What Is Your Next Step?

Here you’ll discover tools to explore careers that match your skills and interests, learn which fields are in demand in San Diego County, and find practical steps you can take today to move toward a career you’ll thrive in.

Toolbox

Access workshops, learning tools and career resources designed to support Your Next Step.

Career development ›

Register for a free live workshop with our learning experts

Get on-demand training ›

Instantly access video training

Resume builder ›

Create a free Career Coach account to build your resume

Household budget calculator ›

Determine your household’s true cost of living

For teachers and career advisors ›

Find resources to support your students and customers

Planning the next move in your career?

It’s more than just finding your next job. To support you in achieving your goals, Your Next Step helps connect what you know, love and need with what employers are seeking. Follow our recommended journey to build a vision and plan for your next career step, whether you are still in school, just starting out or looking to make a career change.

Step

1

1

Your Purpose

A compass for when you aren’t sure what to do next.

Step

2

2

Your Interests

Learn to organize your interests to find the ideal career fit.

Step

3

3

Careers

Use your interests and priorities to match with promising careers.

Step

4

4

Industries

Find the types of companies where you will thrive.

Step

5

4

Training Programs

Explore programs designed specifically to train you for a new career in one of San Diego’s thriving priority industries.

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6

6

SDWP Programs

Our programs help job seekers achieve their career goals. Browse SDWP’s current program offerings and what they have to offer.

Ready to look for a job?

Explore the job search resources below and when you find a job (or many) that align with your needs, we can help you prepare to apply and interview.

Job Postings

Check out a helpful list of San Diego-focused job boards to find your next opportunity.

Visit a Career Center

Career navigators can help you find an opportunity that fits your needs and plan how to get there.

Events & Workshops

Practice your interview skills, get a resume review or attend a free resource and job fair.

Learn from other people’s experiences in the workforce

“My path into electrical engineering was non-traditional; in high school I didn’t even have a 3.0 GPA, and I essentially just got good enough grades to play football. Being an engineer wasn’t in my thought process at all, but I did like to put in car audio systems for all my friends.”

Derrick Johnson, Information & Communication Technologies and Digital Media

“Find out what you like and what you are interested in. There are so many different pathways you can take, whether it be mechanical, aviation or electrical. Try to get exposure to a variety of technical fields and find your passion.”

Thomas Saenz, Information & Communication Technologies and Digital Media

“I grew up in Argentina and, from elementary school through early high school, I loved art and science. In high school, the science classes were so dry and disconnected from my interests that they killed my love for science for a while. I stayed very engaged with the arts, so I started studying fine arts when I finished high school. After a few years, I started being curious about science again, so I signed up to take some physics courses at the University of Buenos Aires.”

Victor Minces, Education & Human Development

“I always tell people that Legos were my bread and butter growing up and I don’t know where I would be without Legos. When I was really young, my passion for engineering started by playing with Lego bricks. After school, as far back as I can remember, I loved coming home and playing with my Legos. I remember when Lego came out with Mindstorm, which let you create your own robot with different sensors, it really sparked my interest in robotics and the power it can have.”

Gabriel Rodriguez, Advanced Manufacturing
Working as
a teen ›

I am a young person looking for my first job or I want to plan my future career.

Working in
the U.S. ›

I moved to the United States and I want to work.

Working with
a background ›

I am a returning citizen and looking for work.

Working after
military service ›

I am transitioning to civilian life after serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Toolbox

These resources pair with the Your Next Step program and will help you to plan and execute the next steps in your work life.

Career Development ›

Attend a live workshop with our learning experts

Computer skills ›

Use self-paced tutorials to improve your skills for job search success.

Get on-demand training ›

Instantly access video training

Resume builder ›

Create your resume

For teachers and career advisors ›

Find resources to support your students and customers