Best Job & Career in Arizona — 16 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 Arizona

Arizona handles custody (called 'legal decision-making' and 'parenting time') in superior courts across all 15 counties. The Division of Child Support Services operates under DES. Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, and Chandler are the largest metros. Community Legal Services, Southern Arizona Legal Aid, and the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence support women statewide.

16 Resources

1. Arizona Women's Education & Employment — AWEE — Free

AWEE at 640 N 1st Ave in Phoenix has placed Arizona women in jobs since 1981 with industry-specific cohorts in healthcare, customer service, IT, and construction. Programs include the Women's Conference annually drawing 1,000+ attendees. Call 602-223-4333 to attend an info session.

602-223-4333 · 640 N 1st Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85003 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm

2. Goodwill of Central & Northern Arizona — Free

Goodwill's career centers run from 2626 W Beryl in Phoenix and 60+ retail-store locations across central and northern Arizona, offering free job-search workshops, resume help, computer access, and digital-skills training. No income requirement. Call 602-535-4444.

602-535-4444 · 2626 W Beryl Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85021 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

3. Chicanos Por La Causa — Employment Services — Free

CPLC at 1402 S 7th Ave in Phoenix is Arizona's largest Latino-serving nonprofit, with workforce programs especially strong in healthcare CNA training, retail, and re-entry employment. Bilingual staff. Call 602-257-0700.

602-257-0700 · 1402 S 7th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85007 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

4. Arizona Department of Economic Security — Jobs — Free

DES at 1789 W Jefferson administers unemployment insurance, the Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment program, and oversees Arizona@Work workforce regions. Apply for UI through the DES portal; weekly certifications required. Call 602-542-4791.

602-542-4791 · 1789 W Jefferson St, Phoenix, AZ 85007 · Mon-Fri 7am-5pm · Visit Website

5. SER Jobs for Progress — Arizona — Free

SER's Tempe office focuses on Latina women and older workers (55+) through the Senior Community Service Employment Program. Provides paid training placements with local nonprofits as a bridge to permanent employment. Call 480-966-8770.

480-966-8770 · Tempe, AZ · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

6. Arizona Small Business Development Center — Free

AZSBDC's network of advisors across the 10 Maricopa Community Colleges and other host campuses provide free one-on-one counseling on business plans, financing, marketing, and licensing. Especially helpful for moms launching home-based businesses. Call 480-731-8720.

480-731-8720 · 2411 W 14th St, Tempe, AZ 85281 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

7. CareerOneStop — Free

DOL-sponsored portal with Arizona-specific labor-market info, the My Next Move career assessment, and a credentials directory showing where to earn an Arizona-approved certification. Free and no account required.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

8. America's Job Centers — Free

Arizona has 30+ American Job Centers operating as Arizona@Work workforce centers across all 15 counties. Walk in for resume help, training-program enrollment, and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act-funded skill development.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

9. DOL Women's Bureau — Free

The Women's Bureau publishes free data tools on Arizona-women's earnings by occupation, pay equity, and pregnancy-discrimination rights — useful when negotiating salary or filing a discrimination complaint with the EEOC's Phoenix district office.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

10. Dress for Success — Free

Dress for Success operates in Phoenix at 2045 W Camelback and through partner agencies statewide, providing referral-based interview suiting and career-coaching. Mothers entering the workforce often access this service through AWEE, Goodwill, or DV-shelter referrals.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

11. Bottomless Closet — Free

Career-and-clothing nonprofit primarily based on East Coast but with online career-development resources and a referral network that includes Arizona partners. Particularly strong on interview skills and salary negotiation.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

12. Year Up — Free

Year Up Greater Phoenix is the local chapter of this 12-month workforce-training program for young adults 18-29, leading to corporate internships at partners like American Express, JPMorgan, and Wells Fargo. Stipends paid during training.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

13. Goodwill Career Services — Free

Beyond the central-AZ Goodwill, Goodwill of Southern Arizona serves Pima and surrounding counties from Tucson with similar career services — free resume help, computer access, and customer-service training paths. Locations across both metros.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

14. Women Employed — Free

Chicago-based but with Arizona-relevant national advocacy on the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, salary-history bans, and child-care access — all topics affecting working moms in Phoenix and Tucson. Free policy briefings and toolkits.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

15. SCORE — Free Business Mentors — Free

SCORE's Phoenix and Tucson chapters offer free one-on-one mentoring with retired business owners — practical hands-on help with QuickBooks, pricing, and Arizona LLC paperwork. Especially useful for moms launching side hustles or freelance work.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

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

SBA OWBO funds Arizona Women's Business Centers (Phoenix, Yuma, Tucson partners) that offer free business counseling, training, and access to capital for women-owned firms. Includes 8(a) and WOSB federal-contracting certification help.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

Frequently Asked

How many job & career resources are in Arizona?
Women's Corner tracks 16 job & career resources for women in Arizona.
Are job & career resources in Arizona free?
16 of the 16 listed job & career resources in Arizona are explicitly free or low-cost.
Which cities in Arizona have job & career resources?
Listings span cities including Phoenix, Tempe.
What are some examples of job & career resources in Arizona?
Featured entries include Arizona Women's Education & Employment — AWEE, Goodwill of Central & Northern Arizona, Chicanos Por La Causa — Employment Services, Arizona Department of Economic Security — Jobs, SER Jobs for Progress — Arizona.
Do these listings include phone numbers?
6 of 16 Arizona 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.