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Mission-Driven Careers: Turning Your Skills Into Impact

Download the full guide (PDF)

You wrote down a problem. Here's how to start working on it.

Whatever you care about, there's a career that works on it, in government, nonprofits and public service. Start with the resources below, and download the full guide for tips on applying and standing out.

Internships and early-career programs

You can start while you're still in school.

Pathways Internship Program (federal)

Paid work in federal agencies for current students. Interns who finish may be converted to a permanent federal job. Many agencies post summer internships in winter.

Pathways Recent Graduates Program (federal)

Entry-level federal jobs with training for people who finished a degree in the past two years.

State, local and nonprofit opportunities

most public service work happens here. Check your state and city government careers pages, and search nonprofit internships on Idealist.

Find every Pathways opening on USAJOBS and learn how the programs work on OPM's Pathways page. Openings depend on current federal hiring limits.

Organizations to follow

Our initiatives support people at different stages of life, from learning new skills to finding support for their health and wellbeing.

USAJOBS

Every federal job and internship, including Pathways

GoGovernment.org (Partnership for Public Service)

Student guides to federal careers

Idealist

Nonprofit jobs and volunteering

Code for America

Civic tech

Your state and city government careers pages

Local public service jobs

The Brickers Foundation

The Foundation's own updates

Paying for school

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

If you work full time for a government agency or qualifying nonprofit, your remaining federal Direct Loan balance can be forgiven after 120 qualifying payments (10 years). Private loans never qualify. If you borrow federal loans now, the new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) is the plan that counts toward PSLF.

Graduate school borrowing

since July 1, 2026, Grad PLUS loans are closed to new borrowers. Graduate students can borrow up to $20,500 a year and $100,000 total in federal loans. Professional programs such as law and medicine have higher limits: up to $50,000 a year and $200,000 total.

These rules change, so always check the latest on StudentAid.gov.

Stay connected

Want to keep going? The Brickers Foundation shares opportunities, events and updates for students interested in mission-driven careers.

Rules and programs change. Information current as of November 2026.

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