American Job Centers provide employment help during COVID-19 crisis
Nearly 2,400 American Job Centers offer job search and other employment-related assistance to the public. And while many AJC physical offices are closed due to COVID-19, virtual services are up and running in many locations.
To find help in your area, visit CareerOneStop’s American Job Center Finder. Enter your location to find a list of AJCs near you; you’ll see red messages indicating if locations are temporarily closed and/or offering phone or online services. Note that most AJCs cannot help individuals file for unemployment insurance; to do that, visit the Unemployment Benefits Finder.
Online resources for virtual workforce counselors
The COVID-19 crisis has dealt a one-two punch to career counselors: an upside-down job market is leaving millions in need of emergency employment services at the same time that social distancing restrictions have closed many physical employment counseling sites. Many American Job Centers and other programs have moved to virtual service delivery.
If you’re a counselor offering new or expanded virtual services, remember that CareerOneStop.org has a variety of online tools and resources that can help you meet your clients’ needs. You’ll find a quick reference list highlighted on the
Career Advisors page, and find PowerPoint presentations, webinars, and more at Outreach Materials for Counselors, Trainers, and Workforce Professionals. Here is a list of resources especially relevant during COVID-19.
Resources for displaced workers
If you’re serving clients who’ve recently lost their job or self-employment income source, their first needs might be to apply for unemployment and other benefits, or to find an immediate job to help them through a transition. Visit Worker ReEmployment and check out these selected tools:
-
Unemployment Benefits Finder. A simple tool to learn how and where to apply for unemployment benefits in any U.S. state. Updated to include links for each state with specific COVID-19 unemployment resources.
-
State Resource Finder. A quick way to identify local resources for housing assistance, food access, health insurance, and more.
-
NLx: Need a Job Now. A job bank with openings from employers with immediate hiring opportunities due to COVID-19.
-
NLx: Virtual Jobs. A job bank for openings that aren’t tied to a location for those who need or prefer to work virtually.
Resources for career explorers and career changers
Many individuals are in search of a career change as a direct or indirect result of the COVID-19 crisis, and virtual career exploration tools offer an excellent opportunity to explore options. Visit Explore Careers or check out these selected resources:
-
mySkills myFuture enables people to identify new career options that use similar skills and experience to a former occupation.
-
Interest Assessment is a simple 30-question assessment based on the Holland Code that matches interests to careers.
-
Occupation Profile offers customizable reports with details on typical work tasks, education requirements, employer demand, salaries, and other details for more than 900 occupations.
- Updated career videos are available on
Resources for special populations
CareerOneStop also offers targeted resources and information for these groups: