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The DeBruce Foundation Releases Toolkit to Help Graduates Consider More Career Pathways
Resources help students navigate an AI-driven workforce
As students graduate into a labor market increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, The DeBruce Foundation today released its seventh annual Graduation Toolkit — a free, online set of resources designed to help students explore more career options, build adaptability, and navigate a future where career pivots will be the norm.
Research shows that students typically only consider one or two career paths, a fraction of the six they are likely to pursue during their lifetimes.
“The Class of 2026 is entering one of the most dynamic and uncertain job markets in generations,” said Dr. Leigh Anne Taylor Knight, Executive Director and COO of The DeBruce Foundation. “Success will depend less on choosing one ‘right’ job and more on building the skills and mindset to navigate many possible futures. Our Graduation Toolkit gives students the tools to do exactly that.”
One tool in the Graduation Toolkit is the Agile Work Profiler©(AWP), a career assessment developed by The DeBruce Foundation that helps people identify their top work skills and interests. To date, the AWP has been taken more than 486,000 times and across all 50 states.
Now in its seventh year, the Graduation Toolkit equips graduates with the tools they need to:
- Identify their top work skills – called “Agilities©”
- Explore in-demand careers
- Understand the income they’ll need
- Update their resume to highlight their strengths
- Build their networking skills
- Map out a plan for their future
The approach is grounded in the Foundation’s research on Career Literacy — the ability to make informed, adaptable career decisions over time. According to The Foundation’s Employment Empowerment research, individuals with both career literacy and strong professional 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
Previous studies also show students who use DeBruce Foundation tools explore more careers and build greater confidence, with participants exploring an average of three additional career paths and reporting a 17% increase in confidence to overcome obstacles.
All of The DeBruce Foundation’s career exploration tools and research are available free of charge to educators, students, and communities as part of its mission to expand access to economic opportunity.
The Graduation Toolkit is free and available at: DeBruce.org/GradGift
About The DeBruce Foundation
The DeBruce Foundation is a national foundation dedicated to expanding pathways to economic growth and opportunity. Through tools like the Agile Work Profiler© and strategic partnerships, The Foundation helps individuals discover their strengths, explore career possibilities, and pursue meaningful pathways across the lifespan. Learn more at www.DeBruce.org.
