North Carolina’s Career Platform Hits Milestone, Eyes Expansion
North Carolina’s career development platform, NCcareers.org, marks a significant achievement by reaching one million users, reflecting a 95% boost over the past year. This growth underscores its pivotal role in offering career guidance statewide, with the platform recording 6.6 million pageviews and 970,000 users in 2025.
The spike in user engagement coincides with the platform’s introduction of tools aiding students in crafting Career Development Plans (CDPs), a response to the legislative mandate from Session Law 2023-134 for 8th and 10th graders. Over 45,000 plans have been generated, providing a cost-free resource for school districts and enabling educators to effectively guide students in career exploration. In collaboration with the College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC), these plans remain accessible for students beyond high school.
“NCcareers.org represents a critical investment in North Carolina’s workforce development infrastructure,” stated 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 strong interest in healthcare and financial careers, with Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, and Financial Managers as the top-viewed occupations. This trend aligns with the state’s labor market demands and offers promising career paths for residents.
“I’m proud of our collaboration on NCcareers with Commerce and our higher education partners,” expressed 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.”
Dr. Marsha Thomas, Director of Secondary Education Partnerships at South Piedmont Community College, noted, “NCcareers is a resource and tool that supports how we advise and coach our high school students towards building a plan. When the students see the data on their future profession or career field and how taking courses at South Piedmont will support their goals with a focus of being debt-free, the excitement is inevitable.”
NCcareers.org is a valuable tool for both rural and urban areas across North Carolina, serving students, educators, and workforce professionals at no cost. It aids educators in CDPs, assists workforce counselors in helping adults transition to new careers, and allows individuals to make informed career decisions independently.
Brandi Bragg, who works as the Workforce Connector at NENC Career Pathways, explained, “We often lack the resources we need to do the work required in our communities. 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.”
The platform has been utilized in a 10-week employability workshop at Kittrell Job Corps, exploring career paths in Advanced Manufacturing, Construction, Healthcare, and IT.
“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 – Helping users develop interview skills and build confidence
- Business Directory – Connecting users to local businesses that match their occupational interests
- Enhanced Career Path Builder – Helping users identify future occupations and how additional credentials can expand their options
Established in 2020, NCcareers.org is managed by the NC Department of Commerce’s Labor and Economic Analysis Division, in partnership with 12 education and workforce agencies. It offers free career planning tools for a broad audience including students, job seekers, and career changers across North Carolina.
“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 align career interests with lifestyle needs
- Career Development Plans – A tool supporting Session Law 2023-134, guiding students in self-assessment, career exploration, and academic alignment
- Labor Market Information – Up-to-date salary data, job growth forecasts, and regional employment trends
- Career Pathways – Details on education, training, and credentials for numerous careers
- STAR Jobs – A rating system highlighting promising careers based on wages, growth, and job openings, with brochures for in-demand occupations by education level
- Lesson Plans – Over 60 lesson plans for educators to integrate NCcareers.org into their teaching
For more information or to start exploring career paths, visit NCcareers.org.
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