If you are job-seeking, I want you to be aware of every resource available to help you navigate your job search. Looking for a job is challenging in the best of times, and doing so during a global pandemic is especially challenging. You need to tap into every available resource to get help as you find your next opportunity. 

Today we’re going to point you to some really valuable resources that are available through the North Carolina Department of Commerce for job-seekers. Did you know there is scholarship money available for retraining, a fantastic job board and free career coaching out there? And if you don’t live in North Carolina, many of these programs exist in your state as well - these are federally-funding programs that are available in every state. 

My guest is Michelle Muir, the Regional Operations Director for the North Carolina Department of Commerce. Michelle manages a team whose mission it is to support economic development and job growth in NC through outreach, policy, program management and strategic operational management. 

Michelle talks us through these free resources for job seekers: 

NCWorks Career Center - available remotely now and scheduled to re-open for walk-in appointments after the July 4 holiday: www.ncworks.gov

NCWorks Online - multiple online resources providing career exploration tools, resume assistance and job search assistance, including a job board that scrapes other job posting sites and includes additional openings that NC employers are required to list https://www.ncworks.gov/vosnet/dashboards/default.aspx?menuid=MENU_START_PAGE_DASHBOARD&pu=1&plang=E

Workforce Opportunity programs - including scholarships for retraining which can be used for community college courses and vocational schools. https://www.ncworks.gov/gsipub/index.asp?docid=504

Economic Development Partnership of NC - a public/private partnership that set up a job board in response to the pandemic www.edpnc.com