Best Job & Career in North Dakota — 13 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 North Dakota

North Dakota district courts handle family matters across seven judicial districts. The Child Support Division operates under DHHS. Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, and Minot are the largest cities. Legal Services of North Dakota and CAWS North Dakota (the statewide DV coalition) provide civil legal aid and safety services to women.

13 Resources

1. Job Service North Dakota — Free

Job Service ND at 1000 E Divide in Bismarck operates the state's American Job Centers, administers unemployment insurance, and provides free career counseling, resume help, and skills training referrals through the WIOA program. Call 701-328-2825 Mon-Fri or visit jobsnd.com to post a resume on the state job bank used by ND employers.

701-328-2825 · 1000 E Divide Ave, Bismarck, ND 58501 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

2. Goodwill Industries — ND — Free

Goodwill of Northern New England (which covers ND) and local Goodwill stores in Fargo, Grand Forks, and Bismarck offer free job training, interview prep, and direct-hire placement. Programs include the Project Skill Up apprenticeship in retail and warehouse work, ideal for ND mothers re-entering the workforce. Call 701-235-4592 Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.

701-235-4592 · Fargo, ND · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

3. ND Small Business Development Centers — Free

ND SBDC's lead center at UND in Grand Forks plus 9 regional offices provide free one-on-one business consulting to women entrepreneurs. Specialties include capital access, business-plan development, and SBA loan packaging. Call 701-777-3700 Mon-Fri to be assigned to a counselor; ND SBDC has helped launch hundreds of women-owned businesses.

701-777-3700 · Grand Forks, ND · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm

4. CareerOneStop — Free

CareerOneStop, sponsored by the US Department of Labor, hosts the American Job Center locator, free skill assessments, occupational profiles with ND-specific wage data, and the My Next Move career-exploration tool. Mothers can identify which trades and certifications offer the highest ND wages and which employers are hiring locally.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

5. America's Job Centers — Free

America's Job Centers (AJCs) provide in-person career help including resume coaching, interview prep, and direct referrals to WIOA-funded training. ND has AJCs in Fargo, Grand Forks, Bismarck, Minot, Williston, and Devils Lake under the Job Service ND umbrella. Walk-ins welcome; appointments recommended for individualized counseling.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

6. DOL Women's Bureau — Free

The US Department of Labor's Women's Bureau publishes ND-specific data on women's earnings, occupations, and the gender wage gap. Reports on women in registered apprenticeships, equal pay enforcement, and pregnancy discrimination give ND mothers tools to negotiate raises and recognize unlawful treatment. All publications free at dol.gov/agencies/wb.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

7. Dress for Success — Free

Dress for Success affiliates serve women re-entering the workforce with free interview-appropriate clothing, a styled outfit for the first day on the job, and ongoing career coaching through the Professional Women's Group. ND mothers can be referred by partner agencies (Goodwill, WIOA programs, DV shelters); find the nearest affiliate at dressforsuccess.org.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

8. Bottomless Closet — Free

Bottomless Closet offers free interview attire and career development to women transitioning to employment. The model — one outfit for the interview, a week of work clothes once hired, then ongoing coaching — fits ND mothers exiting DV shelter, welfare-to-work programs, or incarceration. Eligibility through partner agency referral.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

9. Year Up — Free

Year Up's free year-long career training serves young adults 18-29 with a six-month classroom phase followed by a six-month corporate internship paid as a stipend. Graduates earn industry credentials and over 90% are hired into full-time jobs. While there is no ND campus, the Year Up Professional Training Corps is delivered virtually with regional anchor employers.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

10. Goodwill Career Services — Free

Goodwill's national career-services framework (separate from retail operations) provides free training, GED prep, and digital-skills coaching to job-seeking adults. ND mothers can use any Goodwill Career Center walk-in; goodwill.org has the locator. Training is often funded by WIOA, the SNAP E&T program, or employer partnerships.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

11. Women Employed — Free

Women Employed advocates for fair workplaces and provides free career navigation services and educational materials on negotiating salary, accessing job training, and using education tax credits. Their student-debt and career-pathway research is particularly relevant for ND mothers stacking credentials at community college while working.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

12. SCORE — Free Business Mentors — Free

SCORE is the largest free business-mentor network in the US, with chapters in Fargo, Bismarck, and Grand Forks staffed by retired ND executives. Mothers starting a business can request unlimited 1:1 mentoring sessions and attend free workshops on bookkeeping, marketing, and capital access. Sign up at score.org.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

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

The SBA Office of Women's Business Ownership coordinates Women's Business Centers, the WOSB federal contracting certification, and the InnovateHER competitions. ND women business owners can certify as WOSB at certify.sba.gov to access set-aside federal contracts — a significant opportunity given ND's federal installations and Indian Health Service contracts.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

Frequently Asked

How many job & career resources are in North Dakota?
Women's Corner tracks 13 job & career resources for women in North Dakota.
Are job & career resources in North Dakota free?
13 of the 13 listed job & career resources in North Dakota are explicitly free or low-cost.
Which cities in North Dakota have job & career resources?
Listings span cities including Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks.
What are some examples of job & career resources in North Dakota?
Featured entries include Job Service North Dakota, Goodwill Industries — ND, ND Small Business Development Centers, CareerOneStop, America's Job Centers.
Do these listings include phone numbers?
3 of 13 North Dakota 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.