Road to Hire
Road to Hire is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs a workforce development pipeline serving under-resourced young adults in Charlotte and three other U.S. cities through high school, college, and paid apprenticeship programs, placing graduates with major employer partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersFort Mill, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Road to Hire does
Road to Hire is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2014 by Ric Elias, CEO of Red Ventures, to address barriers to economic mobility for under-resourced young adults, primarily in Charlotte, North Carolina. The organization operates an integrated three-stage workforce development pipeline: the High School Success Program embeds R2H instructors in eight Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Title 1 high schools to deliver for-credit technical, life-skills, and professionalism coursework; the College Success Program extends debt-free tuition, room, and board along with 1:1 mentorship through partner universities including UNC Charlotte, Johnson C. Smith University, NC A&T, Wingate, Winston-Salem State, and Central Piedmont Community College; and the Tech Apprenticeship Program is a paid six-month bootcamp-style program that places graduates with corporate employer partners at starting salaries of $50,000 or more. As of late 2025 the organization reports having served more than 3,300 young adults cumulatively, awarded over $25 million in college scholarships, and placed 545 apprentices with corporate partners, with a 95% apprenticeship hire rate, 96% one-year retention, 175% post-completion salary increase, and 87% promotion within two years. In June 2025 the organization added a specialized Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Track via a partnership with the SANS Institute, enrolling a pilot cohort of 10 students in SANS SEC275: Foundations to prepare for the GIAC Foundational Cybersecurity Technologies (GFACT) certification.
Road to Hire does not sell products or services and operates no commercial pricing; revenue is generated through a mix of individual donations (processed via a Bloomerang donation portal with suggested giving tiers of $50 to $3,750), foundation grants (NBA Foundation as part of a $3M+ cohort across nine organizations, Cognizant Foundation at $200,000, John M. Belk Endowment, Bank of America, Lowe's), corporate partner contributions (Red Ventures as the founding employer, Bank of America, Ally, Lowe's, Truist, Duke Energy, Atrium Health, Novant Health), and coalition funding mobilized through the Charlotte Executive Leadership Council. Roughly 70% of Charlotte's Fortune 500 companies are listed as R2H partners. Operating geographies include the Charlotte headquarters plus Atlanta, Austin, and Richmond (expansion launched July 2021); Red Ventures has hired 60+ R2H graduates and engages 400+ RV employees as volunteers.
Governance is provided by a founder-led board chaired by Ric Elias. In 2025 Dr. Monique Perry-Graves was named CEO (effective May 2025), Kieth Cockrell (President of Bank of America Charlotte) and Dr. Crystal Hill (CMS Superintendent) joined the board, and Road to Hire was featured as a model in a Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise report on scaling apprenticeships for North Carolina's workforce. The core "technology" is the integrated curriculum and apprenticeship platform with internal case-management tooling for 1:1 mentorship and college persistence coaching; no AI/ML capabilities, public APIs, or commercial integrations are disclosed.
Road to Hire firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Road to Hire
- Legal name
- Road to Hire
- Website
- https://roadtohire.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Road to Hire is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs a workforce development pipeline serving under-resourced young adults in Charlotte and three other U.S. cities through high school, college, and paid apprenticeship programs, placing graduates with major employer partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Road to Hire industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Workforce Development Services
- NAICS
- Apprenticeship Training (611513), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community College / Training Provider Workforce Pathways Programs (EDAAAOAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Apprenticeships, Internships & Work-Based Learning Programs (BPACANAK), Career Coaching, Mentoring & Placement Support Services (EDAAAKAO), Cybersecurity (EDAAAPAC), IT, Systems & Tools Onboarding (Access, Apps, Security Basics) (EDABAOAE)
Keywords
Where Road to Hire is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fort Mill
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Road to Hire business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Individual donations: Direct contributions via the Bloomerang donation page; tiered giving suggested ($50 school supplies, $500 laptop, $1,000 headphones for 250 students, $3,750 university meal plan). Banking/wire transfers handled by the Development team.
- Foundation grants: Grants from philanthropic foundations including the NBA Foundation (part of a $3M+ cohort of nine organizations), Cognizant Foundation ($200K), John M. Belk Endowment, Bank of America, Lowe's, and others. Funds support scholarships, apprenticeships, and operating capacity.
- Corporate partner contributions: Funding and in-kind support from corporate partners (Red Ventures as founding employer; Bank of America, Ally, Lowe's, Truist, Duke Energy, Atrium Health, Novant Health). Red Ventures has hired 60+ R2H graduates and 400+ RV employees volunteer with R2H.
