From Catalog to Compass: Introducing Personalized Recommendations to Guide Career Growth

By Mustafa Furniturewala, Chief Technology Officer, Coursera

Today, I’m excited to announce the launch of a new way to explore and discover content on Coursera. Learners can now more easily explore 60 in-demand roles, receive personalized guidance from Coursera Coach (our AI-powered guide), and have a clearer path to advancing in their careers.

Eighty-five percent of Coursera learners enroll to develop skills for career growth, according to the Coursera Learner Outcomes Report—yet nearly two-thirds aren’t sure which skills they need to reach their goals.

This update serves as a compass, helping learners explore careers on Coursera with personalized content recommendations aligned to their aspirations.

Over the past six months, we’ve been piloting and testing these improvements, and results show that learners who receive personalized recommendations are more likely to enroll in a learning program. By removing the guesswork, Coursera makes it easier for learners to move forward in their careers with confidence.

Here’s how it works:

• Upon signing up, learners complete a short career quiz, indicating their current role, desired role, and education.
• Learners then receive a series of content recommendations based on their desired role, along with a “top recommendation.” 
• Learners can click on a “Why was this recommended for me” and begin a conversation with Coursera Coach, an AI-powered guide.
• Salary and job posting data is available for each role, and is localized for 39 countries, including the US, Mexico, Brazil, the UK, Germany, Spain, India, Singapore, the UAE, and Qatar.

Recommendations are based on how closely a piece of content teaches the most critical skills needed in a particular role.

Learners can currently choose from 60 roles, with at least 20+ more to come before the end of the year. Roles were selected based on a variety of factors, including learner interest, job market demand, and content on Coursera that covers the key skills for each role. 

Explore this new experience. Register now to receive your personalized recommendations today, and take the next step toward your career goals.