GetMyFuture.org: Essential Youth Resources, Now

This post was originally published on the U.S. Department of Labor Blog.

They say that life can be summed up as the process of a series of doors closing. By that, they mean that opportunities for taking different paths start to disappear as you move through life. It’s a logical sentiment, but there’s an obverse to it. When you’re young, all those doors are open. Doors as far as you can see. It’s all about learning how to make informed decisions about what doors to wander through.

That’s why we’ve created and launched GetMyFuture.org, a mobile-friendly web portal connecting young adults to career, education and job search resources. Think of it as your doorway to the hall of doors that stretch out before you as you begin your career.

The site offers online tools and information for young adults age 16 to 24, and provides special resources for those experiencing barriers to success such as involvement in foster care, addiction, homelessness, teen parenting, or a lack of financial, family or community resources.

One of its most useful features is an internal assessment tool, an easy-to-use 30-question quiz that matches your interests to potential careers. (Do you like using words like “obverse”? Find careers that reward strong language skills.) Powered by O*NET’s Mini Interest Profiler, the Interest Assessment in Get My Future provides a quick way for youth to explore their interests and link to fully-developed occupation profiles from their phone, computer, or other device. It relies on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) that shows you average wages and the outlook for how many of these jobs might be available in the future. It can also help you understand how much preparation or training you need to pursue that career.

GetMyFuture.org was developed in collaboration with young adults and youth programs to ensure accurate, culturally relevant, and effective tools and resources. The site includes several other unique features:

• Occupation Profile displays easy-to-read cards containing key occupation data including career descriptions, tasks, skills, wages, employment projections, education requirements and related training information such as certifications, and other occupational information.
• Online tools to locate and link to local:
  • Job postings
  • Training and education options
  • Scholarship opportunities
  • Benefits assistance and relevant social service programs
  • Apprenticeship opportunities
  • Local businesses and employers
  • American Job Centers
• Tips, worksheets and other information designed specifically to help young people overcome barriers, explore careers, access education or training options, and find, apply for and keep employment.

GetMyFuture.org integrates first-person success-story videos featuring young adults who have overcome barriers to achieve education or career success. There are also more than 100 new career-specific, day-in-the-life videos. These videos show workers in real-life settings and include details for a broad range of careers, from actor to zoologist.

Please visit and get your future today. You have a lot of exploring to do.Gay Gilbert is the administrator of the Office of Unemployment Insurance in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration.