This Way Ahead is our paid store internship program that gives teens and young adults the chance to get a first job. David Hayer, President of Gap Foundation and Senior VP of Global Sustainability at Gap Inc., champions the program and shares what it means to get a first job. 

WE ALL HAD A FIRST JOB...

My first job was working at a grocery store. I’m thankful to have had that job because I learned that by creating a delightful customer experience, I could impact people and business. Throughout my career, it helped me stay rooted in the importance of customer interaction.

Whether your first job experience was good or bad, there’s one thing we all have in common: Our first job was memorable. It gave us an opportunity to take the first step toward a career.
 
For so many teens and young adults, the connections needed to get a first job don’t exist. This makes it much harder to gain experience and limits future employment opportunities. We are trying to change that through This Way Ahead.
 
This Way Ahead is Gap Inc.'s paid store internship program that gives teens and young adults the chance to get a first job. This year, Old Navy, Gap and Banana Republic stores will host 1,200 interns across 15 cities in North America and the U.K., giving people like Dashawn an opportunity to gain experience and maybe even change the course of their lives. The program is also great for our stores: employees who were hired after This Way Ahead internships had higher rates of retention versus their peers.
 
By 2025, 5 percent or more of all new entry-level store hires will be This Way Ahead graduates. Learn more about This Way Ahead at here.

For the full press release, visit GapInc.com.

Don’t miss out on the latest Gap Inc. news! Sign-up to get email alerts about news on Gap Inc. and our brands.