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As we look ahead to a new year, we are presented with the perfect time for reflection and planning. At The DeBruce Foundation, we encourage every career seeker, educator, and organizational leader to take a moment and consider all you have done in the past year to empower yourself and your communities. Celebrate your accomplishments–you are incredible!
As you look to the future , consider the questions: How will I empower my career journey? How can I help others along their career journey?
You might be focused on building your own career, or you might be an educator equipping your students for bright future careers, or you might be an organizational leader planning to empower your team in the year ahead. The new year brings endless opportunities for all to grow their career literacy, and we have resources to help.
We are excited to share our latest Employment Empowerment research insights to help inform your decision-making: whether you are looking to change your own career or teaching others about careers, this research, paired with our resources, can help guide your next steps in the new year!
Research on Building Employment Empowerment
In 2020, The DeBruce Foundation initiated annual research to assess patterns of employment, income, and work conditions in America. Across five years with more than 40,000 participants, the findings remain consistent: there are two key components in building empowered careers, Career Literacy and Network Strength.
The 2024 research of 8,000 individuals affirms the role of Career Literacy and Network Strength in building Employment Empowerment.
Two key findings:
1. Working-age individuals who exhibit high Career Literacy and Network Strength have more Employment Empowerment than those with lower Career Literacy and Network Strength. When compared to those who are employment-challenged, working-age individuals who are employment empowered have more success in the economy.
· 38% more jobs outside their current career path considered
· 23% more likely to be currently employed
· $48,000 more in average annual earnings
2. Just over 1/3 of working-age individuals are Employment Empowered, meaning nearly 2/3 are low in Network Strength and/or Career Literacy.
These findings reveal the importance of building Career Literacy and Network Strength for yourself, your students, and your organizations. Here are a few ways you can build these two components and create a more employment-empowered workforce!
Actionable Steps and Resources
Career Seekers
Now that you understand the importance of Career Literacy and Network Strength in creating Employment Empowerment, here are a few resources to help you explore careers and make informed decisions about your next steps.
1. Take our free career assessment, the Agile Work Profiler©, to learn about your top strengths and interests – your Agilities© – and how they relate to the workforce.
2. Check out our Career Explorer Tools to learn all about careers. These tools provide information about career income, preparation, demand, and how occupations relate to your Agilities, helping you develop Career Literacy!
Another important aspect in developing Career Literacy is understanding your future career vision. Draw Your Future with Agilities helps you identify and visualize your goals for the future. Whether you have yet to start a career or you are pivoting into a new job, this workshop helps you map out your desired future and the steps you need to take to achieve your goals!
As the 2024 research demonstrates, building Career Literacy is incredibly important and so is Network Strength. When searching for a career, lean on your network. Friends, professors, mentors, and colleagues are great resources. You never know where one connection may lead you!
Educators
Only 1/3 of working-age individuals are Employment Empowered, which means there is an opportunity for educators to empower the next generations and create a more Employment-Empowered workforce for the future!
One way for educators to empower youth on their career journeys is through our new, fully-funded K-12 Career Literacy resources. These free resources help students build confidence and Career Literacy. They are designed for all ages with Elementary, Middle School, and High School and Beyond resources that can be integrated into any classroom or curriculum.
We encourage you to explore the Welcome Kits and videos to learn more about these resources! Then, sign up to receive full access to these resources along with free, virtual, asynchronous training to learn how to use these resources to empower your students.
From helping the youngest learners gain awareness about their Agilities to helping high school students make informed decisions about their next steps, the K-12 Career Literacy resources provide a great foundation for all students.
Organizational Leaders
After reviewing the research findings, consider how you can strengthen your programs or outreach to include both Career Literacy and Network Strength! Maybe your organization has mainly been focusing on Network Strength. We encourage you to examine how you can expand your work on advancing Career Literacy to positively impact an individual’s Employment Empowerment.
One way to advance your work in areas your organization may want to grow in is through engaging in partnerships. For example, if you are looking to expand your organization’s work in advancing Career Literacy, partnering with The DeBruce Foundation would be beneficial as we provide Career Literacy tools for individuals of all ages! At The Foundation, we recognize the power of leveraging partnerships and have experienced the benefits firsthand as we work with our partners to expand career pathways across the country. Learn more about our partnerships here:
· Partnering with K-12 Education
· Partnering with Post-Secondary Education
· Partnering to Serve Adults in the Workforce
· Partnering with State Agencies
· Partnering with Youth Development Organizations
Additionally, consider integrating resources such as the Agile Work Profiler into your organization’s internal work. Check out our Team Building with Agilities page to learn more about how you can use our Career Literacy resources within your organization to strengthen your team and provide your employees with tools that prepare them as they advance in their careers!
The DeBruce Foundation wishes you all the best in your endeavors. Whether you are exploring careers or helping others on their journey toward Employment Empowerment, we look forward to continuing to expand career pathways with you in the new year!
