Bend Chamber’s Young Professionals launches 2024 YP Passport sales

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Bend Chamber’s Young Professionals (YP) Program, sponsored by US Bank, has launched YP Passport sales for the 2024 calendar year. First introduced in 2020, the YP Passport allows team members to easily participate in all programming for the year.

Cody Cloyd, Bend YP Member and Ambassador/Advisory Council Chair, shared, “When a YP Passport option was first offered three years ago, I was one of the first to sign up. I was planning on going to most of the content anyways, so the YP Passport ended up saving me a ton of money throughout the year, and the added perks, like being part of a mentorship group and YP Passport exclusive events, are almost invaluable. Adding in a pass to the yearly Bend YP Summit makes having a YP Passport a no-brainer for someone like me.”

The YP Passport includes admission to the YP Summit in May, six educational Expert Labs, six YP Socials, six admissions to the Chamber’s Biz & Bevs events, six Commerce & Coffee events, mentorship eligibility and a variety of other networking and educational opportunities. Individual YP Passports start at $250 each.

Returning for the second year is the Business Flex Passport. This version allows total flexibility for employers, and is a great option for a newer team, a business that needs flexibility with schedules, or a group trying to navigate professional development in Bend. It enables a supervisor or HR staff the flexibility to have various employees attend the most relevant Bend YP and Bend Chamber events. Business Flex YP Passports start at $500.

According to the 2023 LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report, 93% of organizations are concerned about employee retention, and the number one way organizations are working to improve retention is by “providing learning opportunities.”

“As we’ve seen over the last several years, it’s important for businesses to invest in their employees, not only for retention, but to grow a strong and talented workforce,” said Talena Barker, Vice President of Leadership Development.  “The YP Passport and programmatic offerings meet that need by providing relevant and timely professional development to our community without putting pressure on companies to do it all themselves.”

YP Passports are available for purchase now through January 15, 2024. Bend YP will host a Passport Holder Welcome Party in early 2024, with information on how to use your Passport and other fun surprises.

More information and YP Passports are available at BendYP.org.

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The mission of the Bend Chamber is to create an environment where businesses, their employees and our community excel together through collaboration, advocacy, resources and leadership to meet Bend’s business challenges.