Multimedia Career Guidance and Transition System for Displaced Workers

Many organizations, including the military, are facing issues that arise from downsizing workforces. One key issue is outplacement. The research proposed here involves the development of a multimedia career guidance and transition system to help displaced military workers find appropriate employment in the civilian sector. Unlike currently available systems, the proposed system will use the DOL's O*NET database, combined with accurate, efficient assessment of worker characteristics, to help displaced workers locate new occupations that best match their skills, abilities and other work relevant characteristics. Phase I activities include the development of tools for assessing relevant worker characteristics, e.g., skills and abilities, with a focus on self-assessment and assessment based on non-work experiences, e.g., volunteer activities. We will also develop and evaluation a variety of procedures for matching worker characteristics with job requirements. We will develop a software prototype to demonstrate how these tools, along with the O*NET data, can be incorporated into a user friendly, multimedia career guidance system to provide displaced workers with the guidance and information they need to identify appropriate jobs and/or training opportunities. Finally, we will develop detailed specifications for the development, evaluation and refinement of a fully functional career guidance system during Phase II.