Growing Networks and Landing Jobs!

Youth economic advancement

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Due to centuries long systematic inequality coupled with historical and intentional exclusion, we have growing education and income inequality in our county. An analysis by the Pew Research Center shows that the wealth gap between America’s richest and poorer families has more than doubled since 1989, and now one-third of Americans live below the poverty line. This number is even higher in certain parts of Los Angeles. Millions in the UC and Cal State systems are FGLI college students who can transform their trajectories through higher education. Research by NASPA shows that many of these students are underemployed, despite their education and potential. Data from the federal government’s National Center for Education Statistics show that higher education and access to career resources can greatly benefit FGLI students.
CareerSprings FREE resources ensure that young Angelenos learn about career paths and network with career professionals to access high-quality, meaningful employment.

In order to facilitate the movement of FGLI college graduates into high-quality, meaningful employment, CareerSpring employs a change model that leverages the massive potential of our students, while creating access to the resources they’re missing to unlock that potential. By providing FGLI students with information to develop their career aspirations, undertake steps to realize those aspirations, and identify and apply to employment opportunities in addition to developing a network of professional career Advisors who support and help facilitate positive, personal and professional advancement they are able to unlock their employment potential and launch meaningful careers. Our project centers around building our growing student, Advisor and parter network in LA to provide the 30% plus FGLI students in LA with our FREE career exploration, career advisor network and internship/job placement services. To ensure early access to internships, we created FORWARD; a short-term experiential internship opportunity freshman and sophomores who traditionally aren't eligible for internships until their junior and senior year. 280 of our students applied for 69 positions across the country- 10 in LA. Students received an introduction to an industry, shadowing opportunities, worked on an industry-focused project, attended presentations and training by industry experts, and completed a capstone presentation at the end of the program. Our goal is to offer 25 LA students FORWARD Summer 2025.

We believe that we have a clear and convincing case for you to invest in us. CareerSpring addresses the combined needs of first-generation high school and college students and the rapidly evolving labor market as an incredible opportunity – an opportunity to facilitate the movement of underemployed Americans into jobs that maximize their potential, provide a living wage, and importantly, the dignity of meaningful work. A partnership with CareerSpring will allow your LA 2050 to have a direct impact on our community and reap the immeasurable rewards of providing career access to countless students and young professionals in LA County. We launched our programs in LA in May 2023 and have developed numerous LAC based partnerships. CareerSpring is and will always be a free resource for FGLI high school and college students and community partners that serve them. To maintain financial sustainability, we turn to our employer partners and local foundations for financial support.

CareerSpring has launched in 9 cities across the country since August 2020 including LA in May 2023 with a limited staff and budget. We started at zero when we launched LA a year ago. We measure our impact by how many students, advisors, partners and placements we have secured and worked with over the past 12 months. LA Stats as of June 1, 1624: 1219 high school and college students, 85 Volunteer Advisors, 22 Community/Education Partners, 10 Employer Partners and 12 intern/job placements
October 2024 to October 2025 Goals: It is simple- to increase the number of students, volunteer advisors and community and education partners by 25%. To increase awareness in LA via better marketing and PR. To maximize student engagement via CareerSpring Ambassador program, FORWARD and incentive programs to ensure that students have the information and social capital necessary to be prepared for and access meaningful employment. Securing funding from LA 2050 would help shine a light on our work in LA!