AT&T, as part of the AT&T Aspire initiative, announced a $3 million contribution to Genesys Works to support more opportunities for high school students to experience meaningful year-long internships in businesses — including AT&T — across the country.

Genesys Works is an innovative social enterprise that places economically disadvantaged high school students into a professional career through workplace training and meaningful senior-year internships. The commitment was revealed by Tim Wolff, vice president of Construction and Engineering, AT&T during the National Opportunity Summit. The Summit is convening private, public and non-profit stakeholders focused on youth employment and workforce training initiatives. More than 80 percent of Genesys Works students are from low-income households, and many represent the “quiet middle”—“B” or “C” students who may require additional support to realize their full potential. Once accepted into the Genesys Works program, students receive technical and professional skills training and are placed at corporations, like AT&T, for a paid 12-month internship during their senior year of high school.

This new contribution builds on AT&T’s relationship with Genesys Works, which began in 2012 with a $1 million contribution that supported its expansion into the San Francisco Bay Area connecting students to the technology sector. This collaboration is part of AT&T Aspire, the company’s $350 million signature education initiative, focused on helping students succeed in school and preparing them with the skills needed for a 21st century career.