Bridging the Opportunity Gap: The Vital Role and Precarious Future of Minneapolis’s Step Up Program
Main Facts: A Pipeline for Progress Under Pressure
In the corporate offices of Best Buy’s headquarters, Jordan Dotson operates as an environmental compliance manager, a role that requires a sophisticated blend of regulatory knowledge, mathematical precision, and interpersonal diplomacy. For Dotson, a 25-year-old graduate of the University of Minnesota, this career path was not merely a result of academic diligence; it was the culmination of a decade-long journey that began on the North Side of Minneapolis. As a teenager at Minneapolis South High School, Dotson spent hours on city buses, traveling from her working-class neighborhood to participate in theater and academic programs, fueled by her parents’ high expectations.
Dotson is a premier example of the success found within "Step Up," a Minneapolis-based internship and work-readiness program designed to bridge the gap between the city’s Fortune 500 corridors and its underserved youth. However, while Dotson’s story represents the program’s ideal outcome, Step Up itself is facing a pivotal moment. Despite its proven track record of transforming lives, the program is grappling with a significant decline in employer participation, a shifting labor market, and a political climate that has made some corporations hesitant to engage in diversity-focused initiatives.
Step Up serves a critical demographic: lower-income Minneapolis teenagers, primarily students of color, who often lack the professional networks and "social capital" necessary to break into high-paying industries. Since its inception, the program has provided 36,000 teenagers with online career exploration, professional mentoring, and paid internships. Today, these positions pay up to $16.50 per hour for up to 40 hours a week, providing not just a paycheck, but a foot in the door of the Twin Cities’ most prestigious employers.
Chronology: From Civic Vision to Modern Challenges
The Founding Vision (2003)
The Step Up program was born in 2003 out of a unique partnership between the public and private sectors. Then-Mayor R.T. Rybak and Richard Davis, the former CEO of U.S. Bancorp, recognized a growing disconnect in the Minneapolis economy. While the city was home to a high density of corporate headquarters, the youth in the city’s most marginalized neighborhoods were being left behind.
Rybak and Davis acted as the program’s primary "cheerleaders," leveraging their influence to convince CEOs and government department heads that hiring a teenager from the North Side or South Side was not just an act of charity, but a strategic investment in the state’s future workforce.
The Peak Years (2011–2019)
The program saw steady growth throughout the first decade of the 2000s, reaching a historic peak in 2011 when it employed 2,325 teenagers. During this era, the program became a model for urban workforce development, eventually spawning a sister program in St. Paul known as "Right Track." For nearly two decades, the program enjoyed robust participation from the private sector, nonprofits, and government agencies, creating a reliable pipeline of talent that helped diversify the Twin Cities’ professional landscape.
The Post-Pandemic Shift (2020–Present)
The landscape began to shift significantly following the COVID-19 pandemic. The transition to remote and hybrid work models fundamentally altered the "internship experience." Many managers, struggling with their own transitions to remote leadership, found it difficult to provide the hands-on mentorship that high school interns require.
By the summer of 2024, the number of internships had fallen to 1,250—a sharp decline from the 1,385 recorded just a year prior in 2025 (as per program projections) and nearly half of its 2011 peak. This decline occurred despite the fact that demand among youth remains high; currently, two teenagers apply for every one available internship slot.
Supporting Data: The Economic Imperative of Inclusion
The decline in Step Up internships comes at a precarious time for the Minnesota economy. According to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), the state’s economic growth is almost entirely dependent on the successful integration of people of color and immigrants into the workforce.
Demographic Reality
Data from the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and DEED indicates that the incremental growth in Minnesota’s population and workforce since the early 2000s has been driven by diverse communities. As the "Baby Boomer" generation retires, employers face a looming labor shortage that can only be filled by the current generation of high school and college students.
