New Directions Career Center

What New Directions Career Center does

New Directions Career Center (NDCC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered at 2760 Airport Drive, Suite 125 in Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 1980 as The Displaced Homemaker Program and renamed to its current identity in 2005, NDCC delivers free career development, education, and leadership services targeted at women in central Ohio seeking career transitions, re-entry into the workforce, educational advancement, or civic leadership roles. Its service population includes a dedicated 55+ track through MatureWorks and spans participants from entry-level career planning to graduate-level degrees and nonprofit board placement.

NDCC's core program portfolio is built around four signature cohort programs: YES — Your Employment Success (6-week career planning), E3 — Educate. Empower. Elevate. (9-10 week educational advancement), L.E.A.D. (10-week nonprofit board leadership training), and MatureWorks (employment services for women 55+). Supporting services comprise Workshop Wednesdays, a Digital Skills Bootcamp (15 hours with free Chromebook issuance), Individual Career Counseling, Gather to Grow group sessions, and Financial Wellness services. The organization operates as a traditional nonprofit service provider without any proprietary technology platform — no apps, APIs, SDKs, or AI components disclosed — and conducts all client-facing delivery in-person at its Columbus facility using licensed counseling staff and program coordinators.

Revenue is generated exclusively through philanthropic channels rather than service fees, drawing on individual donations, corporate sponsorships (Huntington Bank, Cardinal Health, Cover My Meds, Nationwide, American Electric Power, Columbia Gas, Vorys, Bank of America, White Castle, Encova Insurance), foundation grants (Siemer, English, Catholic Foundation, Women's Fund of Central Ohio, Van Degna), and United Way funding (since 1997). The Women's Leadership Circle operates as a giving circle with $1,000 annual memberships and a stepped-up onboarding at $500 and $750, while Women of Promise is the organization's premier annual fundraising event. The organization reports that 86% of every dollar raised is directed to programs and services, and maintains a small five-person core staff plus an expanded 11–50 employee range.

Name

New Directions Career Center

Legal name

New Directions Career Center

Website

https://newdirectionscc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

New Directions Career Center is a Columbus, Ohio-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing free career development, education, and leadership programs for women, including YES, E3, L.E.A.D., and MatureWorks initiatives, funded through donations, sponsorships, and United Way support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Career Development and Workforce Services

NAICS

Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Career Services & Career Readiness (EDALABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Career Exploration & Labor Market Readiness (EDAAAKAA), Career Exploration, Interest/Skills Assessment & Pathway Planning (EDAFAMAK), Mentorship & Coaching (Career, Academic, Industry-Specific) (EDAMAKAA), Senior Workforce Transition & Encore Career Learning (Post-retirement work) (EDAAAMAE)

Keywords

• Career counseling services
• Women workforce development
• Job readiness training
• Nonprofit education programs
• Career transition support

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individual supporters to fund career development programs and services for women.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Funding from corporate sponsors including banks, insurance companies, utilities, and foundations to support programming and events.
3. Foundation Grants: Support from family foundations and community foundations including Siemer Family Foundation, English Family Foundation, Catholic Foundation, and others.
4. United Way Funding: Since 1997, the organization has received United Way funding allowing for program expansion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

New Directions Career Center delivers free career development, educational planning, and employment-readiness programs specifically for women in central Ohio. Its portfolio includes multi-week signature programs (YES, E3, L.E.A.D., MatureWorks), one-on-one career counseling, group support sessions, financial wellness services, and digital skills workshops, all delivered in-person at its Columbus facility.

Product overview

New Directions Career Center is a nonprofit career development organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and services. The core programs include YES (6-week career program), E3 (9-week educational program), L.E.A.D. (10-week board leadership training), and MatureWorks (career services for women 55+). Supporting services include Workshop Wednesdays, Digital Skills Bootcamp, Individual Career Counseling, Gather to Grow sessions, and Financial Wellness services. The Women's Leadership Circle provides membership-based community engagement, while Women of Promise is the annual fundraising event. All programs are free of cost to participants and focus on empowering women to achieve career success and financial independence.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• YES (Your Employment Success): A six-week career program that allows participants to create a customized career plan and focus on goal setting, career exploration, self marketing and self compassion.
• E3 (Educate. Empower. Elevate.)
• L.E.A.D.
• MatureWorks
• Women's Leadership Circle (WLC)

Products and services

• YES (Your Employment Success)

Quantifiable outcome

• Average annual salary increase of $17,000 (based on $8.33/hour wage increase)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Columbus State Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner since 1993. The Center moved onto their campus and collaborated on educational programs. Students referred to Columbus State for degree completion.
• Goodwill ColumbusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership established in 2008. Goodwill Columbus assumed administration of the Clothing Closet, expanding hours from 18 to 60+ per week and allowing NDCC to focus on core mission.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Goodwill Columbus: Regional workforce-development nonprofit already partnered with NDCC on the Clothing Closet; operates employment placement, reskilling, and career services for similar populations in the same Columbus market.
• YWCA Columbus: Local women's empowerment nonprofit offering workforce development, leadership programs, and supportive services to women in central Ohio — overlapping client population and corporate sponsor base.
• Columbus State Community College Workforce Innovation: Long-time NDCC collaborator (since 1993) operating its own short-term credential, career, and community education programs; competes for similar employer relationships and tuition-free funding streams.
• Dress for Success Columbus: National nonprofit with a Columbus affiliate focused specifically on women's economic independence, professional clothing, and career development — a direct comparable for both mission and client base.

Emerging players

• Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing tuition-free tech and professional skills training with employment placement — comparable career-readiness outcomes and employer-pipeline model, though more tech-focused.

Broad incumbents

• Year Up: Large national workforce-development nonprofit offering career training and corporate placement; comparable in mission and outcome rigor, but at materially greater scale and with employer-paid revenue model.
• AARP Foundation BACK TO WORK 50+: National program targeting the same 55+ returning-to-work population as NDCC's MatureWorks, with online training and employer partnerships; a direct competitive and partnership candidate for the mature-worker segment.

Regional players

• Catholic Charities Columbus: Regional social services and workforce-readiness provider with employment, education, and case management programs; competes for similar corporate and foundation funding in central Ohio.
• Jewish Family Services Columbus: Regional social services nonprofit offering employment support, career coaching, and case management in the Columbus market — adjacent client population and donor base.

Others

• Catalyst: Global nonprofit advancing women in the workplace through research and employer partnerships; comparable mission and corporate-sponsor base, with a research/advocacy rather than direct-service model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/NewDirectionsCC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/new-directions-career-center
• Instagraminstagram.com/newdirectionscc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about New Directions Career Center