Best Job & Career in Hawaii — 14 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 Hawaii

Hawaii's Family Court is a division of the Circuit Court and operates in each of its four judicial circuits (Oahu, Maui, Hawaii Island, Kauai). The Child Support Enforcement Agency operates under the Attorney General. Honolulu is the largest population center. Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii, and the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence serve women.

14 Resources

1. Hawaii Department of Labor — Workforce Development — Free

The Hawaii DLIR Workforce Development Division administers WIOA-funded job training, unemployment insurance, and the American Job Center network across the islands. The Punchbowl Street office at 808-586-8842 takes calls weekdays 7:45am to 4:30pm. Services include resume help, training scholarships, and placement — most free. Bring resume, ID, and any credentials.

808-586-8842 · 830 Punchbowl St Room 329, Honolulu, HI 96813 · Mon-Fri 7:45am-4:30pm · Visit Website

2. Goodwill Industries of Hawaii — Free

Goodwill Hawaii's Kilihau Street campus runs job placement, vocational training in retail and warehouse skills, and the YouthBuild program. Particularly useful for women re-entering the workforce after caregiving years or incarceration. Call 808-836-0313 weekdays 8am to 5pm. Most services are free; some advanced training tracks have small fees.

808-836-0313 · 2610 Kilihau St, Honolulu, HI 96819 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

3. SBA Hawaii District Office — Free

The SBA Hawaii District Office in Honolulu administers federal small business resources — SBA loans, 8(a) certification, women-owned small business contracting set-asides, and the Lender Match program — across all the islands. Call 808-541-2990 weekdays 8am to 5pm to talk with a business development specialist. Free.

808-541-2990 · Honolulu, HI · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

4. Aloha United Way — Financial Stability Programs — Free

Aloha United Way's financial stability portfolio funds VITA free tax prep, the ALICE financial coaching program, and Bank On Hawaii — a financial inclusion initiative connecting unbanked women to low-fee accounts. Call 808-536-1951 weekdays 8am to 5pm to find the closest coaching cohort. Free for eligible participants.

808-536-1951 · Honolulu, HI · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

5. CareerOneStop — Free

CareerOneStop is the DOL's national career portal and the easiest way to find the closest Hawaii American Job Center along with current Hawaii labor market data — high-growth occupations, median wages, and training programs eligible for WIOA funding. Useful before deciding which credential to pursue.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

6. America's Job Centers — Free

Hawaii's American Job Centers — including the Dillingham AJC on Oahu and partner offices on neighbor islands — offer free walk-in resume help, interview practice, computer access, and training referrals. The national locator at careeronestop.org points to the closest one with current open hours.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

7. DOL Women's Bureau — Free

The DOL Women's Bureau publishes the data and policy guidance behind women's workforce initiatives — including Hawaii wage gap reports, occupational segregation analysis, and paid leave research. Useful for mothers negotiating a return-to-work offer or advocating for workplace policy changes.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

8. Dress for Success — Free

Dress for Success has a Honolulu boutique and a national network supporting women returning to work, including the Going Places Network and online career coaching. Particularly useful for women who finish a Hawaii workforce program and need interview-appropriate clothing for the placement phase.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

9. Bottomless Closet — Free

Bottomless Closet is similar in mission to Dress for Success — providing free professional attire and career development to women seeking employment. While the boutique is based on the mainland, virtual coaching and resource library are accessible to Hawaii women.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

10. Year Up — Free

Year Up's free one-year career training program for young adults 18-29 leads to corporate apprenticeships at Fortune 500 employers — useful for Hawaii young women, particularly Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander participants who are systematically underrepresented in tech and finance. Hybrid format may be required for some Hawaii applicants.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

11. Goodwill Career Services — Free

Goodwill's national umbrella backs Goodwill Industries of Hawaii. The national portal lets a Hawaii woman take free online courses through Goodwill Learn — courses in customer service, basic IT, and warehouse safety — that complement in-person training at the Kilihau campus.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

12. Women Employed — Free

Women Employed is a national policy organization advancing economic security for women workers — focused on issues like fair scheduling, the minimum wage, and family leave that affect many Hawaii hospitality, retail, and care workers. Useful both for personal navigation and for advocacy.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

13. SCORE — Free Business Mentors — Free

SCORE's Hawaii Chapter pairs aspiring and current women business owners with free volunteer mentors — retired executives, attorneys, and accountants — who advise on business plans, financing, and operations. Hawaii SCORE chapters run on Oahu and neighbor islands. Online and in-person available.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

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

The SBA Office of Women's Business Ownership funds the Hawaii Women's Business Center and administers the federal WOSB (Women-Owned Small Business) contracting program. The national site explains how a Hawaii woman entrepreneur can get certified and bid on federal contracts — including at military installations across the islands.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

Frequently Asked

How many job & career resources are in Hawaii?
Women's Corner tracks 14 job & career resources for women in Hawaii.
Are job & career resources in Hawaii free?
14 of the 14 listed job & career resources in Hawaii are explicitly free or low-cost.
Which cities in Hawaii have job & career resources?
Listings span cities including Honolulu.
What are some examples of job & career resources in Hawaii?
Featured entries include Hawaii Department of Labor — Workforce Development, Goodwill Industries of Hawaii, SBA Hawaii District Office, Aloha United Way — Financial Stability Programs, CareerOneStop.
Do these listings include phone numbers?
4 of 14 Hawaii 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.