NOVAworks

What NOVAworks does

NOVAworks is a non-profit workforce development organization founded in 1983 and headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, operating as the federally designated workforce development entity for San Mateo County and seven cities in Santa Clara County (Cupertino, Los Altos, Milpitas, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Santa Clara, and Sunnyvale) through the American Job Center of California (AJCC) network. The organization serves two principal customer segments: employers seeking talent acquisition, outplacement, HR consulting, and employee training support, and career seekers (including young adults, veterans, and career changers) receiving career advising, skills training, job search workshops, and networking opportunities. All services are provided free of charge to both businesses and individuals.

The organization's service portfolio spans business services (talent acquisition, outplacement, employee training), career seeker services (career advising, training, veteran services, workshops, weekly Connections networking), and young adult services (career exploration, job search tools, paid internships, financial aid). Supporting resources include the MyPlan career planning tool and industry reports. NOVAworks has no proprietary technology products and operates using standard case management systems typical of American Job Centers. Recent programmatic additions include the Whole Person Project (an experiment integrating housing stability, childcare, mental health, and financial coaching into workforce support, run through the NOVAworks Launch Lab innovation arm) and the Healthcare Occupational Skills Training Program Inventory, a comprehensive regional resource.

The business model is entirely grant-funded: 100% of the organization's $6,434,937 in annual funding flows from the U.S. Department of Labor through Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) awards, disclosed per the Stevens Amendment. NOVAworks is not a commercial entity and generates no product or service revenue. Distribution is hybrid, combining the Sunnyvale AJCC headquarters, an extensive Zoom-based virtual workshop calendar, in-person workshops, and community-embedded service points at libraries, airports, colleges, and universities. Marketing channels include direct employer outreach, industry sector panels, content publishing through an Insights blog, and community partnerships anchored in regional stakeholder relationships.

Name

NOVAworks

Legal name

NOVAworks

Website

https://novaworks.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NOVAworks is a non-profit, federally funded workforce development organization operating as the designated American Job Center for San Mateo County and seven Santa Clara County cities. It provides free career advising, training, and recruitment services to job seekers and employers, funded entirely by U.S. Department of Labor WIOA grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Workforce Development Programs (WIOA/One-Stop Career Centers) (EDAAAOAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Employment & Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Programs (EDAAAOAI), Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ), Workforce & Job-Seeker Services (Community-Based) (EDAAAFAM)

Keywords

• Workforce development services
• Employment training programs
• Career advising services
• Talent acquisition support
• Community workforce partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Sunnyvale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Federal Workforce Development Funding: NOVAworks services are 100 percent funded by the U.S. Department of Labor through awards totaling $6,434,937. This funding originates from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which is the federal workforce engine. The organization operates as a public workforce system partner, not a revenue-generating commercial entity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NOVAworks is a federally funded workforce development agency that delivers employment and training services to both businesses and individuals across Silicon Valley and San Mateo County. Its core offerings include talent acquisition and outplacement services for employers, career advising and skills training for job seekers, young adult career exploration programs, and veteran-specific workforce support. All services are provided free of charge, funded by U.S. Department of Labor WIOA grants.

Product overview

NOVAworks is a workforce development organization serving Silicon Valley and San Mateo County, offering a unified set of services rather than a platform product. The organization provides Business Services (including Talent Acquisition, Outplacement Services, and Employee Training) for employers, and Career Seekers Services (Career Advising, Training, and Veteran Services) for job seekers. Young Adult Services target youth with career exploration, job search tools, and paid internships. The service portfolio includes workshops covering resume writing, interview skills, job searching, and career navigation, as well as networking Connections sessions. Supporting resources include MyPlan (career planning tool), Industry Reports, and the Healthcare Occupational Skills Training Program Inventory. The Whole Person Project represents an innovative initiative integrating holistic support services into workforce development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NOVAworks Launch Lab: An innovation arm focused on experiments in workforce development, including the Whole Person Project exploring holistic support services for workers
• Healthcare Occupational Skills Training Program Inventory

Products and services

• Business Services Provides talent acquisition support, outplacement services, HR consulting, and employee training for businesses in Silicon Valley and San Mateo County at no cost.
• Career Seeker Services Provides personalized career advising, skills training, job search support, workshops, networking events (Connections), and placement assistance for job seekers, veterans, and mature workers at no cost.
• Young Adult Services Career coaching, paid internship placement, career exploration programs, job search tools, and financial aid opportunities designed to help young adults explore career paths, build skills, and land their first job.
• Whole Person Project An innovative initiative that integrates housing stability, childcare, mental health services, and financial coaching into workforce development strategies, embedded in community spaces such as libraries and colleges.

