Accessibility
Our Commitment to Equitable Access
At CareerWise, accessibility is not a checkbox; it’s a core part of how we build and share everything we do. We believe every apprentice, employer, school partner, and community member deserves to fully engage with our website, platform, and materials, regardless of ability or disability.
We are committed to ensuring our digital content is accessible to all users, including people with disabilities, and we continually work to improve the experience for everyone who interacts with CareerWise.
Standards We Follow
CareerWise designs and maintains its digital content in alignment with the following standards:
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA — the internationally recognized standard for accessible web content, ensuring our materials are perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act — the federal standard requiring that electronic and information technology used or developed by federal agencies and their partners be accessible to people with disabilities.
Colorado HB 21-1110 — requiring WCAG 2.1 AA compliance for digital content connected to state and local government agencies and school districts.
New York State Accessibility Policy (NYS-P08-005) — requiring WCAG 2.1 AA compliance for web-based applications and information used by state entities and their contractors.
These standards guide how we build and maintain our website, The Hub platform, documents, presentations, and any other materials we publish or share.
What We’re Doing
We take an active, ongoing approach to accessibility that includes:
- Regular audits combining automated and manual testing to identify and remediate accessibility issues across our website and digital content.
- Staff training so that every team member creating or publishing CareerWise content understands and applies accessibility best practices.
- Accessible content practices including proper heading structure, sufficient color contrast, alt text for images, captions for video content, and keyboard-navigable interfaces.
- Vendor accountability by holding our technology partners and contractors to the same accessibility standards we uphold internally.
Known Limitations
We are committed to transparency. While we work diligently toward full WCAG 2.2 AA compliance, some content may not yet fully meet these standards. We prioritize remediating issues as they are identified and welcome feedback to help us improve.
Report an Issue or Request an Accommodation
If you encounter a barrier on our website or in our materials, or if you need content in an alternative format, we want to hear from you.
Submit an accessibility request or report an issue using our Accessibility Contact Form.
We take all requests seriously and aim to respond within five business days. If your need is time-sensitive, please note that in your submission.
Questions
For general questions about CareerWise’s accessibility commitment, contact us at accessibility@careerwiseusa.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is WCAG? WCAG stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. It is an internationally recognized set of technical standards developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) that defines how to make digital content accessible to people with disabilities. The guidelines are organized around four core principles: content must be Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust (POUR). CareerWise follows WCAG 2.2 Level AA, which represents a strong standard of accessibility for public-facing digital content.
What does “Level AA” mean? WCAG has three levels of conformance: A (minimum), AA (mid-range), and AAA (highest). Level AA is the standard required by most federal and state regulations and is widely considered the practical benchmark for accessible web content. It covers a broad range of requirements including color contrast, keyboard navigation, and text alternatives for non-text content.
What is Section 508? Section 508 is a federal law that requires electronic and information technology developed, used, or funded by the federal government to be accessible to people with disabilities. Because CareerWise works with government agencies and school districts, we are held to this standard alongside WCAG.
What does “digital accessibility” actually mean? Digital accessibility means that websites, documents, videos, and other digital content are designed so that everyone can use them — including people who rely on assistive technologies like screen readers, keyboard navigation, or captioning tools. It also benefits users in everyday situations, like someone reading on a phone in bright sunlight or watching a video in a quiet space without audio.
What should I do if I find content on the CareerWise website that isn’t accessible? We encourage you to let us know. You can submit a report using our Accessibility Contact Form or email us at accessibility@careerwiseusa.org. We review all submissions and prioritize remediation based on severity and impact.