Urban Alliance believes that all young people -- no matter their race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic background -- deserve equal access to the skills training, paid work experiences, and professional networks needed to achieve economic mobility. In partnership with over 200 employers, we've provided over 5,700 internships to underserved youth since 1996.
Urban Alliance is building a diverse next-generation workforce by providing job skills training, mentoring, and paid internships to young people of color during high school.
In partnership with over 200 employers, we level the playing field for young people of color by equipping them with the tools to overcome the systemic barriers preventing them from equitably accessing economic opportunity.
Program Spotlight

William Bates
Baltimore, 2013
William is now an employee at his high school internship site, Wells Fargo, and a senior at Bowie State University majoring in Accounting. “I looked at the program as more than a job,” William said. “It was an opportunity to better myself.”
Alexandria Renew
Interview with Karen Pallansch, CEO, and Johnnie Wallace, Environmental Health and Safety Manager
“If you are on company or nonprofit boards, if you work for an organization that doesn’t have Urban Alliance interns, please talk up this amazing and impactful intern program or ask your organization to provide internships or resources to Urban Alliance.” Read More
We're Just Getting Started
We've Placed Over 5,700 Students in Professional Internships and Trained More than 21,000 in Workforce Skills
80%
Urban Alliance alumni connected to economically-mobile pathways
5,700
Young people placed in paid, professional internships
100%
High school graduation rate
20+ Years
Connecting underserved youth to economic opportunity
Where We Serve
Baltimore
Learn how Urban Alliance partners with Baltimore City Public Schools, banks, energy companies, and beyond to develop Baltimore's youth for the workplace.
Learn More
Baltimore
Chicago
Urban Alliance partners with Chicago Public Schools, law firms, financial institutions, tech firms, and more to provide Chicago youth with their first work experience.
Learn More
Chicago
Detroit
Urban Alliance (UA) brought our flagship youth employment model – the High School Internship Program – to Detroit in fall 2018.
Learn More
Detroit
Northern Virginia
From Alexandria to Reston, businesses and nonprofits are partnering with Urban Alliance to provide meaningful work experience to high schoolers.
Learn More
Northern Virginia
Washington, DC
Government agencies, nonprofits, law firms, banks, and more partner with Urban Alliance to develop today's high schoolers into tomorrow's industry leaders.
Learn More
Washington, DC