Partnership with ‘Year Up United’ internship program creates pathways to careers

By Allison Stevens | January 16, 2026

Israah Abu El Hawa’s career journey began early. The middle child in a 9-person household, she got her first job at 15 and worked her way through high school to save for college.

Along the way, she rose from retail to management positions, all while earning—and funding—a certificate in cosmetology and an associate degree in business administration. After graduation, she dove into a bachelor’s degree program in information management at George Mason University in Northern Virginia, but she faced a tough choice during the pandemic: pause her education or continue an online program that didn’t fit her learning style.

“I didn’t want to pay out of pocket if it wasn’t right for me,” she recalls.

That’s when she discovered Year Up United, a program that helps low- and moderate-income high school graduates develop in-demand skills and thrive in the workplace. After 6 months of technical and professional training in areas related to business administration and technology, participants are placed in paid internships with vetted corporate partners, such as Navy Federal Credit Union. The goal is to bridge the “opportunity divide” to help youth reach their potential while also providing companies with access to diverse, skilled and vetted talent.

Abu El Hawa, for her part, began her internship with Navy Federal in 2021—and never left.

Placed on Navy Federal’s Digital Information Management team, she was introduced to data governance—a critical initiative for managing and protecting member data. In this role, she worked with frontline staff to analyze large datasets around personalized member services. “It was exciting to be part of something foundational,” she says.

After just 6 months, Abu El Hawa was hired into a full-time role as a business systems analyst and then advanced to a digital engineer. Now, 4 years later, she serves as a senior data intelligence analyst—and is off to a strong professional start in an in-demand field. Along the way, she led her 1st major project, mentored teammates and helped launch governance efforts that evolved into a dedicated function under digital risk management.

Her growth didn’t stop there. This year, she represented Navy Federal at her first professional conference—the Gartner Data & Analytics Summit in Florida. “That was a huge milestone,” she says. When not at work, she’s often at the gym, where she lifts weights, runs and coaches fitness classes. 

The Year Up United experience was critical to her success, helping her bridge skill gaps, learn from strong mentors and make ends meet. “Year Up United  gave me the foundation to build a career I love,” she says, noting that her biggest challenge to success was financial. “One thing that I love about Year Up United is that if you have the wiliness to show and do the work, and if you have that drive, they’ll bridge that financial divide.”

Different paths, similar opportunity

Abu El Hawa is not alone. Her Year Up United colleague Steven Castro recently interned on a technology team in Navy Federal’s Real Estate Lending department, where he handled tickets, validated vendor implementations and performed user management audits. “Every day brought new challenges,” Castro says. “I strengthened my troubleshooting, research and communication skills.”

After 4 months, he was hired full time and has since advanced to business support specialist, achieving his initial goal of becoming a senior team member. His next goal? Becoming a lead system analyst to help more teams manage their workload.

Nico Ramirez also leveraged Year Up United to launch his career. During his internship, he helped Navy Federal’s Technology team lead hardware migrations and equipment relocations—consistently ranking among the top 3 for ticket closures. “This experience taught me the value of hard work and strengthened my networking and customer service skills,” he says. Today, he leads Navy Federal’s service desk and is focused on helping his team grow while developing as a leader so he can inspire other youth with similar stories.

The Year Up United advantage

Year Up United’s model offers what many traditional programs don’t: real-world experience and financial support, making it accessible for those balancing work and education. For Abu El Hawa, Castro and Ramirez, this support was critical in overcoming financial barriers and gaining hands-on experience in areas like IT, data analytics and business operations and leading to permanent roles.

Nationwide, Year Up United has served over 50,000 young adults, with 80 percent of graduates employed or enrolled in higher education within 4 months of completing the program. Navy Federal has hosted 155 of those interns over the last decade, 110 of which have transitioned into permanent roles—a 71 percent conversion rate. Of those interns who joined the credit union full time, 72 percent have stayed on, providing Navy Federal with a stable, engaged workforce that drives continuity, reduces turnover costs and reinforces the value of investing in skills-first talent strategies.

Navy Federal currently hosts interns across 3 of 4 Year Up United career pathways—Information Technology, Software Development and Business Operations—with plans underway to expand into the 4th pathway offering, Customer Experience. This growth underscores the measurable business value of the partnership and Navy Federal’s commitment to deepening its investment in untapped talent. Across business units, interns are solving challenges, driving process improvements and contributing to stronger, more resilient teams.

“Year Up United talent continues to elevate Navy Federal, bringing skill, perspective and purpose that translate directly into measurable business impact,” says Britt Bloch, Navy Federal’s Vice President of Talent Acquisition Strategy and Recruiting. “Their contributions remind us that access to opportunity fuels innovation and service.”  

Former participants say the program is a win-win. “Opportunities are endless if you’re willing to put in the work,” Abu El Hawa says. Ramirez agrees: “Work hard and embrace the culture—it will set you up for success.”

read a case study to learn more about Navy Federal’s partnership with Year Up United.