Office of InnovationMy Career NJ
OOI worked with the Department of Labor and other project partners to build and launch My Career NJ, a new, interactive digital hub that centralizes personalized career resources. Through the hub, job seekers can take advantage of valuable training programs, thousands of online classes for upskilling, and career recommendations that fit their unique skills and aspirations. This work is now part of the Resident Experience initiative.
Challenge
Finding a job or changing careers is often a daunting task - it’s stressful, confusing, and frustrating. Job seekers have multiple resources that they can access in different ways and places, but there is no single “right career path.” This challenge necessitates career support that’s tailored to the individual and their needs, as well as the right tools and opportunities to ensure that New Jersey residents can succeed.
Innovation In Action
My Career NJ features two new digital career tools: the NJ Training Explorer and the NJ Career Navigator. The Training Explorer enables customized filtering of training programs, provides information on tuition assistance, and gives users valuable insight into the providers that offer programs that meet their skill-building needs. The Career Navigator leverages big data and machine learning to generate personalized job and career recommendations that align with each user’s skill set, employment history, and individual professional goals across a wide range of private and public employment sectors. My Career NJ and all of its component applications were developed with agile project management and human-centered design.
Impact + Metrics
- OOI is providing New Jersey workers with simple, straightforward ways to explore careers, training opportunities, and job openings in a range of industries.
- Less than a month after the launch of My Career NJ in March 2024, over 50,000 New Jerseyans have used the tool to generate personalized career recommendations, and access an online catalog of classes in many in-demand industries, and a search tool with information about certifications, apprenticeships and professional development.
Status
- My Career NJ continues to undergo regular updates. Upcoming feature releases include a series of digital career mapping tools focused on manufacturing, healthcare, and transportation.
Resources and Additional Information
- Fast Company: New Jersey Is Turning to AI to Improve the Job Search Process
- ROI-NJ: My Career NJ Launched to Connect Job Seekers With In-Demand Job Training and Rewarding Careers
- The Rockefeller Foundation: An Equity-Based Job Search Site with Heart Creates a Quiet Revolution in Public Problem Solving
Partners
- NJ State Department of Labor
- Research Improving People’s Lives
Last updated on 5/2/24
