Best Job & Career in Kansas — 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 Kansas

Kansas district courts handle family matters in each of its 31 judicial districts. The Child Support Services division operates under the Department for Children and Families. Wichita, Kansas City KS, Overland Park, and Topeka are the largest cities. Kansas Legal Services and the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence provide statewide help for women.

14 Resources

1. Kansas Works — State Workforce Centers — Free

KANSASWORKS at 401 SW Topeka Boulevard administers Kansas's American Job Centers, offering free WIOA-funded career counseling, training grants, and Re-Employment Services after a job loss. The toll-free line at 877-509-6757 directs callers to their regional workforce center.

877-509-6757 · 401 SW Topeka Blvd, Topeka, KS 66603 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

2. Goodwill Industries of Kansas — Free

Goodwill Industries of Kansas, based in Wichita, runs career navigation, paid on-the-job training, and reentry programming across south-central Kansas. Many participants transition into Goodwill employment or partner-employer placements through the Pathways program. Phone 316-744-9291.

316-744-9291 · Wichita, KS · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

3. Kansas Women's Business Center — Free

The Kansas Women's Business Center, based in Wichita and partnered with the SBA, offers free one-on-one counseling, cohort training, and lender prep for women considering, starting, or scaling a business. Schedule via 316-771-6556. Common services include the WBC Foundations course and certification as a Women-Owned Small Business.

316-771-6556 · Wichita, KS · Mon-Fri 9am-5pm

4. Full Employment Council — Kansas City — Free

The Full Employment Council is the workforce development board for the Kansas City bistate region, operating the federal American Job Center model with WIOA-funded skills training and employer connections. The KCK office at 913-321-0100 takes intake calls.

913-321-0100 · Kansas City, KS · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

5. CareerOneStop — Free

CareerOneStop is the Department of Labor's flagship career portal aggregating skills assessments, occupation outlooks, and local training program directories. Kansas users can search for in-demand careers by region and find related WIOA-funded training providers with completion-rate data.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

6. America's Job Centers — Free

American Job Centers — KANSASWORKS in this state — provide federally funded workforce services free of charge. The national locator at careeronestop.org/AmericanJobCenters returns the nearest AJC by ZIP, useful for women near state borders who may find Kansas or a neighboring state's center more accessible.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

7. DOL Women's Bureau — Free

The Women's Bureau within the US Department of Labor publishes employment data on women, runs grant programs targeting women in apprenticeship and nontraditional careers, and operates the WORK initiative connecting caregiving-supportive employers. Kansas is a participating state with active grantees.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

8. Dress for Success — Free

Dress for Success operates 140+ affiliates worldwide including Wichita, providing job-ready interview suits and Professional Women's Group programming to clients referred by workforce agencies. The national site explains the referral process and lists each affiliate's intake hours.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

9. Bottomless Closet — Free

Bottomless Closet originated in New York and now has affiliates in several cities providing professional wardrobe and mock interview prep for women returning to or entering the workforce. While Kansas has no Bottomless Closet affiliate, online resources are accessible to anyone.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

10. Year Up — Free

Year Up's year-long workforce training program for adults 18-29 combines six months of skills training with a six-month corporate internship, with stipends throughout. Kansas students participate through online cohorts as Year Up does not have a brick-and-mortar campus in the state.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

11. Goodwill Career Services — Free

Goodwill operates more than 150 regional networks including three Kansas Goodwills — Kansas (Wichita), Western Missouri & Eastern Kansas, and others — providing free career services, vocational rehabilitation, and computer access. The national locator finds the nearest center.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

12. Women Employed — Free

Women Employed is a Chicago-based advocacy organization that helps women navigate community college, financial aid, and career advancement. Their tools on stackable credentials and credit-for-prior-learning are accessible to Kansas women online and inform policy work in many Midwestern states.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

13. SCORE — Free Business Mentors — Free

SCORE pairs aspiring and current business owners with free, vetted volunteer mentors — most retired executives in their field — for unlimited mentoring sessions. Kansas has active SCORE chapters in Wichita, Kansas City, and the Manhattan/Junction City area. Sessions take place by video or in person.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

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

OWBO funds the Women's Business Center network including the Kansas WBC and administers the federal Women-Owned Small Business certification needed to compete for set-aside federal contracts. The office publishes guidance on accessing capital and government procurement specifically for women-owned firms.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

Frequently Asked

How many job & career resources are in Kansas?
Women's Corner tracks 14 job & career resources for women in Kansas.
Are job & career resources in Kansas free?
14 of the 14 listed job & career resources in Kansas are explicitly free or low-cost.
Which cities in Kansas have job & career resources?
Listings span cities including Topeka, Wichita, Kansas City.
What are some examples of job & career resources in Kansas?
Featured entries include Kansas Works — State Workforce Centers, Goodwill Industries of Kansas, Kansas Women's Business Center, Full Employment Council — Kansas City, CareerOneStop.
Do these listings include phone numbers?
4 of 14 Kansas 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.