HOUSTON, TEXAS (March 5, 2021) –The Capstreet Group, LLC (“Capstreet”) is pleased to announce its association with CareerSpring, a Network of individuals and organizations who believe that first generation college students have the preparation and intellectual capacity to add significant value to our workforce.
Members of Capstreet and several of its industrial, tech-enabled and software portfolio companies, participate on CareerSpring’s Platform, which provides first generation college students a virtual space to explore career options, seek out career advice and develop social capital with experienced professionals. Many of Capstreet’s portfolio companies, including Allied, Ontellus, and PCS, participate on the Platform, offer internship opportunities via the Platform’s Jobs Placement Services, or both, with the hopes of facilitating meaningful employment and enabling a mutual benefit to CareerSpring students as well as their companies.
Founded in Houston, Texas in May 2020, CareerSpring initially launched in New York, Houston and Chicago and plans to expand to four additional cities this year. CareerSpring’s Network of employers, community leaders, educators and volunteers are working together to unlock the employment potential of first generation students who can be an integral part of America’s rapidly evolving workforce.
To date, CareerSpring has approximately 2,000 active students on its Platform, two-thirds of which are current college students or recent college graduates from more than 100 different cities in the U.S. This demographic has great potential, but also great needs that CareerSpring hopes to meet by increasing student access to its Platform. In the US today, over 5 million undergraduate students are first generation and one-third of those drop out of college prior to their junior year. For those that do graduate, only 25% gain access to quality jobs or pursue graduate school.
To date, CareerSpring has also attracted over 475 volunteer Advisors ready to support CareerSpring students via the Platform’s Career Advisor Forum. At least nineteen of these Advisors have come from Capstreet and its portfolio companies already, while more employees are getting engaged. By connecting these volunteer, real-world professionals with first generation students, CareerSpring facilitates meaningful career access for a high-quality, diverse group of talented individuals.
Neil Kallmeyer, Capstreet Managing Partner, serves on the Houston Advisory Board of CareerSpring. When asked why he was moved to volunteer, Neil shared: “When I was in college, I had the benefit of friends, family members and mentors who could help me navigate and understand the business world. The CareerSpring Platform creates an immediate network of Advisors to help first generation college students get advice, internships and permanent jobs. The Capstreet team’s response to CareerSpring has been excellent with multiple advisors and internship postings at the portfolio companies. We look forward to growing with CareerSpring and supporting these young adults.”
There is an ongoing need for additional advisors around the country. If you are interested in joining the Network that works to support the American dream for first generation college students, then participate with us and please go to www.careerspring.org for further information.
About The Capstreet Group
The Capstreet Group is a Houston, Texas based private equity firm that invests in lower middle market companies. Capstreet targets companies focused on industrial products and distribution, software and tech-enabled business services. Capstreet’s approach is to partner with excellent management teams to build out corporate infrastructure, accelerate growth and profitability, and create long term sustainable businesses. For more information, visit The Capstreet Group website, www.capstreet.com.