The New Jersey D4AD team developed two major products to assist jobseekers and workers in the state.

• Training Explorer (currently in beta version), which allows jobseekers to explore potential career paths and provides them information on the types of training needed for specific jobs.

• The Quality Assurance Framework, which is designed to evaluate training providers in New Jersey and encourage their continuous improvement.

A user-centered design approach has been central to the development of the Training Explorer and includes these features:

• Using personas and continuous feedback from users to guide the design and implementation of the tool.

• Working with trusted partners in the state to assist with outreach to community-based organizations to help reach target populations and provide important feedback on the tool itself.

• Testing the usability of the tool to ensure alignment between users’ needs and the tool, and understanding the socioeconomic barriers that prevent jobseekers and workers from pursuing training opportunities.

The D4AD experience has led the New Jersey team to explore the creation of a larger platform that will allow users to provide information to receive more personalized recommendations on next steps, training, career exploration, and support services. This platform will weave together many already-existing applications to provide a more streamlined experience for jobseekers.