Basta and the Schultz Family Foundation Leverage AI to Enhance Career Opportunities

Empowering Young Career Seekers: Basta’s Innovative Partnership with the Schultz Family Foundation

In a significant step toward addressing the challenges of underemployment among new graduates, the national nonprofit organization, Basta, has announced a substantial grant from the Schultz Family Foundation. This funding will be pivotal in enhancing existing technology solutions aimed at fostering career advancement opportunities for early-career job seekers, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds.

Understanding the Severity of Underemployment
Every year, approximately one million college graduates in the United States find themselves in underemployed positions, a reality that carries long-term implications for their earning potential and social mobility. Research from the Burning Glass Institute, in conjunction with the Strada Education Foundation, indicates that early career underemployment can result in a lifetime of wage stagnation and limited career progression. By securing meaningful employment from the outset, young graduates can break this cycle and pave the way for successful careers.

Basta's Solution: The Seekr Tool
As job search processes grow increasingly complex, Basta aims to simplify the journey for first-time job seekers through its innovative Seekr tool. Sheila Sarem, founder and CEO of Basta, emphasizes the inherent difficulties faced by young job seekers finding positions that align with their skills and career goals.

“Despite vast advancements in search technology, identifying the right job remains a challenge for many first-job seekers,” Sarem states. “With Seekr, we are committed to facilitating that process. Thanks to our partnership with the Schultz Family Foundation, we are expanding our outreach and democratizing access to Seekr LITE, so everyone can benefit from our approach.”

Leveraging AI for Job Matching
The collaboration with the Schultz Family Foundation seeks to harness AI technology to refine the job search process further. The new