Mayor Bowser Launches AI-Driven Career Platform to Enhance Career Opportunities for Residents

(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser, the Department of Employment Services (DOES), and the technology company Eightfold AI launched Career Ready DC, a new AI-matching technology platform that will assist DC residents with getting matched to employment opportunities across the region.  
 
“The benefits of Career Ready DC are two-fold: it will provide residents with the ability to find a position based on their unique skills and it will provide our employers with a pipeline of strong candidates,” said Mayor Bowser. “As we explore the benefits and uses of artificial intelligence and how we can harness AI technology to streamline services, we are excited about this new opportunity to support residents by making their job search more efficient and equitable.” 
 
Career Ready DC is a free service that will allow residents to discover job and career opportunities based on their individual work experience and skills. The platform will also provide employers with a pipeline of talented candidates. The AI-technology will include personalized features that make the experience of finding a job or finding an employee much easier, more user-friendly, and more strategic. This technology will: 

• Reduce bias in the hiring process by matching employer roles based on applicant skills;
• Create custom resumes; 
• Suggest jobs the applicant is qualified for and skills that the applicant could obtain to be matched to other employment pathways;
• Tracks where applicants have applied and where they were employed;
• Use intelligence and automation throughout the entire hiring process to keep candidates engaged and informed about open positions. 
• “Eightfold AI is proud to partner with DC in providing residents the ability to connect employers and jobseekers with no friction,” said Dan Hopkins, VP, Global Public Sector & Applied A.I. at Eightfold. “Career Ready DC will reduce bias in the hiring process by focusing specifically on matching prospect's skills with employer needs, and subsequently create family-sustaining career paths.”

“I am excited about this transformative partnership with Eightfold AI to construct a cutting-edge system for DC Government,” said DOES Director Dr. Unique Morris-Hughes. “Our collaboration is committed to innovation, efficiency, and equitable opportunities. We are not just building a platform but a pathway for residents to thrive and building a workforce that mirrors the diversity of our nation's capital.”

Career Ready DC launches today and will initially open to residents who are enrolled with DC Networks, the District’s job board site that provides jobseekers, training providers, employers, and UI applicants with 24-hour access to the District’s workforce development resources. Select residents who are already enrolled with DC Networks will receive an automatic email from a DOES Workforce Development Specialist to access the portal. The DOES Workforce Development Specialist will continue to work one-on-one with the resident throughout the process to help troubleshoot any issues. The DOES Workforce Specialist will also be able to see which jobs residents apply for and will send them recommendations of where to apply every few weeks. 

For residents who are not already part of DC Networks, they may register online at DCNetworks.org or go to their closest American Job Center to register in-person. Residents who wish to visit the American Job Center in person may visit one of the four locations listed on www.does.dc.gov or contact DOES by phone at (202) 724-7000 from Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.  
 

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