Finding a job — or finding the right job — can often be a challenge. However, connecting with a professional career counselor who can provide not only lists of available job openings but also guidance in navigating the process can be the key to success, especially for those who have struggled with meaningful employment in the past.
Enter Project EM, an initiative of grantee Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies, which takes a personalized approach to addressing this issue. Through 19 participating agencies, the effort pairs expert career counselors with individuals who are unemployed or underemployed — from anywhere in the country regardless of background or education level — to assist them in navigating the job search process. Think: A virtual nationwide career fair aimed at ensuring people can get the support they need to get a job, or a better one, no matter where they live or are on their career path.
“Project EM increased access to vital resources for career guidance and support, especially for communities without nearby agencies offering such programs,” said Jon Hornstein, who leads the Foundation’s grantmaking in the U.S. Jewish community. “By combining the strengths of each participating agency, the initiative has helped more people start a career and reach their goals.”
Take June, for example, a 65-year-old survivor of domestic abuse who struggled to find gainful employment after her divorce. Through Project EM, June met with a career counselor, who also is a licensed clinical social worker. This relationship kept June motivated and helped her address mental health challenges. She eventually developed essential job skills and received financial assistance that allowed her to earn a doula certification and successfully build her own business.
Project EM supports all job seekers, from entry-level roles to executive positions. It fills a gap in workforce development, providing reliable career counseling for those who have previously lacked access. The initiative supports talent pathways for regional and national companies, focusing on individuals in rural areas, people with disabilities, women returning to the workforce, and older workers.
What Project EM offers
In addition to providing employer connections, Project EM offers free interactive workshops, technical skills training, financial literacy sessions, stress-reduction classes, resume writing assistance, and personalized career coaching. Recently, some of the more popular courses include Microsoft Office suite, guidance for older adults on reentering the workforce and addressing ageism, and tips for finding remote jobs.
In 2024, the Network offered more than a thousand workshops with nearly 12,000 attendees, and nearly all (99%) said they found the workshops beneficial. Of the 3,906 job seekers who received career counseling, 80% of those who completed the program found employment.
Project EM also provides holistic services to its clients, such as mental health counseling that focuses on anxieties around job loss as well as help with access to public programs that they qualify for but perhaps have never used (e.g., the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).
“The Project EM model is collaborative, not competitive,” said Sarah Welch, chief strategy and business development officer at the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies. “We believe you can’t successfully search for a job if you are food or housing insecure, so by meeting all the needs of an individual, we are allowing them to move on to self-sufficiency, which really is what we are focused on.”
One such client is Naomi, who faced overwhelming challenges in her job search: limited English proficiency and a lack of professional connections or familiarity with local services. Through Project EM, she completed language classes, learned about support programs, and took professional development workshops. Today, she is a community outreach coordinator at a local nonprofit helping others navigate the same hurdles she once faced.
From pandemic disruption to national workforce access
The idea for Project EM was hatched as a result of the massive amounts of job loss during the pandemic, when unemployment rates peaked at 14.8% in April 2020, and from the positive consequences of increased virtual offerings during this time period. The Foundation has supported the initiative since its launch in 2021.
“When local programs went virtual during the pandemic, people joined from around the country, and the Network realized the opportunities that this platform was providing, which remain critical today for those living in remote areas that lack direct access to resources,” Hornstein said. “This initiative also provides the necessary tools — the collection and reporting of evaluation and measurement data — to create a standard across agencies that will ultimately benefit the entire sector.”
Setting new standards for tracking employment outcomes
Project EM also is improving how participating agencies measure what they do. For example, all agencies must track placement and retention data (i.e., how many people find employment and how long they stay at their jobs).
Project EM first collected retention data in 2024 and found that more than half (58%) of former clients have remained employed for a year or longer, and nearly a third (30%) have received a salary increase in their new role.
An initiative built to evolve with the economy
As funding sources grow, so do the possibilities of increasing access for more individuals and to more sector-specific training in areas such as health care, manufacturing, and information technology, as well as technical training that provides industry-recognized credentials. For example, Project EM is working closely with CVS to provide specialized training for pharmacy technicians.
Even now, with the pandemic in the rear-view mirror, Project EM remains relevant and necessary. With federal government layoffs, for example, it quickly pivoted to offering workshops in transitioning from the government to the private sector to help individuals negatively affected by the current economic climate. In addition, after Oct. 7, many Jewish individuals preferred to receive services from Jewish agencies due to rising antisemitism. Project EM fills that need, offering employment services that are tailored to the Jewish culture and community.
“Project EM is nimble and adjusts to meet the moment,” Welch said.
