Step-Up Omaha (StepUpOmaha.com), an initiative of Empowerment Network dedicated to providing career exploration, job opportunities, internships and entrepreneurship avenues for youth and young adults aged 14-21, is now accepting applications for its 2026 program. For nearly two decades, Step-Up has offered career exploration and entrepreneurial training to prepare Omaha’s next generation for long-term success. Applications are being accepted until March 2.
Organized by the Empowerment Network, Step-Up Omaha has connected more than 9,000 youth with workforce experiences since 2008. This year’s program will run from June 2 to July 31 and includes hands-on training in industries like healthcare, tech, construction, education, and the nonprofit sector. Interns can earn between $1,800 to $3,000 or more.
In 2025, more than 1,700 youth applied and more than 100 local employers hosted interns. Parents have praised the program’s long term impact. One parent shared how her daughter used Step-Up connections to receive phlebotomy training through Metro’s Career Forward initiative and secure her first job interview with Methodist Hospital. Previous employers have reported 100% satisfaction with their interns’ performances.
Step-Up Omaha is more than a summer job. It’s a community investment. Supported by a collaborative network of funders and partners, Step-Up is an investment in Omaha’s future. The initiative receives support from partners like the City of Omaha, the Charles E. Lakin Foundation and the Obama Foundation’s My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Alliance, a program that seeks to positively shift outcomes for boys and young men of color in Omaha through the implementation of evidence-based practices, which address six MBK milestones, cradle to career, during a young person’s life.
Interested students, parents, and employers are encouraged to learn more and apply at StepUpOmaha.com.