Best Job & Career in Connecticut — 16 resources

About Job & Career for Women

Job and career resources for women run through the 2,400+ American Job Centers (AJCs) nationwide, the Department of Labor's Women's Bureau, and SBA Women's Business Centers. AJCs offer free job search, resume help, and WIOA-funded training (often

0,000+ in tuition for in-demand occupations). WANTO grants fund women entering nontraditional trades like construction, electrical, and HVAC. Registered Apprenticeships pay workers during training, and organizations like Chicago Women in Trades, Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW), and Dress for Success support entry and re-entry. For formerly incarcerated women, programs like the Center for Employment Opportunities provide transitional jobs. This directory includes AJCs, WBCs, apprenticeships, and women-focused workforce programs.

Job & Career in Connecticut

Connecticut's Superior Court handles family matters through regional Judicial Districts and Family Support Magistrate Division locations. The Office of Child Support Services runs enforcement under DSS. Hartford, New Haven, Stamford, Bridgeport, and Waterbury are the largest cities. Connecticut Legal Services, Statewide Legal Services, and the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV) serve women.

16 Resources

1. Connecticut Department of Labor — American Job Centers — Free

The CT Department of Labor at 200 Folly Brook Boulevard in Wethersfield oversees five American Job Centers (Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport, Hamden, Waterbury) offering free resume review, job-search workshops, and WIOA-funded occupational training. Call 860-263-6000 weekdays 8am to 4:30pm.

860-263-6000 · 200 Folly Brook Blvd, Wethersfield, CT 06109 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm · Visit Website

2. CT Hires — State Job Board — Free

CTHires.com is Connecticut's official state job board, listing tens of thousands of openings updated daily and integrated with American Job Center services. Women filing unemployment claims through CTDOL are automatically registered. Call 860-263-6000 weekdays for sign-in help.

860-263-6000 · Online Service · Online 24/7 · Visit Website

3. Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut — Free

Goodwill of Western and Northern CT at 165 Ocean Terrace in Bridgeport runs career centers offering free resume review, computer-skills classes, and job-placement help, including programs for women re-entering the workforce after incarceration. Call 203-338-3800 weekdays 8am to 5pm.

203-338-3800 · 165 Ocean Terr, Bridgeport, CT 06605 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm

4. Connecticut Small Business Development Center — Free

The Connecticut SBDC, hosted by UConn, provides free one-on-one business advising and workshops at offices statewide for women starting or growing a small business. Call 860-486-4135 weekdays 8am to 5pm to schedule confidential advising in person, by phone, or by video.

860-486-4135 · Statewide Locations · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

5. Urban League of Southern CT — Career Services — Free

The Urban League of Southern CT at 1 State Street in Bridgeport runs job-readiness training, computer classes, and direct placement into financial-services and healthcare careers for women in Fairfield County. Call 203-334-7645 weekdays 8am to 5pm to register for an upcoming cohort.

203-334-7645 · 1 State St Suite 400, Bridgeport, CT 06604 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

6. The WorkPlace — Southwestern CT — Free

The WorkPlace at 350 Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport is the Workforce Development Board for southwestern Connecticut, running American Job Centers, Platform to Employment for long-term unemployed adults, and youth-employment programs. Call 203-610-8500 weekdays 8am to 5pm.

203-610-8500 · 350 Fairfield Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06604 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

7. CareerOneStop — Free

CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, maps Connecticut's five American Job Centers and links to occupation salary data for CT, the state's in-demand jobs list, and apprenticeship sponsors. Useful for planning a career switch backed by real Connecticut labor-market data.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

8. America's Job Centers — Free

America's Job Center locator points to Connecticut's AJCs in Hartford, Hamden, New Haven, Bridgeport, and Waterbury where any CT woman can walk in for free resume help, internet access, training scholarships, and one-on-one career advising.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

9. DOL Women's Bureau — Free

The DOL Women's Bureau publishes Connecticut-specific data on women's labor force participation, pay gap, and occupational segregation, plus resources on paid leave and the WANTO (Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations) grants that fund CT programs.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

