Name: Francisco Navarro
Genesys Works: Class of 2014
Location: San Francisco, CA
Francisco was seven years old when his family left Mexico and set out for the U.S. Growing up in Oakland, the eldest of two, he found himself navigating a new country, new language, and most importantly, a new education system.
In high school, Francisco envisioned a future career in law and technology. Despite uncertainty, he quickly took action to bring this vision to life. Francisco joined The Youth Law Academy, a high school program designed to inspire students to seek a career in law for the betterment of the community, his sophomore year. In his junior year, he came face-to-face with Genesys Works and thought to himself, “This program is too good to be true.” Nonetheless, Francisco applied and joined the first cohort in the Bay Area in the summer of 2013.
After successfully completing the intensive training program, Francisco was fully equipped with the technical and professional skills needed for the workplace. Fortunately, he was assigned an internship, intertwined with law and technology, at Kirkland & Ellis. “At the time, the Bank of America building was the tallest in San Francisco, and working there was a great experience for me,” he shared.
Francisco’s corporate experience allowed narrowed his interest his interest to just technology. Additionally, he shared his gratitude for the continuous support of Genesys Work’s staff, “even when it came to apply for colleges, they (Genesys Works) helped me navigate through the application process.” After graduating high school in 2014, he was accepted into University of California – Santa Cruz but attended community college due to financial concerns. In college, Francisco kept in touch with Genesys Works whom later connected him with Year Up. There, Francisco excelled in his tech training, with a foundation partly instilled through by Genesys Works, and he was placed at Salesforce.
Now, a Sales Program Analyst/Intern, Francisco successfully balances furthering his education with his day-to-day responsibilities at Salesforce.
Francisco enjoys getting to speak on panels at Salesforce and influencing younger generations. “I get to talk to Genesys Works students about my path – from a high school internship to now.”
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About Genesys Works
Genesys Works provides pathways to career success for high school students in underserved communities through skills training, meaningful work experiences, and impactful relationships. Our program consists of 8 weeks of technical and professional skills training, a paid year-long corporate internship, college and career coaching, and alumni support to and through college. Our goal is to move more students out of poverty and into professional careers, creating a more productive and diverse workforce in the process. Since its founding in 2002, Genesys Works has grown to serve nearly 4,000 students annually in Houston, Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Washington’s National Capital Region. To learn more, visit genesysworks.org.
