Be Ready to Ascend
Empowering Individuals.
Transforming Organizations.
Building Thriving Communities.
Workforce Development · Executive Consulting · Community Enrichment
Empowering Individuals.
Transforming Organizations.
Building Thriving Communities.
Workforce Development · Executive Consulting · Community Enrichment
Our Story
Ascend Institute was born from a simple but powerful idea—that every person, regardless of circumstance, deserves the opportunity to build a strong foundation, pursue meaningful growth, and reach their full potential.
Ascend's roots trace back to Be Ready Enrichment Services, a nationally award-winning workforce enrichment program that transformed hundreds of lives inside NorthGate Supply Chain Services Company in Flint, Michigan. Be Ready was grounded in NorthGate's mission to bless people and inspired by founder Jack Goggins' belief that people should always be ready for new opportunities.
Designed around Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, the Be Ready model was built on a commitment to meeting people where they are with dignity and respect, while empowering them to move forward with confidence.
What began as a commitment to employees evolved into a proven model for transformation. Through innovative programming, strategic partnerships, and a practical framework for growth and development, Be Ready earned local, national, and international recognition for its innovative approach to workforce enrichment, its commitment to professional development, and the meaningful impact it had on the lives of those it served.
Today, Ascend Institute carries that proven approach beyond NorthGate's walls and into the wider community. What started as one man's commitment to bless people grew into a distinguished model for personal and professional development. Now, Ascend Institute continues that legacy—blessing people through transformative training and development for all who are ready to ascend.
Launched inside NorthGate Manufacturing in Flint, MI — a dedicated center for employee transformation.
15+ community partners engaged. Curriculum deepened.
Local, national, and international acolades for the program's outstanding impact on workforce excellence.
Independent nonprofit. Award-winning infrastructure. Ready to serve Flint, Michigan, and the nation.
What began as a commitment to one workforce became a model the nation recognized. Ascend carries that proven work into every community ready to invest in its people.Ascend Institute · Founded in Flint, Michigan
Ascend Purpose Statement
Ascend Institute exists to
bless people through transformational workforce development and training.
Training is not truly transformational unless it is
Meaningful, Measurable, and Momentous.
It looks every person in the eye and says — you matter. Your story matters. Your future matters.
It doesn't just inspire you, it equips you. When you leave, we can prove something changed. Yes, you can — and we have the data.
It changes a person. That person changes their family. That family changes their neighborhood.
The Ascend Pathway
Grounded in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Our progressive model meets people exactly where they are — then walks with them all the way to where they're called to be. This is what Ascend looks like on the ground.
Phase One
Meeting immediate needs. Restoring stability.
Before someone can grow, they need to be stable. Ascend's Ignite phase removes the barriers that keep people from showing up — transportation, housing, emergency needs, and resource navigation.
Grounded in Safety & Physiological Needs
Phase Two
Building skills. Strengthening confidence.
Financial literacy, legal assistance, felony expungement, and Getting Ahead at Work training — practical tools that turn a temporary job into a sustainable future. Shift is where barriers become stepping stones.
Grounded in Love, Belonging & Esteem
Phase Three
Developing leaders. Creating opportunity.
Eight weeks. Cohort-based. Transformative. Launch turns high-potential individuals into leaders equipped to elevate their families, teams, and communities through emotional intelligence and vision.
Grounded in Self-Actualization
The Work in Action
These are not projections. These are lives already changed through the work that became Ascend.
Stability
Development
Transformation
In Their Own Words
These are not projections. These are the words of the people who lived it.
"This training inspired me to change how I operate in both my professional and personal life. I’ve been encouraged to address difficult situations head on and always be looking for ways to be the thermostat and not the thermometer."Assistant Supervisor, Launch Graduate
"I have the ability to set the tone for every scenario in my life and I’m capable of changing the atmosphere with my attitude and approach, no matter the circumstance."Assistant Supervisor, Launch Graduate
"I feel like I have another family here, and that makes coming to work much more comfortable. Knowing that my team has my back and supports me just as much as they want my support."Be Ready Participant, Shift Graduate
"This program has provided me with valuable tools that I apply both in the workplace and in my personal life. Adopting the Be Ready mindset of serving and uplifting others has given me a renewed sense of pride in myself and in being an employee of NorthGate."Supervisor, Launch Graduate
"I am here at NorthGate not only because of our mission but because this company makes me feel like I can grow, like the sky is the limit for me."Supervisor, Launch Graduate
"Through their guidance, I have learned how to grow not only professionally but personally as well. They taught me not to lower myself to other people's level, but instead to rise above and help bring others up with me. I am also a proud graduate of the SHIFT and LAUNCH classes."Team Lead, Shift & Launch Graduate
Every voice tells the same story: transformation.
What We Offer
Proven at NorthGate. Ready for employers, nonprofits, healthcare systems, faith communities, and government partners everywhere.
The direct link between personal stability and organizational performance. Breakthrough results for employers ready to invest in their workforce at the human level.
The full three-phase Ascend pathway — contracted and customized for your organization's workforce development goals.
Five courses grounded in Dr. Ruby Payne's AHA! Process — addressing the realities of poverty in healthcare, education, faith communities, and the workplace.
EOS, Emotional Intelligence, Strategic Planning, Executive Team Building, and AI in Business. For organizations investing in their leadership pipeline.
A 16–20 week community cohort for individuals — from economic instability to sustainable success. Bridges-certified and accessible through community funding.
Three tracks — Foundation, Leadership, and Executive Master. An institutional credential for workforce excellence, recognized by Ascend's national partner network.
Our Reach
Ascend Institute serves organizations and individuals at every scale — from local employers to national networks.
Partner With Us
"A transformational investment is one that lets something grow into its full potential — not by controlling the outcome, but by making it possible."
Bring Ascend's proven programs directly to your organization. From Workplace Stability Training to the full Ignite/Shift/Launch pathway, customized for your team.
Foundations and corporate partners who share Ascend's mission can fuel programs that transform individuals and create measurable community-level impact.
Bring your expertise, connections, and credibility to Ascend's Advisory Board — shaping the future of workforce development regionally and nationally.
Sponsor a Getting Ahead cohort in your community. Your investment funds access for individuals who can't self-fund the journey — and creates measurable local impact.
Whether you're an employer, funder, community partner, or an individual ready to grow — we'd love to connect with you.