Career coaching
Career Coaches and Career Navigators are dedicated to helping you achieve your career goals, no matter where you are in your journey. They provide expert advice, support, and resources, ensuring you have everything you need to succeed until you cross the finish line.
When you connect with us, you’ll work with your assigned Career Coach or Career Navigator to develop a comprehensive success plan, equipping you with the tools and direction to confidently move forward on your career path.
What You Can Expect:
- Personalized, one-on-one career guidance and encouragement
- Skill and aptitude assessments to evaluate strengths and interests
- Help exploring career options that match your skills and interests
- Career readiness services, including resume creation, critique, and revisions
- Help overcoming barriers through supportive services and resources
- Access to training opportunities that enhance your career prospects
Our Career Coaches and Career Navigators check in regularly to keep you on track and ensure continuous support throughout your journey.
Career exploration
Whether you’re starting, transitioning, or advancing your career, career exploration is essential to finding the right fit. At AAWDC, our career exploration services focus on the following goals:
- Identify Knowledge, Strengths, and Abilities: Assess your strengths and understand how they align with various career paths.
- Discover Career Interests: Explore different fields and identify what resonates with you to inform your career choices.
- Explore In-Demand Fields: Investigate high-growth and high-demand industries, such as those in our H.I.T.C.H. model*, to broaden your opportunities.
- Identify Transferable Skills: What skills do you currently have and how can they translate to a new occupation?
*H.I.T.C.H. represents Anne Arundel County’s top industries: Healthcare, I.T. / Cybersecurity, Transportation, Construction / Skilled Trades, and Hospitality.
Our services help you make informed decisions and broaden your opportunities.
Overcoming challenges
Many individuals encounter challenges or barriers to employment during their career journey. A key aspect of an effective success plan is identifying these obstacles and addressing them head-on.
Common challenges include:
- Transportation issues
- Childcare or elder care needs
- Lack of professional attire
- Visible or invisible disabilities
- Contact with the justice system
Our Career Coaches and Career Navigators can connect you with targeted resources and services to help eliminate these barriers and support your path to success.
Career readiness
Our career readiness services are designed to equip you with essential tools and strategies for navigating today’s job market and landing the career you desire. We offer support in key areas such as:
- Crafting a professional resume and cover letter
- Preparing for job interviews
- Developing vital soft skills like communication
- Building and expanding your professional network
- Effectively using platforms like LinkedIn
- Improving basic computer knowledge
We offer a combination of one-on-one support and interactive workshops to ensure you’re ready for every step of the job search process.
Skills training
AAWDC connects you with training and resources to develop the skills you need to launch or advance your career. We provide guidance and referrals to opportunities that can help you build job-specific skills and earn industry-recognized credentials.
Training and certification opportunities include, but are not limited to:
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and General Nursing Assistant (GNA) certifications
- Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)
- CompTIA (for I.T. and cybersecurity)
- Pre-apprenticeship training in various industries
- Work-Based Learning (WBL), which combines classroom learning with real-world experience
We offer in-person, virtual, and self-paced training options tailored to your learning style and preferences. Availability of these services may depend on eligibility and funding. Contact us or explore additional resources here [link to career resources page] to learn more about opportunities to build your occupational skillset.
Connect to employment
AAWDC doesn’t just help you prepare for a career—we connect you to real job opportunities. Through our robust network of local employers, we match your skills with the right job openings.
Alongside your Career Coach and/or Career Navigator, your Job Developer works closely with you to implement your success plan, guiding you through your job search and connecting you with real employer networks.
Job Developers assist participants in areas such as:
- Skill and career assessments
- Job search strategies
- Job application procedures
- Accessing On-the-Job Training (OJT), apprenticeships, and other opportunities to build skills and experience while employed
AAWDC is committed to helping you build a future where your career goals align with real-world opportunities and long-term growth.
Connect to services
Ready to connect with our career services? Fill out the interest form below or visit us in person at the Anne Arundel County Career Center or a library pop-up.
Anne Arundel County Career Center
Our full-service Career Center is a one-stop shop for all your career needs. Connect with our team, access technology, explore resources, and more!
613 Global Way, Linthicum Heights, MD 21090
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Email: careercenter@aawdc.org
Phone: 410 – 424 – 3240