- Coalition funding (CELC and civic leaders): Funding mobilized through the Charlotte Executive Leadership Council and civic leadership coalitions (City of Charlotte, CMS, Mecklenburg County) to scale program reach.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | — | Suggested donation tiers: $50, $500, $1,000, $3,750 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Road to Hire product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Road to Hire operates an integrated workforce-development platform for under-resourced young adults, consisting of the High School Success Program (for-credit instruction inside 8 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Title 1 high schools), the College Success Program (debt-free tuition plus 1:1 mentorship at partner universities), and a paid 6-month Tech Apprenticeship Program that places graduates with corporate employer partners at $50K+ starting salaries. A new SANS Institute–co-developed Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Track (SANS SEC275, GIAC GFACT) extends the pipeline into cybersecurity. Long-term wraparound mentorship and college persistence coaching accompany participants across the 6–8 year journey.
Product overview
Road to Hire operates a single integrated workforce-development platform composed of three sequential program modules (High School Success Program, College Success Program, and Apprenticeship Program) plus cross-cutting Mentorship and Wraparound Support Services. The High School Success Program is the entry point in Title 1 high schools across Charlotte; graduates feed into the College Success Program with scholarship and coaching support; those seeking immediate technical careers proceed to the Apprenticeship Program (with a specialized Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Track delivered in partnership with SANS Institute). Together these modules form a continuous pipeline from high school classrooms through debt-free college and into high-paying technical careers at Charlotte's premier employers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- High School Success Program
Companies that use Road to Hire
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Road to Hire technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Road to Hire partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship program partner, major coalition partner, founding partner, flagship delivery partner, flagship employer partner, major partner college, partner college, supporting partner and major employer partner.
- SANS Instituteflagship program partnerRoad to Hire and SANS Institute co-deliver a pilot cybersecurity training cohort of 10 students through SANS SEC275: Foundations, with students preparing for the GIAC Foundational Cybersecurity Technologies (GFACT) certification. The partnership extends SANS Cyber Academy's mission-aligned talent pipeline and integrates cybersecurity into the R2H Apprenticeship Program.
- OneTenmajor coalition partnerRoad to Hire joined OneTen's roster as an Endorsed Talent Developer on OneTen's tech platform, connecting R2H apprenticeship graduates to OneTen employer partners (Nike, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Berkshire Hathaway, Allstate and more) to advance the goal of hiring one million Black Americans into family-sustaining jobs over the next decade.
- Red Venturesfounding partnerRed Ventures (founded by Ric Elias) is the originating partner of Road to Hire — work began at RV in 2014, R2H was founded as a nonprofit, and RV continues as a flagship employer partner (hiring 60+ graduates) and a major source of volunteers (400+ RV employees). Ric Elias serves as R2H Founder and Board Chair.
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS)flagship delivery partnerCMS hosts the High School Success program in 8 Title 1 high schools (Garinger, Harding University, Julius L. Chambers, Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology, West Charlotte, West Mecklenburg, Vance, Hawthorne Academy of Health Sciences). CMS Superintendent Dr. Crystal Hill joined the R2H Board of Directors in November 2025 to deepen collaboration.
- Bank of America (Charlotte)flagship employer partnerBank of America Charlotte is both a major employer partner hiring R2H alumni and a continuing funder. Kieth Cockrell, President of Bank of America Charlotte, joined the R2H Board of Directors in March 2025. Multiple BofA alumni have been highlighted in R2H press (e.g., Vanessa Baker, software engineer).
- UNC Charlottemajor partner collegeUNC Charlotte is one of the partner universities offering four-year scholarships to R2H participants, along with long-term mentorship, internship support, career guidance and job placement support through the College Success program.
- Johnson C. Smith Universitymajor partner collegeJohnson C. Smith University is one of the partner universities offering four-year scholarships to R2H participants. Featured in alumni testimonial by Jaylen.
- NC A&T Universitymajor partner collegeNC A&T University is one of the partner universities offering four-year scholarships to R2H participants as part of the College Success program.
- Wingate Universitypartner collegeWingate University is one of the partner universities offering four-year scholarships to R2H participants.
- Winston-Salem State Universitypartner collegeWinston-Salem State University is one of the partner universities offering four-year scholarships to R2H participants.
- Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC)partner collegeCPCC is one of the partner colleges offering scholarships to R2H participants.
- Charlotte Hornets (NBA team)supporting partnerThe Charlotte Hornets are referenced alongside N.C. leaders, high schools, colleges and major employers as partners in R2H's expansion of career opportunity for Black young adults.
