Nola Reporter

GNO, Inc. Relaunches Digital Tool for Exploring Local Careers and Training Resources 
Developed in partnership with Chevron, GNOCareerGuide.org will introduce students, parents, and educators to 130+ regional career options 

NEW ORLEANS — Today, Greater New Orleans, Inc., in partnership with Chevron, announced the relaunch of the Greater New Orleans Career Guide, an online resource created for students, parents, and educators to explore over 130 high-demand, high-wage career opportunities found in Southeast Louisiana, and the education pathways to get there.
 
“As our future workers consider their professional paths, the GNO Career Guide will be there to connect their skills and interests with great opportunities,” said Michael Hecht, President and CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc. “Making these career pathways easier to access will build a larger and stronger middle class in the region, and give local companies a pipeline of skilled workers for years to come. We are thankful for the support of Chevron for helping us bring this site to fruition.”

The GNO Career Guide provides information about needed skills, training opportunities, worker demand levels, average wages, and industry background. Users interested in preparing for a chosen career are provided with certifications and degrees associated with each occupation, as well as educational and training options found in the region. This is the ultimate online guide for young students and adults unsure of their career options, as well as the friends, family, and educators who help advise on these decisions.
 
“Chevron believes in contributing to the communities where we work and live and is proud to continue to support this exciting, innovative website,” said Leah Brown, Public Affairs Manager for Chevron’s Gulf of Mexico Business Unit. “With one visit to GNOCareerGuide.org, students can assess the numerous career opportunities in our area and plan their path forward. Our ultimate goal is to help people find their dream job. Chevron is pleased to continue to be a part of this important initiative.”
 
As the region’s economy diversifies, and the needs of employers have evolved, it is critical to connect students with high-demand careers that are in need of talent, as well as the education resources to become trained for them. Users of the GNO Career Guide will be able to explore these options either by browsing through career profiles or by taking a quiz that matches their skills and abilities with occupations found in the area. These findings can be saved to a user account, to be reviewed later on in their decision-making process.
 
“All graduates must be ready for a career, college, or service,” said Dr. Cade Brumley, Louisiana Superintendent of Education.  “Tools like the Greater New Orleans Career Guide aid our families and educators as they prepare students for the type of high-skilled workforce that will move Louisiana forward.”

In addition to the career and education assets featured on the site, GNO Career Guide has cataloged valuable resources, such as career counseling and childcare services, that go hand in hand with career readiness. Easy access to these tools ensures that our community can access and unlock the professional opportunities available in the region.
 
“At LaSTEM, we specialize in connecting education-workforce pathways to Louisiana students of all ages,” said Clint Coleman, Program Administrator of LaSTEM and Cybersecurity at the Louisiana Board of Regents.  “Traditionally, career exploration has required students to participate in industry field trips, job shadowing, or earn competitive internships. These imperfect pathways often leave many of our citizens without the knowledge base or awareness to pursue high-wage, high-demand careers. In Southeastern Louisiana alone there are numerous exciting careers in areas such as emerging technologies, cybersecurity, and aerospace that people are unaware exist. The Greater New Orleans Career Guide is an excellent resource to connect those careers and the education pathways available to pursue those opportunities. We look forward to promoting and utilizing the guide throughout the LaSTEM network.”

The GNO Career Guide works hand in hand with WhereWeGo, a software platform that connects learners with rewarding career education programs. In addition to serving as the backend software for the catalog of training providers, the WhereWeGo team developed and redesigned the entirely new Career Guide site.
 
“Planning a pathway from training to career has become increasingly challenging and unpredictable for millions of students and workers,” said Ben Ifshin, Co-Founder and CEO of WhereWeGo.  “People need access to modern digital tools that elevate local career trends and community-based training providers in a coherent way for all stakeholders. We hope the GNO Career Guide will serve as a model that other cities can use to facilitate connections between their residents and their region’s most rewarding careers and community-oriented training providers.”
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About Greater New Orleans, Inc.
Greater New Orleans, Inc. is the regional economic development nonprofit organization serving the 10-parish region of Southeast Louisiana that includes Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington parishes. GNO, Inc. works together with the business community; local, state, and federal governments; and other regional stakeholders to coordinate, consolidate, and catalyze action on key issues and opportunities that maximize job and wealth creation and retention, are relevant to the region as a whole, and create systematic impact. 

Original source can be found here.