Learn how CareerViewXR is being used in workforce centers across North Dakota, leaving a lasting impact with adult career seekers and students alike.
Job Service North Dakota has a network of nine workforce centers that serves a diverse audience of individuals, helping them find a career fit in one of North Dakota’s communities. On average, they help over 30,000 people a year, including North Dakota residents and incoming residents from other states and countries. They also serve local employers, providing resources and helping them attract talented job seekers. While each Job Service workforce center is in a populous area of the state, the open jobs available may be anywhere from the beautiful Badlands of the west to the bustling Fargo metro area of the east.
As one of their primary goals is to help fill job openings across North Dakota, the Job Service North Dakota team wanted a way to bring job sites to students and adults no matter where they may be physically. They needed a tool that could concisely inform and engage clients on the potential career possibilities available to them in in-demand industries.
When asked why they decided to use CareerViewXR in their workforce centers, Workforce Services Director Phil Davis shared, “CareerViewXR helps us let folks know the wonderful opportunities here in North Dakota, and that can be anyone from our youngest kids in grade school through high school and college, as well as individuals that want to switch careers. Individuals come into one of our workforce centers, we ask them what they’re interested in, and we’re able to offer them a glimpse into what it’s really like”. He continued, “I can’t say enough about the CareerViewXR headsets and what we use them for.”
Initially, CareerViewXR was deployed with a pilot project at 4 out of 9 Job Service offices across North Dakota in 2022. The workforce center locations included were Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks, and Minot. Since then, employment advisors have used CareerViewXR frequently in their work. At their offices, individuals can make appointments with advisors to explore various field trips in virtual reality. Each office has at least one virtual reality headset loaded up with VR videos featuring different careers and industries for advisors and clients to explore. Amy Arenz, the Bismarck Workforce Center Manager, shares “The great thing with CareerViewXR is the ability to explore and experience many occupations in an afternoon and even plant the seed for careers that individuals have never even thought of and opening the door to new possibilities.” Amy Nelson, Employment Advisor Team Lead adds, “"The CareerViewXR headset isn't just for career explorers--it serves as a wonderful resource for employment advisors, teachers, and other workforce professionals. We are able to get a better understanding of what a day-in-the-life is like in the careers we talk to others about, and a clearer sense of what training in a skilled trade looks like. It is a valuable tool in our workforce development toolkit!"
The professionals at Job Service North Dakota use CareerViewXR in more than just their workforce centers. Employment advisors like Heather Hovland share that they bring their trusty VR headsets and CareerViewXR VR videos to the masses at outreach events across the state.
Each year Job Service North Dakota advisors connect with thousands of curious people of all ages by doing community outreach, school outreach, and correctional facility outreach. Heather and her peers have shared CareerViewXR at education conferences, adult learning centers, school career fairs, youth scouting clubs, vocational rehabilitation centers, and more. While some events the Job Service North Dakota teams attend are annual, other engagements happen monthly or weekly. “No matter where I go, the videos are a HUGE hit!” Heather exclaimed. “Children to adults love the experience and I feel that seeds are planted to empower everyone to seek training and find fulfilling careers,” Heather continued, “I advertise that we have the CareerViewXR headset at every event I attend!”
As a result of positive feedback from Job Service employees and clients, Job Service North Dakota decided to expand CareerViewXR access from the initial 4 offices to all 9 across the state in the fall of 2024. With the added access, even more individuals of all ages will be able to explore various industries such as skilled trades, technology, healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, and energy all over the course of a single visit at a workforce center. Advisors from the newly subscribed offices will be outfitted with virtual reality headsets and ready to welcome visitors to give the immersive content a try. “We found the headsets to be a great tool to pick that next career. We look forward to the future of what working with CareerViewXR will bring!” Phil Davis emphasized.
The Job Service team is eager for more field trips to be added to the CareerViewXR library as well. Phil noted “The more occupations we have loaded in the headsets and the more opportunities there are to understand what occupations are out there—especially those that are high wage and high demand— is really going to broaden the horizons of not only our students, but even the adults that come to our workforce centers to look at what opportunities there are in our state. Phil encourages industry leaders to get involved in making new field trips, saying “If a company were to work with CareerViewXR to provide that experience to the everyday user, they are shedding light on their company and industry. By doing that, they’ll have better opportunities in attracting workforce.” We are extremely honored to have Job Service North Dakota as a continued subscriber, helping provide immersive career awareness content to adults and students across the state.
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