The North Carolina Department of Commerce has added a feature to the NCcareers.org website, allowing career explorers to use their NCWorks.gov user name and password to log in, create a personal profile, and save their career research for future reference.
The technical upgrade means there are now multiple options for log-in credentials on the site, which is the state’s central online resource for career information. Users have had the ability to log in to NCcareers using their current College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC.org) account since April 2021.
To log in, click the “Sign In” icon in the top right-hand corner from any NCcareers page. As before, log-in credentials are not required to access the information on the site, which is free for all users, but they do enable users to save their research work.
The state's official job search portal, NCWorks.gov, is likewise free and available for anyone in the job market or in training, whether they are a youth or adult. There are several different types of NCWorks users, including individuals (jobseekers), employers and workforce development professionals, but only those with “individual” accounts can log in to NCcareers.org.
Users who log into NCcareers.org, whether using NCWorks credentials or CFNC credentials, will have access to the same features. They can:
- Save assessment results;
- Save favorite occupations, job searches, education programs, and information;
- Create a profile that stores information such as educational attainment goals, career goals, assessment reflections, and more.
NCcareers.org provides labor market information, career development tools, education and training resources, career planning and job search information to all career explorers across North Carolina, so they can craft a rewarding and prosperous career. While NCWorks.gov contains an array of helpful information, jobseekers primarily use the site to search and apply for specific job openings, create resumes, and find education and training providers. The two systems were already connected, in that NCcareers.org users researching occupations can click a link to review current related job listings in that field on the NCWorks site.
“This enhancement to NCcareers is a convenient service for North Carolina jobseekers, as well as an investment in a more informed workforce, which will help our employers,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “As our First in Talent Plan explains, we must increase awareness of the high-demand occupations and the evolving needs of the private sector, in order to overcome interest and knowledge gaps and help people build successful long-term careers – particularly in under-resourced and disadvantaged communities.”
NCcareers.org guides users to explore occupations that best match their needs, interests, skills, education and experience. Often, this journey starts with self-assessment. Six assessments are available for users to better understand their preferred career cluster, personality type, skills, work values, and lifestyle ambitions. These activities help to narrow the list of almost 800 occupations to a manageable number that can be explored in-depth.
In addition to general information such as typical job duties, skills required, and minimum education, NCcareers.org offers high-quality labor market data specific to North Carolina. For each occupation, it provides current wages, projected growth, required licenses, related higher education programs at North Carolina institutions, and a brief video.
NCcareers.org is a product of, and governed by, numerous partners who make up the NCcareers Governance Committee: the N.C. Department of Commerce’s Labor and Economic Analysis and Workforce Solutions Divisions, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, the N.C. Community College System, the N.C. Department of Health & Human Services’ Vocational Rehabilitation and Services for the Blind, the University of North Carolina System, N.C. State Education Assistance Authority, College Foundation Inc., N.C. Business Committee for Education, N.C. Independent Colleges and Universities, N.C. Association of Workforce Development Boards, myFutureNC, and the NCWorks Commission.
The source of funding for the addition of this option is the State Fiscal Recovery Fund (SFRF), a component of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which provided $5.4 billion to North Carolina to help turn the tide on the pandemic, address its economic fallout, and lay the foundation for a strong and equitable recovery.
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This project is supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number SLFRP0129 awarded to NC Department of Commerce by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.