stakeholder<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Here’s what your philanthropy unlocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For employers:<\/strong> Eighty-seven percent would hire Generation graduates again. Ninety-four percent say our graduates perform at or above peer level. We solve the skills gap paradox\u201475 million young people unemployed globally while 40% of employers cite skills shortages. Our graduates are diverse (53% women, 70% have secondary education or lower, majority from underrepresented communities), job-ready, and loyal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For society:<\/strong> Graduates earn back Generation’s full cost per learner in just 2-5 months of employment. That’s not a projection. That’s actual data from our network. We deliver measurable impact on economic mobility. We break cycles of poverty. Remember Stanley’s children? Their lives are “nothing like” his was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For funders:<\/strong> You get a proven, scalable model with 10+ years of data. Partnerships with 10 governments, 100+ funders, 23,000+ employers. Our 2030 goal is 400,000-500,000 cumulative learners. But we can only reach that with partners who believe in durable impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The need is massive. But the proven solutions like Generation are rare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Related to this topic<\/strong>: <\/strong>
    The Proven ROI of Untapped Talent: How Global Employers Are Solving Skills Gaps While Driving Economic Mobility<\/a><\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

    The Generational Wealth Argument<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Let’s return to Stanley. He’s married to a fellow Generation graduate. He has two children with stability he never imagined. Seventy-one percent of our alumni can meet their daily financial needs. Thirty-six percent can save money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This isn’t just employment. It’s the foundation for generational wealth in communities that have been systematically excluded from economic opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The urgency is real. Three hundred seventy-five million workers globally need to learn new skills by 2030. The labor market is transforming faster than education systems can adapt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Smart employers recognize this. Smart funders do too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Three Ways to Create Lasting Change<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Smart funders recognize that impact without durability is just a temporary fix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Generation is an inaugural member of The Durability Collective, a community building capability to measure and create change that lasts. We’re bringing together funders, practitioners, and researchers who refuse to settle for short-term wins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Here’s how you can invest in change that lasts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Fund programs.<\/strong> Support no-cost training for learners and investments in Generation’s Shared Delivery Platform\u2014the curricula, tools, digital systems, and impact tracking that drive our outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Provide in-kind support.<\/strong> Share educational content, tools, certifications, subject matter experts. Your organization’s assets can create shared value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Help us scale.<\/strong> We’re expanding to under-resourced communities in Africa and Latin America. Places where proven pathways don’t exist. Where one job can lift an entire family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The question isn’t whether employment programs can deliver ROI. Generation’s 10-year track record proves they can. Stanley proves it. One hundred forty-five thousand graduates prove it. More than two billion dollars in wages proves it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The question is: Do you want to invest in change that lasts?<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

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    LET\u2019S START A CONVERSATION<\/h2>\n\n\n

    Click to discover how Generation can support you in building high-performing teams and creating lasting social impact.<\/p>\n\t\n\n\n\n\n

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    \n\t\n\t\n\n\n\tEmployers \n \n \n \n <\/svg><\/a>\n\n\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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    What if every dollar of philanthropy investment returned not just measurable impact, but generational wealth? Stanley grew up in Kawangware, one of Nairobi’s poorest neighborhoods. His family lived in a single-room hut. If you asked about the poorest family in the area, people pointed to his home. Today, Stanley runs his own transportation business. He’s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":9878,"template":"","outlet":[],"audience":[],"class_list":["post-9877","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","wpautop"],"acf":[],"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Generation","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.generation.org","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.generation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/9877","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.generation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.generation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.generation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9878"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.generation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9877"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"outlet","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.generation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/outlet?post=9877"},{"taxonomy":"audience","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.generation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/audience?post=9877"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}