San Francisco Exec Advises Students To Leverage Their Business Acumen
California added 67,000 jobs in January and the state's unemployment rate dropped to a six-year low to 6.9 percent. As San Francisco continues to surge in new hires, one nationally recognized non-profit, Year Up, is helping local young adults with the opportunity to reach their full potential through an intensive IT education and internship program. Jay Banfield is the executive director of Year Up Bay Area, with locations in San Francisco and San Jose.
What is your background and education?
"I'm a New Englander at heart, having grown up in Somerville, Massachusetts. I made my way to the West Coast to pursue my undergraduate degree in Psychology at Stanford. Upon graduation, I kick-started my career at Oracle where I built employee volunteer programs and participated in the launch of the Clinton Administration's Americorps program. I also worked in local, state and national campaigns and earned my Master in Public Policy from UC Berkeley before I served as the Assistant Treasurer for the City and County of San Francisco."
Can you talk briefly about your executive role with Year Up?
"In 2008, I had the opportunity to bring Year Up to the Bay Area. Now we operate in two locations – San Francisco and San Jose – and help more than 320 young adults each year launch their careers and pursue higher education. On any given day, I'm advocating, innovating and fundraising. I connect with policymakers, influencers, community-based organizations and coalitions dedicated to improving workforce development opportunities for youth in the Bay Area. I speak on panels and at conferences around the critical importance of tri-sector collaboration (corporate, private and public sector) to provide more economic pathways for young adults."
Can you share some advice with business majors?
"Use your skills, experiences and knowledge for social impact. It is not just up to nonprofits to change the world. We – the public, private and public sector – all need to work together. You can be a part of this movement by leveraging your business acumen to solve pressing societal and environmental challenges. Aspire to be a change agent – whether you're working at a socially responsible major corporation, a social enterprise, a nonprofit or in the government."
Randy Yagi is a freelance writer covering all things San Francisco. In 2012, he was awarded a Media Fellowship from Stanford University. His work can be found on Examiner.com Examiner.com.
