Economic impact can begin with a bike.
Your first job represents an opportunity to build a strong foundation for success; whether it’s by frying chicken, lifeguarding at the neighborhood pool, or building bikes, skill development essential to career advancement begins with this crucial milestone.
Frameworks is a workforce development program for teens and young adults that creates skills-building opportunities through real-life work experience in the context of a bike shop.
We believe that young people can, through the opportunities they are empowered to access, alter their circumstances for the better. Research points to teen employment experience as one of the highest indicators of future job quality and economic mobility. In addition to on-the-job training on how to be a reliable and valuable employee, Frameworks students participate in career and personal development opportunities like financial literacy classes, advanced mechanical training, and vocational field trips.
The prospect of continued economic insecurity that youth in Southwest Atlanta face reflects not only regional economic realities but a broader, national economic situation known as the “skills gap.” Millions of well-paying, stable jobs go unfilled every year because people do not have the necessary training and skills. This represents not only missed opportunities for potential workers but also disadvantages for companies and lack of economic growth due to the workforce shortage. Although youth who desire to change their economic circumstances could be prime candidates to fill the skills gap, they need opportunities to connect to skills-building opportunities as well as information and exposure to various vocational paths.
The Frameworks program is designed with a variety of components to expose young people to opportunities and to empower them to capitalize on those opportunities through the power of their skills, leadership and work experience, financial competency, goals, and quality relationships.
Interested in applying to the Frameworks program?