The latest New Yorker of the Week is a Bronx native who's leading city youth into the professional world. NY1's John Schiumo filed the following report.

It starts with a handshake, a simple but powerful gesture for these young New Yorkers.

"No one gives a handshake quite the same way that a Year Up young adult does. Just doesn't happen," says Alicia Guevara, the latest New Yorker of the week. "No one gives an introduction with the confidence that one of our young adults does."

Alicia Guevara helps to make that happen. The Bronx native is the executive director of "Year Up," a nonprofit that helps low-income youth prepare for professional careers.

"I've learned about front-end web development, about programming and coding," says Symba Wong, a participant in the program. "I didn't have those things before that."

"I'm learning how to shake hands, how to write letters, how to write cover letters, resumes," says Boris Clarke, a participant int he program.

Two hundred and seventy participants between the ages of 18 and 24 take part in the year-long workforce development program.

It begins with six months of professional and technical training. They are then paired with corporate partners for a six-month internship. It's all in the hopes of breaking the stigma against low-income job candidates.

"There have been companies that won't hire without certain accreditations, without certain degrees," Alicia says. "Well let me tell you, the talent that comes through Year Up and the talent that we develop, I would stack up against any BA."

The program catches the eye of prospective employers and prospective employees. Year Up is lifting up.

"I've come into this program and I've seen people change," Wong says. "In a matter of what, a couple of months, you have people opening up and changing and getting used to the idea of becoming successful."

It's change Alicia set out to make from the start.

"I've always been very clear that I'm a New Yorker. I grew up in the Bronx," she says. "And if I was going to dedicate myself to a community as a resident of that community, the onus was on me to make a difference."

She is. That's why Alicia Guevara is the latest New Yorker of the Week.

For more information about the Year Up program, visit yearup.org.