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About University of Phoenix Career Institute®

University of Phoenix Career Institute® was created to address broad, persistent and systemic barriers to career advancement through research-based solutions and impactful partnerships that break down barriers Americans face in their careers.

CAREER OPTIMISM INDEX®

A comprehensive study of American workers’ career perceptions

The 2023 Career Optimism Index® found that despite the challenges of the past year, 80% of Americans remain hopeful about the future of their careers. However, their hope is grounded in their own sense of personal efficacy, not in their current employers. This has led to a “free agent” labor market where the workforce is willing to pursue alternative job opportunities unless employers invest in foundational career support over transactional perks.

Download the infographic

What Workers are Saying

53% of Americans are actively looking for a new job or expect to in the next 6 months, with 46% of American workers willing to leave if their current employer offered them a severance package of 3-months' pay.

The Caveat

However, among those looking for a job or expecting to look for a job in the next six months, 68% said they would consider staying at their job if things could change.

What Employers Can Do

In order to retain employees, employers must channel their employees’ optimism to their current place of work by:

  • Making Mentorship Mandatory: 56% of Americans still say they do not have a mentor
  • Investing in Skilling: 70% of American workers say if their company gave them more opportunities to apply new skills, they would be more likely to stay throughout their career
  • Nurturing Workplace Wellness: 74% of Americans say they feel stressed about their job/career
Download the 2023 index

More Insights About Career Perceptions

UOPX Researchers & Faculty Share Their Perspectives

Read white papers by University of Phoenix College of Doctoral Studies researchers and faculty who have dug deeper into the 2021 and 2022 Career Optimism Index® studies. New white papers will be shared with insights from the 2023 Index!

Download the 2022 index
Download the 2021 index

News

How Equifax upskilled more than 1,000 employees in record time
Video: The power of mentoring programs
More than half of workers say they’re looking for a career change
Why Personal Development Is The Solution To Quiet Quitting

White papers

Building Professional Connections and Networking to Enhance Social Capital
Approaches Used for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Working Toward Belonging
Skills Development of American Workers in the Post Pandemic Era using Employee Resource Groups
Burnout as a Cause for Job Dissatisfaction

Industry perspectives

UOPX helps two Kaiser Permanente hospitals receive prestigious Magnet Recognition
Woz U apprenticeship program enlists UOPX to help bridge widening tech skills gap

News

Employers Lean on Learning as an Employee Benefit
How Mentorship Plays a Critical Role in Driving Growth and Retention Amid Workplace Transformation
How To Drive Employee Retention Through Career Support Programs
Job development and skills training key to employee retention, new report suggests
Employees Are Optimistic About Their Professional Futures—Just Not At Their Current Jobs
Workers say they’re hopeful about the future of their careers — but not with their current employers
The Humane Response to the Robots Taking Over Our World
2023 Career Optimism Index® Reveals How Employers Can Retain Talent in a “Free Agent” Labor Market
The Benefits of Workplace Mentorship
Why Relationships Matter for Black Economic Advancement
Report Emphasizes the Importance of Professional Social Capital
An offer they can't refuse: Secrets to success in hiring and keeping talent
1 Thing Warren Buffett Says You Should Do to Be Happy and Successful
The Great Resignation narrative ignores the Black experience in America
University Of Phoenix Provost John Woods On The Labor Shortage & The 5 Things We Must Do To Attract & Retain Great Talent
Three Reasons Why Job Switching is The Key to Recruitment and Retention
5 tips for getting people excited about coming back to LA-area offices
Survey finds significant gaps between employer perceptions, employee realities [KJZZ]
Employees Want Additional Opportunities for Career, Skills Development
69% of Employees Would Stay in Current Role if Employer Made These Five Changes
Survey finds significant gaps between employer perceptions, employee realities [Fronteras]
University Of Phoenix Study Reveals Employees Lack Skills To Be Successful
2022 Career Optimism Index™ Shows Significant Gap Between Employee Realities and Employer Perceptions
JFF and University of Phoenix Career Institute™ Work Together to Drive Equitable Economic Advancement for Black Learners and Workers

White papers

The American Workforce’s Health Card: Well-Being and Career Trajectories
Beyond Keeping American Workers Current: Roadmaps for Career Progression
American Workers’ Mental Health and Its Implications in Their Careers
The Role of Demographics in American Workers’ Career Optimism
The American Workforce: From the Great Resignation to the Great Retention
Who is Responsible for Employee Well-Being? The Role of Employers and Resourcing for the Mental Health of their Employees
Supporting the Mental and Emotional Health of Nurses within the Hospital Setting
Belonging: A New Era in Diversity Management Strategy
Online Education and American Workers' Perceptions
Reskilling and Upskilling: Ways to Prepare and Rehire American Workers
Aligning Employer and Employee Perspectives
American Workers' Reasons for Switching Jobs
Career Perception of American Workers and Their Emotional States
Paychecks and the Pandemic: Perceptions by Income Level
Reconnecting with Self and Outside Activities Add to Career Enjoyment, Happiness Levels
Collaborative and Strategic Planning to Meet the Needs of a Multigenerational Workforce and the Organization
Embracing the New Normal: Recruiting and Retaining K-12 Teachers Post-Pandemic
Covid-19 effects on work-life balance for working parents, military workers, and veterans
Women and Lifelong Employability
Career Perception of American Workers: Career Statuses During the Pandemic
Career Pathways: Engineering Your Career to Last Decades
The Covid-19 Pandemic's Impact on the Job Market Across U.S. Major Metropolitan Areas: American Workers' Perceptions
The Impact of a Phenomenon: Women and Minorities in the Workforce and the Gender Wage Gap
Women of Color: A Summary of Higher Education and Career Experiences
Managing the Stress Arc: Using Evidenced Based Cognitive Strategies for Training Employees in Industry to Deal with Large Scale Disaster and Rapid Change

To learn more about University of Phoenix Career Institute® or the Career Optimism Index®, please contact us at careerinstitute@phoenix.edu.