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Students who participate in Braven's career readiness program

Braven Prepares Young Adults for Career Success

Project Overview

Braven’s career readiness programming enables college students — namely young people from low-income backgrounds, who are first in their families to attend college or are people of color — to gain the skills, networks, and professional experiences needed to transition successfully from college to a strong first job. That means a job that requires a bachelor’s degree, and a position that is full-time with a combination of employee benefits, promotion pathways, and a market-competitive salary.

The program begins with a semester-long course on skill development and leadership training. Through partnerships with seven large public universities in the United States, students, known as Fellows, earn college credit for their participation. The course also unlocks access to professional mentorship, internship and job placement opportunities, and networking skills and connections.

Students who are not enrolled in one of Braven’s partner universities but are affiliated with a participating college success organization can participate in Braven Online, a 15-week virtual program for students nationwide.

Braven Fellows are translating this experience into professional success, with 70% attaining a strong first job within six months of graduation.

Braven Fellows have proven what’s possible when they are empowered with the skills, networks, experiences and confidence necessary to launch a strong career.

Aimee Eubanks Davis, Braven Founder and CEO

How it Helps

Each year, 1.2 million students who are first-generation or from low-income backgrounds will graduate from college. They have worked hard to earn a degree with lifechanging potential, yet only 25% of these graduates will secure a strong first job or attend graduate school. In addition, low-income students graduating with a bachelor’s degree will start their career earning two-thirds as much as their peers from higher-income backgrounds.

During college, students deserve opportunities to develop:

  • Professional competencies, such as working in teams, problem-solving, and networking and communication
  • Professional experience, including internships
  • Professional networks, to provide mentorship, endorsements, and connections

Braven is designed to equip students with the skills, experience, and relationships to enter the workforce on equal footing.

Through the intensive offerings in Braven’s coursework and the post-Accelerator experience, students build relationships with local professionals who serve as volunteers in the program. This includes the Leadership Coach who serves as each cohort’s primarily facilitator, mock interviewers, and Professional Mentors who provide weekly, one-to-one career coaching.

In the 2019-2020 school year, 95% of Braven Fellows persisted or graduated from college, 73% of Braven Fellows had at least one internship during college, and 70% of Braven Fellows secured a quality full-time job worthy of a bachelor’s degree or enrolled in graduate school within six months of college graduation.

The Changing Employment Landscape

Braven’s virtual programming, Braven Online, provides a path to advance the career readiness of a greater number of students preparing to enter the workforce. Braven Online is delivered fully virtually through a combination of online modules, completed asynchronously, and weekly virtual meetings with small student cohorts and a Leadership Coach, who is a volunteer professional from the workforce. Participants continue to receive post-course support as they persist through college and ultimately secure a strong first job.

Braven is working to ensure that today’s college students become the diverse leadership of the next generation.

Foundation Project Lead