SkillUp was established in spring 2020 to assist unemployed and underemployed individuals in acquiring new skills and securing meaningful employment. WhereWeGo launched a training navigator tool around the same time, with the same conviction: workers deserve better tools for navigating their options.
How the partnership started
SkillUp recognized potential in WhereWeGo's New Orleans training navigator and sought to expand it nationally. Both organizations shared former teaching backgrounds and a commitment to user-centered design. That alignment made collaboration feel natural — and made the work better.
The Navigator
The teams adapted the training navigator to help workers filter through programs based on their own preferences and constraints — with live data integration and interfaces designed for accessibility, not just usability. Jason Cheng, SkillUp's SVP of Product & Analytics, led the product effort.
Desiree Jewell (SVP Marketing) expanded user reach. Elissa Salas' team researched "gateway jobs" — career roles offering real growth without requiring four-year degrees. The result was a platform built around how workers actually make career decisions, not how workforce professionals assume they do.
Results
- 3+ million workers reached across 40+ U.S. regions
- 100,000 monthly visitors to the platform
- 82% of surveyed users discovered training options they didn't previously know existed
- 85,000+ users referred to training providers as of October 2025
- $11.2B+ in cumulative additional wages for job attainers
"WWG is more than just a design firm — they are a true technology partner." — Elissa Salas, SkillUp
