New tool for job and education seekers
Advance Vermont has launched MyFutureVT.org, the state’s first free online hub to provide Vermonters with the information they need to make informed and empowered decisions about their career and education pathways. With 30,000 fewer Vermonters working than before the pandemic, MyFutureVT fills an urgent need to connect those seeking work with the information, education, and supports needed to get back in the workforce.
MyFutureVT showcases Vermont’s high-pay, high-demand jobs, the in-state education and training programs needed to secure these jobs, and a collection of resources and direct services that help Vermonters pursue their career and education journey. The site is geared toward career and education seekers, as well as the “navigators” who support them— school and career counselors, employers, and family members. It is designed to serve communities who have historically faced significant barriers to accessing postsecondary education and workforce systems.
“We want every Vermonter to know they have opportunities to pursue their career and education goals right here in Vermont,” said Tom Cheney, executive director of Advance Vermont. “They no longer need to dig through mountains of information to explore their options. MyFutureVT helps high school students and mid-career workers alike consider careers and compare education and training programs, all while directing them to experts who can help along the way.”
Sifting through resources can be confusing, costly, and time consuming. Research shows that job and education seekers want accessible and clear information about their education, training, and career options. Nine in ten Vermonters currently or recently enrolled in post-high school education or training report that they would have used a site that met that need. MyFutureVT offers Vermonters an innovative, online tool to identify, evaluate, and access career and post-high school education and training opportunities across the state.
The completion of MyFutureVT is timely. The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the jobs or education plans of thousands of Vermonters. Entering or reentering the workforce will pose a challenge, especially for those without a post-high school credential (apprenticeship, certificate, degree etc.). Of the new jobs created after the Great Recession, 99% went to workers with at least some postsecondary experience, a trend expected to repeat during the pandemic recovery. While nearly half of American workers see a need to reskill due to job loss amid the pandemic, only 1 in 3 say they understand the career and education pathways available to them.
“As we emerge pandemic, many Vermonters will be looking for work. We are to have many employers hiring for well-paying jobs, though most require education and training after high school. MyFutureVT will help Vermonters see that there is a path for them, and that their personal and career goals are within reach,” concluded Cheney.
MyFutureVT is a product of collaboration among many organizations from business, education, government, non-profits, and philanthropy from across the state.
Advance Vermont is a statewide initiative driving action to increase educational attainment in Vermont for the benefit of our people, communities, and economy.
For more information visit myfuturevt.org.
