North Carolina’s career development platform, NCcareers.org, has reached one million users, reflecting a 95% increase in usage over the past year. The free resource generated 6.6 million pageviews and served 970,000 users in 2025 as students, job seekers, educators, and workforce professionals across the state used it for career guidance.
The growth in users follows the introduction of tools to help students complete Career Development Plans (CDP), which align with legislative requirements for all eighth and tenth graders under Session Law 2023-134. More than 45,000 plans have been created through NCcareers.org so far. In partnership with the College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC), students can continue updating their plans after 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.”
User data shows significant interest in healthcare and financial fields; Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, and Financial Managers were among the most-viewed occupations on the platform.
“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.”
“NCcareers is a resource and tool that supports how we advise and coach our high school students towards building a plan,” said Dr. Marsha Thomas, Director of Secondary Education Partnerships at South Piedmont Community College. “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.”
The platform serves users statewide at all stages of education or employment at no cost. Educators use it to assist with Career Development Plans; workforce counselors use it to help adults seeking new opportunities; individuals access it independently for career decisions.
“We often lack the resources we need to do the work required in our communities,” explains Brandi Bragg, who works with students and adults in rural communities 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.”
At Kittrell Job Corps Center’s 10-week employability workshop using NCcareers.org, participants explored four pathways: 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.”
New features planned for 2026 include an AI Mock Interview Tool to help users practice interviews; a Business Directory connecting users with relevant local businesses; and an Enhanced Career Path Builder showing how further credentials expand occupational options.
Launched in 2020 by North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Labor and Economic Analysis Division along with twelve partner agencies from education and workforce sectors across North Carolina,NCcareers.org offers comprehensive planning tools for middle school through adult job seekers.
“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 income needed to achieve their desired lifestyle.”
Key features include interest assessments such as Interest Finder or Budget Reality Check; CDP tools supporting academic alignment since 2024; current salary data; educational requirements by occupation; STAR Jobs ratings based on wages/growth/openings; regional brochures highlighting top jobs by education level; plus more than sixty lesson plans for educators.
