New partnership between NextLadder Ventures and CareerVillage will support learners and the educators helping them navigate a changing world of work
SAN FRANCISCO, October 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CareerVillage today announced a $10M multiyear grant from NextLadder Ventures to expand access to career guidance for young people and strengthen the tools available to the educators and workforce organizations supporting them.
"Too many young people have faced the decisions that will shape careers all on their own — but thanks to the latest advancements in technology, that's changing," said Ryan Rippel, CEO of NextLadder Ventures. "At NextLadder, we see a real opportunity to harness Navigation Technology and the expertise of the professionals who help learners every day to expand access to the quality, personalized career guidance that we know can change lives. And it matters now more than ever, as the future of work changes by the day, and choices about the skills to build, the credentials to pursue, and the first jobs to take can compound over time. That's why we're helping build trusted tools that can provide that support — and our ambition is to make sure these tools become a lasting part of how people find their way into work in the 21st century and build financial security."
Young people are making consequential decisions about their futures in a difficult job market. Recent BLS data show unemployment among workers ages 20 to 24 at 7.1 percent, compared with 4.1 percent overall. As AI reshapes the skills employers seek and the routes into work, young people need reliable guidance on which skills to build, whether to pursue a degree or credential, and how to land a first job. Yet access to that support too often depends on where they go to school, whom their family knows, or whether an overextended counselor has time.
Against that backdrop, CareerVillage launched Coach, a first-of-its-kind AI-powered career coach, in 2024. Designed in collaboration with career educators, workforce leaders, and those actively navigating their own careers. With 1 in 3 young people already using AI for career guidance in today's difficult job market, Coach offers personalized guidance, resume feedback, and mock interview practice across more than 50 coaching activities, from exploring career paths to networking and writing cover letters. Its design draws on decades of research linking career coaching to greater confidence, stronger follow-through, and better career outcomes. While Coach is available to the general public, counselors, career centers, workforce nonprofits, and more can also embed it directly into their websites, build their own apps through an API, or use the Coach web app to assign activities to their learners. To date, Coach has served more than 150,000 people through more than 30 institutional partners in over 120 countries, with 90% of users reporting improved career readiness.
"We want to make sure that career counselors are in the driver's seat supporting their learners," said Jared Chung, Founder and CEO of CareerVillage. " AI-powered career coaching helps people take real action that has real impact on their lives. This investment brings career confidence to everyone."
The two-year grant will fund the biggest upgrade to Coach since its launch. CareerVillage will continue to expand Coach to widgets, text messaging, SMS, and WhatsApp, so learners without reliable computer access can get guidance on their phones. It will also build Coach directly into the learning platforms schools and training programs already use, so learners and educators don't have to adopt a new system. And it will make Coach proactive and personalized: when a learner sets a goal, like applying for a job by Friday, Coach will check in at the right moment with tailored prep and next steps. The grant will also expand CareerVillage's work to measure whether Coach helps people land jobs and raise their earnings, through randomized trials and third-party employment verification.
Career navigation is one of NextLadder Ventures' three initial focus areas. The organization is deploying $1 billion over seven years toward its goal of helping millions of Americans reach their potential by 2040.
SOURCE CareerVillage
Share this article