UTEC, Inc.

Program Overview

UTEC's mission is to ignite and nurture the ambition of our most disconnected young people to trade violence and poverty for social and economic success. UTEC was founded
in 1999 by youth driven to develop a teen center in response to gang violence. Today, UTEC's nationally recognized model begins with intensive street outreach to our most disconnected youth "where they are."

Young people in our target population (17-25, out of school and gang or criminally involved, or parenting) receive 2-3 years of intensive support services while enrolled. UTEC's primary outcomes are: reduced recidivism, increased employability, and increased educational attainment.

HiSET classes are offered to all enrolled young adults who do not yet have a high school credential. UTEC provides classes on-site, pays for testing fees, and provides transportation to testing centers. UTEC also provides paid workforce development in multiple social enterprises and wrap around supports.

Student and Volunteer Success Stories

Victor, age 19, earned his high school credential at UTEC, and after advancing through our woodworking social enterprise, he participated in both a training and employment internship with a lumber company that is one of our employer partners.

Immediately upon finishing this internship, he secured a job a full-time manufacturing job in Tewksbury. He has a young son who is enrolled in UTEC's early education center.

Victor has shared that when he was young, he was getting into trouble and not hanging out with a good crowd. When he was 15 and a half, he found out he was going to be a father and he wanted a better life for his child. Victor's probation officer connected him to UTEC. Victor says that he didn't like programs and was hesitant to join any. "But, then I met Mao, one of the UTEC Streetworkers. Mao seemed like a good dude, a chill dude, and I made a real connection with him and the other Streetworkers. So I decided to give UTEC a shot, for a better life, and I liked it. What kept me going in this program is my son and the people at UTEC. Before UTEC, I just gave up. But since I came here, everyone at UTEC kept pushing me and pushing me to never give up, and since then that stayed in my head: to never give up, to keep chipping away, to keep trying no matter how hard life gets because there's always going to be that struggle. If there's anything I'm taking away from UTEC, that's it."