10. Dress for Success — Free

Dress for Success Mid-Fairfield County in New Haven and Dress for Success Hartford serve Connecticut women referred from partner agencies. Clients receive professional attire for interviews plus access to career-development workshops and the Professional Women's Group alumni network.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

11. Bottomless Closet — Free

Bottomless Closet provides interview suits, career coaching, and ongoing professional-development workshops to women job-seekers nationwide, with services accessible to Connecticut women through referral from partner job-training and DV programs.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

12. Year Up — Free

Year Up operates a full-year tuition-free training and corporate-internship program for adults 18-29 in greater Boston, NYC, and Providence — all within commuting distance for many Connecticut residents. Graduates are placed into entry-level professional jobs with partner employers.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

13. Goodwill Career Services — Free

Goodwill's national career services site links to the three Connecticut Goodwill affiliates (Western and Northern CT, Southern New England, and Industries) which each operate career centers, retail-training programs, and digital-skills classes for women job-seekers.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

14. Women Employed — Free

Women Employed advocates nationally on policies that affect Connecticut working women, including pay transparency, paid leave, and sexual-harassment protections. Their site publishes practical guides on negotiating salary and accessing federal Pell-funded training.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

15. SCORE — Free Business Mentors — Free

SCORE chapters in Greater Hartford, Greater New Haven, and Fairfield County provide free one-on-one mentoring from retired executives to Connecticut women starting or growing a business. Mentoring is available in person, by phone, and over video.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

16. SBA Office of Women's Business Ownership — Free

The SBA's Office of Women's Business Ownership funds Connecticut's Women's Business Development Council, which serves as the state's federally designated Women's Business Center. The SBA site explains 8(a), HUBZone, and Women-Owned Small Business certifications useful for CT contractors.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

Frequently Asked

How many job & career resources are in Connecticut?
Women's Corner tracks 16 job & career resources for women in Connecticut.
Are job & career resources in Connecticut free?
16 of the 16 listed job & career resources in Connecticut are explicitly free or low-cost.
Which cities in Connecticut have job & career resources?
Listings span cities including Wethersfield, Bridgeport.
What are some examples of job & career resources in Connecticut?
Featured entries include Connecticut Department of Labor — American Job Centers, CT Hires — State Job Board, Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut, Connecticut Small Business Development Center, Urban League of Southern CT — Career Services.
Do these listings include phone numbers?
6 of 16 Connecticut job & career listings include phone numbers.
Where do I get free job training?
Your local American Job Center (find at CareerOneStop.org or call 1-877-872-5627) offers free training, resume help, and job placement through the WIOA program. Goodwill, Dress for Success, and Bottomless Closet provide job-readiness, interview clothing, and coaching. Community colleges run short-term certificate programs (CNA, medical billing, IT) under
,000 that lead to immediate jobs.
Are there programs that hire single mothers?
Yes. Many employers partner with Goodwill, YWCA, and Workforce Boards on second-chance and single-mom hiring tracks — childcare assistance, flexible schedules, and tuition reimbursement included. Look at 'Family Forward NC' style state initiatives, certified Family-Friendly employers, and federal contractors (required to support working parents). Healthcare and logistics are the fastest-growing single-mom-friendly fields.
How do I write a resume after years out of the workforce?
Skip the chronological format — use a functional or hybrid resume that leads with skills (organization, budgeting, time management, problem-solving from caregiving counts). Reframe volunteer work, PTA, and freelance work as professional experience. Free help: American Job Centers, Dress for Success Career Center, LinkedIn's free resume builder, and the SBA Women's Business Centers.
What if I have a criminal record?
You still qualify for most jobs — Ban-the-Box laws in 37 states delay background questions until later in hiring. Federal contractors can't ask about records on the initial application. The Federal Bonding Program insures employers against loss for hiring you. Many states allow expungement of certain records after a waiting period — ask legal aid about clearing your record.