Coach Launches: First-of-its-Kind AI Career Development Tool Built for Equity and Measurable Results

August 13, 2024 – CareerVillage announces the official launch of Coach, a groundbreaking AI career development tool for underrepresented youth and adults.

After successful beta testing, Coach debuts with new educator features and partnerships with leading organizations. “We believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to build a fulfilling career. Coach is a major step towards making that a reality,” says Jared Chung, founder and Executive Director of CareerVillage.

Eleven partner organizations will bring Coach to thousands of learners:

• Mentorship organizations (Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts, MENTOR California) will use Coach to supplement youth programs in California and Massachusetts.
• Workforce boards (MassHire Berkshire, MassHire Franklin Hampshire) also plan to use Coach to support youth programs.
• Job-training nonprofits (Generation.org and Year Up) will use Coach to support program alumni across the US and internationally. Additionally, Per Scholas, which provides tuition-free job training to unemployed or underemployed adults, is running two pilot studies with current students and alumni.
• Two school districts (Southwest Technical Education District of Yuma, San Francisco Unified School District) will pilot Coach to improve career readiness programming.
• University of Florida’s College of Nursing is using Coach to support student exploration of nursing specializations and scenario planning.

CareerVillage provides partners with training, resource hubs, reports, and ongoing support. Educators now have access to in-platform tools for classroom management and progress tracking.

Coach’s development involved collaboration with over twenty educational institutions, nonprofits, and workforce boards, with testing by more than 900 students and educators.

Coach’s development and launch have been made possible through the support of prominent funders, including the Elisabeth C. DeLuca Foundation, Atlassian Foundation, Google.org, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Schultz Family Foundation, among others.

“Empowering young adults with the tools and resources they need to launch and build careers is critical to ensuring opportunity is accessible for the next generation. We are excited about the potential of introducing new technologies like Coach that put young people in the driver’s seat of their own futures,” said Marie Groark, managing director of the Schultz Family Foundation.

The Coach platform stands out among AI career tools for its research-backed impact measurement. It uses the validated CAAS-SF survey to track learners’ career readiness progress, alongside mini-surveys assessing specific activities’ effectiveness. Abby Lupi, CareerVillage’s Senior Data Analyst, notes, “This data improves learner experiences and contributes to career readiness research, potentially advancing the entire sector.”

About CareerVillage

CareerVillage is a nonprofit organization democratizing access to career information and guidance, particularly for underrepresented youth and adults. Through innovative tools and partnerships, CareerVillage empowers individuals to navigate their career journeys with confidence.