CIS History

The Idaho Career Information System formally started in 1980 by joining the CIS Network of States, the pioneering group that created career information delivery systems (CIDS).

Over the past 30 years, the University of Oregon has provided a supportive environment for development of the Career Information System (CIS), a system for delivering high-quality national and localized information about occupations, employment, and education and training to students and adults.

Design of a computer-based system for career information began in 1969, and the early CIS planners met in Oregon from 1969 to 1971, discussing thoroughly the options for organizing and financing a career information system and developing a plan for a state-wide delivery system. By the spring of 1971, the early planners had developed a grant proposal to fund the initial formation of CIS. That proposal was submitted by the Oregon Department of Education on behalf of the planners of CIS to the U.S. Department of Labor.

In the summer of 1971, the formal notice of federal funding was received. The CIS Board chose Dr. Bruce McKinlay as the director of CIS and the University of Oregon as the fiscal and administrative agency which would house CIS. The fall of 1971 was then devoted to selecting pilot schools and agencies, developing in-service training programs, and negotiating service contracts. The Director and the Board worked closely on the many decisions that enabled the number of CIS sites in Oregon to grow rapidly.

Although CIS began in Oregon, the roots of national responsibilities were implanted early. The original CIS development project included the objective of producing a system that could be adapted to meet the needs of other states as well as Oregon. From the beginning, University of Oregon staff shared their technical knowledge with other states that started implementing CIS. As early as 1974, representatives from four Northwest states met with University of Oregon staff to discuss regional cooperation. By 1977, seven states were implementing CIS, and other states were close to entering contracts with the University of Oregon. Discussions were held regarding possible formation of a national organization. Over the next several years, a nationally focused organization was created to provide research, development, training and technical assistance to CIS operators in various states. The structure of the new organization, National CIS, was formalized in 1979.

National CIS changed its name to intoCAREERS in 1999. It remains a unit within the College of Education at the University of Oregon whose mission is to develop information and software that will assist people to make informed career choices and to support organizations that use and add value to its products. intoCareers is now comprised of twenty-one consortium states and growing.

Excerpted from:
Building on the Past, Looking to the Future - Historical Highlights of the Career Information System
Esther E. Matthews