As part of the global movement to reskill workers for a technology age - a movement which accelerated rapidly as the pandemic decimated entire industries and forced workers to adapt to new roles - numerous partnerships and coalitions have emerged. From the Acclerated Hiring Partnerships program developed by CVS Health, Marriott, and others, to the Global Skills Initiative powered by LinkedIn/MSFT/GitHub, employers have stepped in with solutions.

Adding to the mix is SkillUp, which launched in July 2020 with a handful of partners. Those included: a number of leading online education colleges (Souther New Hampshire University, eCornell, and others); technology companies (pymetrics, Guild Education, and others); major employers such as Walmart; and a number of job-readiness non-profits. Since that time, SkillUp has grown to include over 50 organizations, and now offers 60 career pathways in four industries (tech, healthcare, business, and skilled trades). Five organizations have come together to co-found this fund, including SkillUp, JFF, Opportunity@Work, Social Finance, and Stand Together. Pioneer donors now include the Charles Koch Foundation, the Irvine Foundation, and Walmart.org.

In February, they announced a new partnership with Goodwill Southern California to offer access to job training and career opportunities for workers and job seekers across the greater Los Angeles area. "This could not be more pressing than right now as we work to ensure an equitable economic recovery in which all workers have a pathway to quality jobs," Patrick McClenahan, president and CEO, Goodwill Southern California said in a statement.

Employers such as Lowes are offering what are called "learn and earn" opportunities for workers - essentially paid internships where they are reskilled while working. Other organizations such as SHRM offer fee-based courses ranging from $1000-$5000 to earn a SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP designation.

Through rapid reskilling grants administered by Social Finance - a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to mobilizing capital to drive social progress -the SkillUp Together Fund has already raised $5.3 million and distributed $500,000 to benefit workers through the following training providers:

• Creating IT Futures: The leading charity of CompTIA which creates on-ramps for people to prepare for, secure and succeed in IT careers, particularly for under-represented populations in the IT workforce.
• Generation: Generation USA prepares, places and supports people in life-changing careers that would otherwise be inaccessible.
• i.c.stars: Using project-based learning and immersion teaching, i.c.stars provides an opportunity for change-driven, future leaders to develop skills in business and technology.
• MedCerts: MedCerts provides the opportunity of a better future with personalized, short-term online skills training in healthcare or IT certification.
• MeritAmerica: Merit America provides a path to skilled careers for adults without Bachelor's Degrees. Programs are fast, flexible and focused on what employers need most.
• PerScholas: PerScholas' mission is to advance economic equity through rigorous training for tech careers, and to connect skilled talent to leading businesses.