North Carolina’s Career Development Platform Reaches Milestone with One Million Users
North Carolina’s premier career development resource, NCcareers.org, has recently been utilized by over one million residents, indicating a substantial 95% increase in activity over the past year. This surge solidifies its status as a vital tool for career exploration and planning throughout the state. The platform has seen an impressive 6.6 million page views and nearly 970,000 users in 2025, reflecting its widespread adoption among students, job seekers, educators, and workforce professionals seeking data-driven guidance on career planning.
The increase in use is attributed to new tools added to assist students in completing Career Development Plans (CDP), a requirement under Session Law 2023-134 for 8th and 10th graders. With over 45,000 development plans created, NCcareers.org offers a cost-free solution for school districts, helping educators effectively guide students in their career exploration. In collaboration with the College Foundation of North Carolina, students can continually access and update their plans beyond high school.
“NCcareers.org represents a critical investment in North Carolina’s workforce development infrastructure,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “By providing free, data-driven career planning tools, we’re ensuring that students and job seekers across the state can make informed decisions about their futures based on real labor market need. And that makes NCcareers extremely helpful for our business community, as well.”
Data from the platform indicates a significant interest in healthcare and financial sectors, with Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, and Financial Managers being the most searched careers. This trend aligns with both the labor market demands and promising career paths within the state.
“I’m proud of our collaboration on NCcareers with Commerce and our higher education partners,” said N.C. Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice “Mo” Green. “This platform ensures every North Carolina student, no matter where they live, can connect the dots between what they’re learning and the skill and education needs of local employers. With new schools continually adopting NCcareers, I’m confident one million users is a milestone we’ll far exceed this year.”
The platform is utilized across North Carolina’s diverse regions, from rural areas to urban centers, serving individuals at different stages of education and employment at no cost. Educators leverage it to assist students with Career Development Plans, workforce counselors use it for adult career transitions, and individuals independently explore career decisions.
“We often lack the resources we need to do the work required in our communities,” explains Brandi Bragg, who supports students and adults in rural areas as the Workforce Connector at NENC Career Pathways. “NCcareers provides access to assessments, labor market data and information that would be difficult to convey without this platform. Personally, Reality Check is my favorite tool. I have seen countless lightbulb moments from students and adults as they recognize how they want to live and consider the careers they need to meet that goal.”
NCcareers.org was part of a 10-week workshop at Kittrell Job Corps, focusing on Advanced Manufacturing, Construction, Healthcare, and IT career paths.
“As they navigated the website, Job Corp students explored wage data, local employers, projected career growth, and other valuable insights,” said Tatum Ryan, NextGen Data Analyst and Team Lead at Kerr-Tar NCWorks. “For many participants, discovering the number of local employers offering strong, well-paying opportunities was both eye-opening and motivating. It helped reinforce that they can build stable, successful careers right here in their own communities.”
Looking ahead to 2026, NCcareers.org plans to introduce several new features:
- AI Mock Interview Tool – Enhances users’ interview skills and confidence
- Business Directory – Connects users to local businesses aligning with their career interests
- Enhanced Career Path Builder – Assists users in identifying future career opportunities and understanding how further credentials can broaden their options
Launched in 2020, NCcareers.org is managed by the NC Department of Commerce’s Labor and Economic Analysis Division, in collaboration with 12 education and workforce agencies. It provides free and comprehensive career planning resources suitable for a wide audience, including students, job seekers, educators, and workforce professionals.
“NCcareers.org has been an invaluable resource for helping our NextGen youth explore and identify career interests they may never have considered,” shared Claudia Furges, Career Advisor at Northeastern Workforce Development Board. “The Assessment Reality Check, combined with labor market information, gives them a realistic understanding of the education, training, and income needed to achieve their desired lifestyle.”
Key features of the platform include:
- Career Assessments – Tools like Interest Finder, Quick Start, and Budget Reality Check enable users to identify career interests and understand lifestyle-to-income connections
- Career Development Plans – Supports students with tools for self-assessment, pathway exploration, academic alignment, and portfolio creation
- Labor Market Information – Provides current salary data, job growth projections, and regional employment trends
- Career Pathways – Includes requirements for education, training programs, and credentials for various careers
- STAR Jobs – Offers a five-star rating system for careers based on wages, projected growth, and job openings
- Lesson Plans – More than 60 prepared lesson plans for educators to integrate NCcareers.org into their teaching
To explore career paths or learn more, visit NCcareers.org.
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