How many job & career resources are in Arkansas?

Women's Corner tracks 15 job & career resources for women in Arkansas.

Are job & career resources in Arkansas free?

15 of the 15 listed job & career resources in Arkansas are explicitly free or low-cost.

Which cities in Arkansas have job & career resources?

Listings span cities including Little Rock, Springdale.

What are some examples of job & career resources in Arkansas?

Featured entries include Arkansas Division of Workforce Services, Goodwill Industries of Arkansas — Job Training, Arkansas Women's Business Center, Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund — Career, Our House — Little Rock Employment Program.

Do these listings include phone numbers?

5 of 15 Arkansas 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 $1,000 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.

Best Job & Career in Arkansas — 15 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 Arkansas

Arkansas circuit courts hear family law matters in all 75 counties, with the Office of Child Support Enforcement under the Department of Finance and Administration. Little Rock, Fort Smith, Fayetteville, and Springdale are the largest metros. Legal Aid of Arkansas, the Center for Arkansas Legal Services, and the Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence provide help to women.

15 Resources

1. Arkansas Division of Workforce Services — Free

DWS runs the state's American Job Center network and administers unemployment insurance, the Reemployment Services Program, and the WIOA workforce training grants from the Capitol Mall office in Little Rock. Mothers re-entering the workforce can sign up for ArkansasJobLink, the state's free job board, and meet with a career counselor at a local Workforce Center.

855-225-4440 · 2 Capitol Mall, Little Rock, AR 72201 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm · Visit Website

2. Goodwill Industries of Arkansas — Job Training — Free

Goodwill Arkansas on Scott Hamilton Drive in Little Rock runs free job-training programs in retail, customer service, transportation, and other in-demand fields. The Career Centers also provide computer access, resume help, and interview clothing through onsite stock. Donations to Goodwill stores fund the programs, so no fees are charged to participants.

501-372-5100 · 7400 Scott Hamilton Dr, Little Rock, AR 72209 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

3. Arkansas Women's Business Center — Free

The Arkansas Women's Business Center, hosted by the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center, provides free counseling, training, and access to capital for women entrepreneurs. They host workshops on business plan development, government contracting, and microloan options. Statewide service with intake through the Little Rock office.

501-882-4684 · Little Rock, AR · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

4. Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund — Career — Free

ASPSF on East Emma Avenue in Springdale awards scholarships to single mothers and fathers across all 75 Arkansas counties. Beyond the cash award, they connect scholars with career coaches, financial counselors, and a network of fellow scholars. Recipients persist and graduate at rates well above the state's adult-learner average.

479-927-1402 · 614 E Emma Ave Suite 119, Springdale, AR 72764 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

5. Our House — Little Rock Employment Program — Free

Our House on East Roosevelt Road in Little Rock is best known as a working-homeless shelter, but the agency's employment program serves both shelter residents and the broader community. Job coaches help with resumes, interview prep, and job placement; the Career Center workshops cover financial literacy and workplace readiness. Free for participants.

501-374-7383 · 302 E Roosevelt Rd, Little Rock, AR 72206 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

6. CareerOneStop — Free

CareerOneStop, sponsored by the US Department of Labor, hosts career-exploration tools, salary look-ups by Arkansas occupation, and the American Job Center locator. Mothers researching new fields can use the My Next Move assessment to match interests with current Arkansas labor-market data. All tools are free.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

7. America's Job Centers — Free

American Job Centers in Arkansas operate in every major region including Little Rock, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Jonesboro, Pine Bluff, and Hot Springs. Centers offer free in-person career counseling, resume review, computer and internet access, and connections to WIOA training funds. Many AJCs co-locate with TANF and SNAP services.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

8. DOL Women's Bureau — Free

The DOL Women's Bureau publishes Arkansas-specific data on women's employment, wages, and occupational distribution. The Bureau also funds grants supporting women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations. Useful when mothers want to research pay equity or build a case for nontraditional career training.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

9. Dress for Success — Free

The national Dress for Success site links to affiliates including Dress for Success Little Rock. Beyond clothing, the organization offers the Going Places Network for unemployed women, the Career Center curriculum, and the Professional Women's Group for ongoing career support. Free to women referred by partner agencies.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

10. Bottomless Closet — Free

Bottomless Closet is a New York-based nonprofit similar to Dress for Success that has partnered with Arkansas programs to ship interview-appropriate clothing to women who lack a local affiliate. The organization also publishes a free interview preparation guide and resume templates downloadable through the website.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

11. Year Up — Free

Year Up provides a free one-year intensive career-training program for young adults age 18-29, including six months of training plus a six-month corporate apprenticeship with a partner employer. Year Up doesn't have an Arkansas physical campus but admits remote participants for select tracks. Stipends during training help cover living costs.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

12. Goodwill Career Services — Free

Goodwill's national career-services network includes Goodwill Arkansas plus all 154 Goodwill regional organizations. Online tools include the Goodwill Community Foundation's free LearnFree.org coursework on computer skills, math, work skills, and core academics. All courses are free and self-paced.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

13. Women Employed — Free

Women Employed is a Chicago-based advocacy and direct-services nonprofit focused on improving women's economic security. Their resources include free career-navigation tools, a guide to negotiating raises, and policy briefs on family-friendly workplace policies. Useful for mothers researching their rights under FMLA and pregnancy accommodation laws.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

14. SCORE — Free Business Mentors — Free

SCORE chapters in Little Rock, Northwest Arkansas, and Fort Smith provide free mentoring from retired and active business executives. Workshops on business plan development, marketing, and financing run monthly. Useful for women entrepreneurs at any stage from idea to scaling. Mentoring relationships can extend over months or years.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

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

The SBA Office of Women's Business Ownership funds Women's Business Centers including the Arkansas WBC. The national site also publishes guides on accessing SBA loans, federal contracting opportunities for woman-owned small businesses, and the WOSB certification process for federal procurement preferences.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

Frequently Asked

How many job & career resources are in Arkansas?: Women's Corner tracks 15 job & career resources for women in Arkansas.
Are job & career resources in Arkansas free?: 15 of the 15 listed job & career resources in Arkansas are explicitly free or low-cost.
Which cities in Arkansas have job & career resources?: Listings span cities including Little Rock, Springdale.
What are some examples of job & career resources in Arkansas?: Featured entries include Arkansas Division of Workforce Services, Goodwill Industries of Arkansas — Job Training, Arkansas Women's Business Center, Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund — Career, Our House — Little Rock Employment Program.
Do these listings include phone numbers?: 5 of 15 Arkansas 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.