helping diverse talent translate
Their Degree Into a Job
We provide employment education for underrepresented college women.
At Change Agents, we’re a social impact company determined to ensure underrepresented college women* are prepared to enter the job market before they graduate. Our team provides job search skills, career strategies, and cultural agility training specifically designed to address the job market challenges they will face due to their socioeconomic status and diverse backgrounds. We’re in awe of these strong, determined individuals and it’s our mission to help close the gap between college graduation and first career job. Underrepresented women’s employment has been most affected by this global pandemic, but here at Change Agents, we are here to help all underrepresented students and graduates in the margins during this unprecedented time.
* "Women" refers to gender-expansive people (cis women, trans women, non-binary, gender non-conforming individuals, and genderqueer individuals and any women-identified people).
no knowledge to succeed
53%
of recent graduates are unemployed or underemployed*
2020 college graduates are entering a very tight job market and will most definitely carry over the graduating class of 2021. Now more than ever, this is the time to prove that educated underrepresented first-generation graduates have the highest earning potential. An entry-level job of $35,000 a year could make a significant impact on food and shelter insecurity. College-educated, this group has the best chance of helping them and their families survive.
Unfortunately, underrepresented college women lack job search skills and career strategies to successfully secure employment. They are fully focused on graduation and are unaware of the job skills and resources they need to kickstart their career path to upward mobility.
Source: February 9, 2021. https://whattobecome.com/blog/college-graduates-unemployment-rate/
an immediate and
actionable solution
INTRODUCING CAREER CATALYST PROGRAM
Our Career Catalyst Program prepares underrepresented college women with the foundational knowledge to seek professional job opportunities while still in school. We’ve designed a career readiness workshop series specifically designed to overcome their unique challenges and put them on the right path as they seek internships and post-graduation employment commensurate with their education. While low-income women of color have been our core focus, the Career Catalyst Program curriculum supports people from all marginalized groups. Inclusiveness and belonging are at the heart of what we do.
workshops
Our workshops uniquely combine education with participants’ real-life experiences as a powerful catalyst to own their value, confront obstacles with confidence, develop their authentic brand stories, and weigh their finances and career choices.
curriculum
With an overarching goal of knocking down barriers to career entry for women in marginalized groups, our program curriculum is rooted in feminist and social justice pedagogies.
environments
In-person or online workshops are facilitated by sector experts in groups of similarly situated peers and conducted in a welcoming environment for maximum learning and sharing. We lead by example.
diverse education
for diverse women
We've carefully crafted this one-of-kind educational solution for underrepresented women as a catalyst for success.
-
all women, safe environment
-
future of work skills mapping
-
customized LinkedIn training
-
navigating unconscious bias in interviews
-
cultural agility coaching
-
professional networking skills
-
financial literacy/loan debt management
-
target audience experienced facilitators
our collaborative partners
SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATIONS
Hermanas Unidas de UC Berkeley
Hermanas Unidas de UC Merced
gender pay gap
will continue to widen
COVID-19 has disproportionately affected the employment of underrepresented women and it will undoubtedly alter the pre-pandemic snapshot below.
47%
of all women college graduates enter the workforce in jobs for which they are overqualified
5+ Years
The first job means everything. Higher likelihood to stay there
The problem will
continue to worsen
This is one of the simplest ways to help out our cause. We believe the best way for our initiatives to be successful is for the community to actively get involved. This is an easy and efficient way of contributing to the great work we do at Change Agents. Get in touch with any questions about how you can Volunteer Your Time today.
Source: The Permanent Detour: Underemployment’s Long-Term Effects on the Careers of College Grads, Strada Institute, May 2018
about us
MEET THE TEAM
Every day we’re amazed and inspired by the resilience and adaptability of underrepresented women who are laser-focused on graduating with a college degree. We also see their career confusion, feel their anxiety and hear them question their capabilities because they lack the guidance and resources to jumpstart their careers.
To provide this critical support, our team leveraged our first-hand knowledge on both the nonprofit and corporate and set out to create career readiness education based on the obstacles and challenges marginalized women face. As change agents, we channel our passion for gender equality and upward mobility for the underrepresented communities through the work we love doing.
Founded by a woman of color and run by a fun-loving and determined group of diverse women.