Rising Unemployment Among Youth
The urgency of programs like Step Up is underscored by recent labor statistics. Angelina Nguyen, director of labor market information at DEED, notes that teen unemployment in Minnesota rose from 7.9% in the spring of 2025 to 13.5% by May of the same year. This rate is even higher among Black Minnesotans. "Teens are competing with older, more experienced workers," Nguyen explains. "There aren’t as many openings as possible… and it takes longer to find a job."
Budgetary Constraints
In 2025, Step Up operated with a budget of $3.75 million, sourced from 85 wage-paying employers alongside government funding. While the program remains financially viable, the reduction in the number of participating employers—from over 100 in previous years to 85—limits the program’s ability to scale and meet the needs of the thousands of students who apply annually.
Official Responses: Mentors and Leaders Speak Out
The success of Step Up relies heavily on the dedication of individual mentors who see the potential in students before they see it in themselves.
The Corporate Mentor: Rene Madrid
Rene Madrid, an immigrant from El Salvador and manager of the U.S. Bank office on East Lake Street, has mentored more than 50 interns since 2010. His office sits in a neighborhood that reflects the diversity of the city, and he views his interns as the future of the banking industry.
"Some of my top bankers started as interns," Madrid says, pointing to Jorge Estudillo Castillo, a 22-year-old banker who began his career as a Step Up intern while attending Cristo Rey High School. "They learn about our business, customer relationships, making professional connections, personal finance, credit, savings, and money management. That’s good for all their futures."
The Program Manager: Tammy Dickinson
Tammy Dickinson, the long-time manager of Step Up, remains an advocate for the program’s expansion into new sectors. While traditional corporate roles have decreased, she is looking toward the healthcare industry. "We hope that more healthcare and other employers step up next year, knowing they will train their future workforce," Dickinson says. She notes that high school counselors consistently report that Step Up alumni are better prepared for post-secondary planning and exhibit higher levels of professional maturity.
The Success Story: Mike Archer
Perhaps no story illustrates the program’s impact more than that of Mike Archer. Raised by a single mother with a disability on a household income of just $14,000 a year, Archer used his first Step Up job—performing maintenance in a city park for $7.24 an hour—to buy his own clothes and phone, easing the financial burden on his mother.
"I wasn’t just running around the neighborhood," Archer recalls. "I became a mentor… I was responsible." Today, Archer is a 27-year-old journeyman electrician and foreman who earns $63 an hour. "I’ll make over $100,000 this year. I own a home. I’m blessed," he says, attributing his professional discipline to those early summer jobs.
Implications: A Crossroads for the Minnesota Economy
The challenges facing Step Up are not merely local; they reflect broader national trends that could have long-term consequences for social mobility and economic stability.
The "Diversity Backlash" and Political Uncertainty
Labor market analysts suggest that some employers are retreating from internship programs due to political pressure. The current political climate, influenced by a national push against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, has led some corporations to "eschew anything that looks like a diversity initiative" to avoid controversy. This caution, combined with economic uncertainty and the potential impact of Artificial Intelligence on entry-level hiring, has created a "wait-and-see" attitude among many previous partners.
The Healthcare Opportunity
As corporate internships decline, the healthcare sector represents a burgeoning frontier for youth employment. Entry-level roles such as personal care assistants and nursing assistants offer a path to stable, well-paying careers in medical technology and nursing. Expanding Step Up into these fields could provide a dual solution: addressing the critical shortage of healthcare workers while providing youth with recession-proof career paths.
Conclusion: The Cost of Inaction
The stories of Jordan Dotson and Mike Archer prove that when the "opportunity gap" is bridged, the entire community benefits. Dotson’s "compliance brain" helps a Fortune 500 company navigate environmental regulations, while Archer’s skills as an electrician help build the city’s infrastructure.
However, if the decline in employer participation continues, the "pipeline" will narrow, leaving thousands of capable students without a path to the middle class. As Minnesota’s workforce becomes increasingly diverse, the success of programs like Step Up is no longer just a matter of social justice—it is an economic necessity. The future of the state’s economy depends on whether today’s leaders are willing to "step up" and mentor the leaders of tomorrow.
