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What does it take to build careers with higher wages, less risk of unemployment, better benefits, more autonomy over work conditions, and the ability to build savings?
In 2020, The DeBruce Foundation initiated annual research to assess patterns of employment, income, and work conditions in America. Across several years with tens of thousands of participants, the findings remain consistent–there are two key components in building empowered careers: Career Literacy and Network Strength.
According to The DeBruce Foundation’s research on Employment Empowerment, individuals with both Career Literacy and strong networks:
- Are 30% more likely to be employed
- Consider 22% more career options outside their current path
- Earn an average of $40,000 more annually
Explore the insights below to learn about the importance of Employment Empowerment and how we can build empowered careers.
Read the 2025 Employment Empowerment Study to learn how Career Literacy and Network Strength shape annual earnings, employment stability, confidence in career exploration, and more.
Read the 2024 Employment Empowerment Study to learn about the impact of Employment Empowerment in 2024 on annual earnings, the likelihood of being employed, the number of careers one considers, and more.
Start Early, Succeed Sooner: Insights from the 2023 Employment Empowerment Study highlights the compounding effects of developing career literacy and strong networks in younger people.
The 2022 report, Working Smarter: Driving Employment Empowerment with Career Literacy and Networks, first identified Career Literacy and Network Strength as key factors in building empowered careers.