Quantifiable outcome

• Participants in the Whole Person Project pilot are staying in jobs longer, reporting increased stability, and feeling more supported in their career paths.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Community Colleges (San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOVAworks partners with community colleges as part of its Healthcare Occupational Skills Training Program Inventory initiative. Community colleges are key providers of healthcare training and credential programs that prepare individuals for healthcare careers in the region. This partnership supports career seekers in exploring healthcare pathways and understanding educational requirements.
• Adult Education Providers (Regional)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with adult education providers to deliver healthcare occupational skills training programs. These providers offer alternative pathways to healthcare careers beyond traditional college programs, expanding access for diverse job seekers.
• NOVAworks Launch LabflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOVAworks Launch Lab is the innovation arm driving the Whole Person Project, an experiment to explore holistic workforce development approaches. The Launch Lab tests how to better support workers by integrating housing stability, childcare, mental health services, and financial coaching into workforce strategies.
• Gates Foundation (Mobility Experiences Research)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Whole Person Project is informed by Gates Foundation's Mobility Experiences research, which underscores that economic mobility is shaped by key life experiences and access to critical supports.
• Urban Institute (Upward Mobility Framework)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Whole Person Project draws on Urban Institute's Upward Mobility Framework research highlighting that housing, health, and financial security play fundamental roles in shaping a person's ability to stay and advance in the workforce.
• Healthcare Employers (Regional)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOVAworks convenes healthcare employers as part of its Healthcare Industry Sector Panel to strengthen regional healthcare pathways. The organization helps employers gain visibility into regional talent development resources and understand local healthcare talent pipelines.
• Education and Workforce Partners (Regional)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with regional education and workforce organizations to strengthen coordination across providers, identify collaboration opportunities, and support alignment between training programs and employer demand in the healthcare sector.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Employ Milwaukee: WIOA-funded workforce development board serving Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Comparable in delivering job seeker services, employer recruitment, training scholarships, and sector partnerships through a regional workforce intermediary structure analogous to NOVAworks.
• Worksystems Inc. Portland-area WIOA-funded workforce development nonprofit serving Multnomah and Washington counties in Oregon. Directly comparable as a regional workforce intermediary providing career advising, training, and employer services under the federal workforce system.
• WorkSource (Washington State): Washington state's American Job Center network providing WIOA-funded employment and training services. Operates under the same federal framework as NOVAworks, delivering job seeker advising, employer recruitment, and sector-based training across multiple regions.
• EmployIndy: WIOA-designated workforce development board for Marion County (Indianapolis), Indiana. Delivers career coaching, training scholarships, employer services, and sector partnerships through an analogous public workforce intermediary model.
• Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership: WIOA-funded workforce development organization serving Chicago and Cook County with career services, training programs, and employer partnerships. Mirrors NOVAworks' model of regional workforce intermediary operating under federal workforce development policy.
• San Diego Workforce Partnership: WIOA-designated workforce development board serving San Diego County, California. Directly comparable as a regional nonprofit workforce intermediary funded by U.S. Department of Labor grants that delivers career services, training scholarships, and employer support analogous to NOVAworks' portfolio.
• CareerSource Florida Network: Statewide network of WIOA-designated regional workforce boards providing career services, training, and employer recruitment support across Florida. Directly comparable to NOVAworks as a peer in the federal workforce development system.
• NYC Workforce1 Career Centers: New York City's publicly operated workforce system delivering job placement, career advisement, and sector-based training under federal workforce funding. Comparable as a publicly-funded workforce intermediary providing employer-driven career services.
• Los Angeles County Workforce Development Board: WIOA-designated workforce development entity for Los Angeles County, California. Shares NOVAworks' California service context, federal funding model, and delivery of AJCC-branded employment and training services.
• Workforce Solutions (Houston/Gulf Coast): WIOA-funded workforce board serving the Houston-Gulf Coast region of Texas. Comparable in providing AJCC-delivered career services, employer recruitment support, and training under the same federal workforce framework as NOVAworks.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NovaWB
• Facebookfacebook.com/NOVAWorkforceBoard
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nova-workforce-board

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 NOVAworks