NASHVILLE, Tenn.,/PRNewswire/ — Genesys Works, a national nonprofit that creates pathways to career success for high school students in underserved communities, today announced its inaugural corporate partners in Nashville: AllianceBernstein, Barge Design Solutions, Gresham Smith, and Smith Seckman Reid, Inc. (SSR). The four founding partners span the financial services and the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) sectors, which are facing talent shortages and an urgent need to introduce young people to these career pathways earlier.
Together, these companies will host Genesys Works Nashville’s first cohort of interns — high school seniors who will begin paid, yearlong internships in August 2026 after completing eight weeks of technical and professional skills training this summer.
The organization is actively recruiting additional Nashville-area employers to reach its goal of placing 25 students in paid internships during the 2026–2027 school year. Companies interested in joining the inaugural class can host interns in entry-level roles across IT, operations, HR, marketing, and finance, with Genesys Works serving as the employer of record and handling logistics, training, and ongoing support.
“Nashville’s employer community has shown up in a big way for our first cohort, and these founding partners are setting the standard for what’s possible when companies invest in local talent,” said Dr. Darren Kennedy, Executive Director of Genesys Works Nashville. “We’re inviting more companies to join us and benefit from our interns’ valuable contributions to their teams, doing real work that has real impact.”
“At AllianceBernstein, we believe deeply in the value of investing in our local, emerging talent,” said Karl Sprules, Chief Operating Officer at AllianceBernstein. “Partnerships like this help individuals uncover their strengths and accelerate their career paths, while enabling employers to build stronger talent pipelines. This ultimately strengthens Nashville’s workforce – both now and in the future.”
“Investing in career awareness and workforce development is vital for our communities,” said Carrie Stokes, PE, CEO and President at Barge Design Solutions. “The AEC industry plays a critical role in shaping the places where people live, work, and connect, and we need the next generation to understand both the opportunity and responsibility that comes with that work. Our partnership with Genesys Works allows us to engage students early to build understanding, interest, and a stronger pipeline of future professionals.”
“For many young people it’s not a matter of ability or desire, but they just need to be exposed to what exciting career opportunities are available,” said Rodney Chester, CEO and Board Chair at Gresham Smith. “At Gresham Smith, we believe investing in the communities where we work and live includes investing in future professionals while they are still in high school. There is a growing need for more architects and engineers in our industry, and one way to help close that gap is by introducing students to these career paths earlier. Creating healthy, thriving communities starts with creating meaningful opportunities for the people within them.”
Susan Osterberg, CEO and President of Smith Seckman Reid, said the partnership advances both the firm’s talent strategy and its broader commitment to the profession. “We’re excited to partner with Genesys Works because it allows us to introduce students to the design and engineering profession at an early and influential stage. By welcoming Genesys Works students into SSR, we’re helping them build technical, professional, and critical-thinking skills while also demystifying what a career in design and engineering can look like. The industry faces ongoing challenges related to workforce readiness and future capacity, and early exposure is key.”
Genesys Works has served more than 14,000 young professionals across eight cities. High school students earn their internships by completing 160 hours of technical and professional skills training, then work 20 hours per week throughout their senior year, providing employers with reliable, yearlong talent and continuity that traditional summer internships cannot match. As the employer of record, Genesys Works manages the internship program from end to end, including student training, recruitment and screening, onboarding, payroll administration, supervisor training, and ongoing coaching for interns and supervisors, helping employers build talent pipelines while reducing the administrative burden of managing an internship program.
