Next Generation Men & Women and OneGoal Launch Partnership to Connect Atlanta Students to Careers
New “Pathways to the Future” collaboration pairs OneGoal’s student support with Next Gen’s employer network to deliver hands-on career experiences to Metro Atlanta students beginning this fall
ATLANTA, GA, September 29, 2026—Next Generation Men & Women (Next Gen) and OneGoal today announced a new partnership to give Metro Atlanta high school students direct access to Atlanta’s workplaces, professionals, and career pathways beginning in the 2026-27 school year. OneGoal will become a partner in Pathways to the Future, Next Gen’s career exposure initiative connecting students to employers and professionals across the region.
Through the partnership, students will engage in OneGoal’s in-school model, that starts as a class in high school and continues with support through the first year of postsecondary, while Next Gen will design and deliver the career exposure experiences, securing employer hosts, leading workplace visits, and providing curriculum, facilitation, mentorship connections, and outcomes data. The partnership will launch with three cohorts at Maynard Jackson and South Atlanta high schools, serving approximately 100 students in its first year.
Each cohort will receive high-quality advising, helping them discover their unique purpose, explore their aspirations, and find college and career success. Students will participate in approximately six career exposure experiences throughout the school year, complemented by career preparation and reflection activities and Next Gen’s signature Networking Night, where students build relationships with professionals across Atlanta. Experiences will be hosted by employers across industries including construction, healthcare, media, professional services, and engineering. Recent Next Gen employer partners include Enterprise, The Home Depot, Microsoft, Aprio, and Deloitte.
“Students can search thousands of careers online, but what they can’t find on the Internet is someone willing to open a door,” said Phil Olaleye, Executive Director of Next Generation Men & Women. “OneGoal knows how to walk alongside students. We know how to get them inside Atlanta workplaces and build relationships with the professionals there. Together, we can do something neither organization could do alone: make sure a young person’s zip code doesn’t determine which doors are open to them.”
“Our students set ambitious postsecondary goals, and they deserve to see what those goals actually look like in practice,” said Taylor Ramsey, Executive Director of OneGoal in Georgia. “This partnership puts our scholars in real workplaces, alongside real professionals, well before graduation. That kind of exposure expands what students believe is possible, and helps them build the relationships and confidence to pursue it.”
Next Gen connects young people to workplaces and professionals in a growing number of sectors, from television studios and engineering labs to hospital operating rooms. Through Pathways to the Future, Next Gen plans to expand this partnership-driven model across Metro Atlanta, working with schools, community organizations, and employers to reach more students.
Atlanta employers interested in opening their doors to students and helping the region’s future workforce can learn more at www.nextgenatl.org.
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About Next Generation Men & Women
Next Generation Men & Women (Next Gen) is an Atlanta-based workforce development nonprofit connecting high school students to workplaces, professionals, and opportunities that open doors to meaningful careers. For more than a decade, Next Gen has helped 1,500+ young people step into workplaces, build professional relationships, and see new possibilities for their future. Learn more at nextgenatl.org or @NextGenATL.
About OneGoal
OneGoal transforms postsecondary advising and support so that every student can define their own future. We work with partner schools and districts to build their knowledge and capacity, prioritizing strong human relationships to deliver real student impact. Nationally, 80% of OneGoal high school graduates enroll in a postsecondary institution, and OneGoal students are up to 40% more likely to earn their degrees than students from similar backgrounds. OneGoal has served Georgia students since 2017 and today is supporting approximately 1,500 students across the state. Learn more at onegoal.org/georgia/.
Media Contacts
Phil Olaleye, Executive Director
Next Generation Men & Women
phil@nextgenatl.org | 404-482-0713
Cortney Duritsa Lockhart, Managing Director
OneGoal
cortney.duritsa@onegoalgraduation.org | 470-747-0188