Climb Hire

Climb Hire is an equity-focused workforce development nonprofit founded in 2019 to help nontraditional talent launch into new careers in high-growth industries. By teaching in-demand technical skills while building soft skills and social capital, Climb Hire has helped hundreds of individuals—or “Climbers”—overcome the systemic and societal barriers that have kept them from economic stability and thriving careers.

Our model, based on Harvard economist Raj Chetty’s research, highlights social capital as the key to economic mobility. In addition to offering 225+ hours of training for in-demand learning tracks like paid search marketing and IT support, Climb Hire offers a rigorous, evidence-based social capital curriculum that equips participants with the networks, relationships, and interpersonal skills essential for career advancement. 

Climbers complete hands-on training in “pods” led by near-peer mentors, enabling them to build strong relationships and learn in community. After completing their learning tracks, Climbers join a thriving alumni community that offers continued support and camaraderie throughout their career journeys. Our alumni success team also provides ongoing career development coaching and assistance to ensure that each alum has the resources they need to succeed.

What problem are we solving?

As employers and education providers shift towards skills-based education and hiring practices, equipping learners with in-demand technical and 21st-century skills is essential for economic mobility. However, a major barrier to accessing these opportunities is the lack of social capital. In today’s labor market, who you know matters almost as much as what you know. The bulk of the jobs that hold enormous opportunities for economic mobility will be filled by people already in the “club” – the tightly-knit community of employees who know one another and refer each other into the most lucrative roles. 

We foster cross-class, cross-sector relationships so that our core demographic – adults ages 24-40, earning less than $35,000, often without college degrees – can build networks to access career opportunities. We’ve helped over 600 Climbers gain technical skills, career coaching, and connections for high-growth careers. Climbers see an average increase in their annual income of $26,000 after graduating from Climb Hire, helping them to access economic mobility.