This public media-powered career exploration project introduces Gen-Z to in-demand careers and career pathways to enter those fields. They hear from experts, apprentices, young people in training and newly employed people in fields where there are job opportunities. A ROC Jobs Explained Advisory Board includes WXXI station staff, BOCES, Workforce Development Programs, experts in environment, manufacturing, construction, apprenticeships, economics and policy to assist the project in making connections for local youth directly to education, training, and job opportunities in their communities. ROC Jobs Explained serves to both inspire and and showcase practical resources for exploring and achieving fulfilling careers.
The national Jobs Explained initiative has a goal to connect directly with teens and young adults to give information about in-demand careers and career pathways via social media videos. With support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, The WNET Group, New York City’s public media station, Jobs Explained has selected ten public media stations from across the country, through a competitive grant process, to produce a critical mass of short-form vertical videos on popular social media platforms, spotlighting in-demand careers in over 10 sectors. WXXI Education has secured multi-year funding for career exploration initiatives since 2011 through American Graduate, which has now become Jobs Explained.
WXXI is proud to be one of the stations selected to participate in this 2-year initiative through 2027, with a focus on jobs in the green sector & sustainability, construction, and manufacturing. Danielle Fuller is WXXI’s Jobs Explained Video Specialist. An NYU film and TV grad, filmmaker, artists, writer, life long athlete, she is the talent behind all the videos for this project. Follow her @ROCjobs_explained on Instagram and TikTok.
Job Explained is part of the American Graduate initiative. During the past 15 years, WXXI Education has secured 3 multi-year grants to focus on career exploration, working with regional partners to advance education and career readiness. By building awareness of career pathways to attain “good jobs.” WXXI has produced over 40 local content videos focused in-demand career sectors that require training beyond high school but less than a four-year degree to get started in the field. Many of these careers have alternative pathways including getting professional certificates in a job skill, apprenticeship, career and technical education while still in high school, community college and on-the-job training or additional training at local university paid for by the employer. The new ROC Jobs Explained are now reaching Gen-Z directly through social media with 150 new video shorts.