- Charlotte Executive Leadership Council (CELC)major coalition partnerThe CELC provides leadership that brings the Charlotte business community together to mentor and employ R2H alumni. Cited as a key coordination body for employer-partner engagement.
- Allymajor employer partnerAlly is a Charlotte-area employer partner that hires and mentors R2H alumni (testimonial from Shaye | Ally). Sathish Muthukrishnan, Chief Information, Data and Digital Officer at Ally, sits on the R2H Board.
- Lowe'smajor employer partnerLowe's is a Charlotte-area employer partner that hires and mentors R2H alumni and is cited as a continuing funder.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Road to Hire competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Year Up: National nonprofit providing year-long training and corporate apprenticeships for young adults from low-income communities, with an explicit tech-career focus and strong employer-partner model. Most directly comparable to Road to Hire's apprenticeship and wraparound-support approach, but at much larger national scale.
- NPower: Nonprofit offering free IT training, certifications and job-placement support to under-resourced young adults and veterans. Directly comparable to R2H's apprenticeship outcomes (hiring, salary lift) and target beneficiary population.
- Per Scholas: Nonprofit that provides tuition-free technology training and professional development to people from low-income communities, with strong employer-hiring outcomes. Closely mirrors R2H's apprenticeship-to-hire model in tech skills and corporate placement.
- Pursuit: Long-duration (multi-year) tech training and career placement nonprofit for low-income adults. Comparable to R2H's 6-8 year wraparound journey and salary-lift thesis, with similar outcome-based employment model.
- LaunchCode: Nonprofit that offers free coding training and apprenticeship-style job placements with corporate partners. Directly comparable to R2H's apprenticeship program in skill focus and employer-mediated placement.
- Resilient Coders: Nonprofit preparing under-resourced young adults for careers as software developers through bootcamp-style training and apprenticeships. Smaller in scale, but directly comparable in mission, beneficiary population and tech-training approach.
Broad incumbents
- Goodwill Industries International: Large established nonprofit with broad workforce-development programs spanning multiple industries and populations. Overlaps with R2H's workforce-development mission but at vastly greater scale and without the embedded K-12-to-career pipeline.
- STRIVE: Long-running workforce-development nonprofit providing job-readiness and technical training to under-resourced adults. Comparable mission and beneficiary focus, but more general in occupational focus than R2H's tech-and-college emphasis.
Others
- SANS Cyber Academy: SANS Institute's training program that prepares mission-aligned candidates for cybersecurity careers. Direct technology and curriculum partner for R2H's 2025 cybersecurity track; comparable in training content though not a direct competitor.
- OneTen: Coalition of major U.S. employers (Nike, IBM, J&J, Berkshire Hathaway, Allstate) hiring and advancing Black Americans into family-sustaining jobs. R2H joined as an Endorsed Talent Developer in 2021 — strategic coalition partner rather than direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Road to Hire social profiles
Digital presenceRoad to Hire financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Road to Hire leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Road to Hire funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Road to Hire M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Road to Hire
What does Road to Hire do?
Road to Hire operates an integrated workforce-development platform for under-resourced young adults, consisting of the High School Success Program (for-credit instruction inside 8 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Title 1 high schools), the College Success Program (debt-free tuition plus 1:1 mentorship at partner universities), and a paid 6-month Tech Apprenticeship Program that places graduates with corporate employer partners at $50K+ starting salaries. A new SANS Institute–co-developed Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Track (SANS SEC275, GIAC GFACT) extends the pipeline into cybersecurity. Long-term wraparound mentorship and college persistence coaching accompany participants across the 6–8 year journey.
Is Road to Hire a public or private company?
Road to Hire is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Road to Hire founded?
Road to Hire was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Road to Hire based?
Road to Hire is headquartered in Fort Mill, United States, in the North America region.
How does Road to Hire make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual donations are the primary driver. The others are foundation grants, corporate partner contributions and coalition funding (CELC and civic leaders).
Who are Road to Hire's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Year Up, NPower, Per Scholas, Pursuit, LaunchCode and Resilient Coders. Broad incumbents are Goodwill Industries International and STRIVE. Others are SANS Cyber Academy and OneTen.
Does Road to Hire have an API?
No public API is recorded for Road to Hire.
What industry is Road to Hire in?
Road to Hire's product category is Workforce Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAOAO, Community College / Training Provider Workforce Pathways Programs, with a secondary code of BPACANAK, Apprenticeships, Internships & Work-Based Learning Programs. Its NAICS code is 611513 and its SIC code is 8200.