Byron V.. Garrett's nonprofit, Genesys Works, provides underserved American teens with professional training and corporate placements. The organization focuses on workplace etiquette and AI to help students secure paid internships.
The $10,847 salary advantage over college graduates
The economic trajectory for alumni of Genesys Works suggests that specialized vocational readiness can be more lucrative than a traditional academic path. According to the report, alumni who have been out of the program for seven or more years earn an average annual salary of $67,000. This significantly outperforms the $56 ,153 average earned by similarly-aged recent college graduates, as cited by Clever.
This financial leap is a critical component of social mobility for the underserved populations Genesys Works targets. The organization estimates that 73% of its surveyed alumni earn more than at least one of their parents, and 20% have achieved homeownership. By bypassing the debt often associated with higher education and moving straight into corporate pipelines, these young professionals are establishing a financial foothold earlier than their peers.
Prompt engineering and the eight-week summer curriculum
To prepare students for the modern office, Genesys Works implements a rigorous eight-week summer program before a student's senior year of high school. The curriculum focuses on the "hidden curriculum" of the corporate world—skills that are rarely taught in public schools but are demanded by employers. This includes digital literacy, Excel proficiency, resume writing, and the strategic use of LinkedIn.
A significant addition to the training is the integration of artificial intelligence. While many school districts have been slow to adapt their curricula, Genesys Works teaches students prompt engineering to increase business efficiency. As reported, the program also emphasizes the ethical and security-related aspects of AI, specifically training students on how to protect proprietary information and the necessity of fact-checking AI-generated output.
JPMorgan and Mayo Clinic among 205 corporate partners
The scale of the Genesys Works network demonstrates a broad corporate appetite for "work-ready" talent. The nonprofit has collaborated with 205 corporate partners across 27 different industries, including high-stakes sectors like finance, healthcare, and technology. Major institutions such as JPMorgan and Mayo Clinic are among the partners that provide these opportunities.
The impact of these partnerships is evident in the placement numbers. In 2025 alone, Genesys Works placed 2,161 teenagers into professional roles. CEO Byron V. Garrett notes that while some companies have tightened budgets, the healthcare sector has specifically ramped up its hiring of these trained teenagers, signaling a strong demand for entry-level staff who possess basic professional interpersonal skills.
The sustainability of $14,000 senior-year internships
Despite the success of the program,certain operational details remain unclear. The report mentions that seniors can earn up to $14,000 during their senior-year internships,but it does not specify the funding split between the corporate partners and the nonprofit. It remains an open question whether these wages are standardized across all 205 partners or if they vary wildly by industry.
Additionally, while Byron V. Garrett disputes the idea that there is a general lack of talent, he acknowledges that some partner companies have had to reduce their budgets. It is unclear how Genesys Works intends to maintain its placement volume if the current economic volatility leads more corporate partners to scale back their internship programs.
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