Full-Time Workforce Development Specialist
Job Description
Workforce Development Specialist
Established in 1996, Building A Generation has been providing nurturing environments for kids and their families to foster healthy relationships for them to thrive and end child abuse through parent education, youth development programs, financial literacy workshops, financial assistance, mental health support, career services, and connections to community resources enabling families to become healthy and self-sufficient. We serve low-income families who lack access to social support and resources, in underrepresented areas where youth are negatively impacted by trauma, exposed to substance abuse, domestic violence, and child abuse.
Our founding principle is to increase equitable access to education, services and resources for under-served and under-resourced communities. Through consistent and creative outreach, we implement family and community engagement activities to help facilitate growth and development, foster a positive and an inclusive learning environment, and allowing equal access and opportunity to any community member as a strategy in achieving our social equity goals.
JOB SUMMARY: The Workforce Development Specialist is responsible for facilitating a learning environment for disconnected, at-risk youth and young adults that addresses individual college and career research and planning, career competency development training and nationally recognized vocational certification. Provides college and workforce readiness services related to their Individualized Career Plan (ICP) and case managing to address youth’s barriers to achieving their intermediate and long-term educational and employment goals. The Workforce Development Specialist will also be developing, coordinating and monitoring service-learning projects as well as work out in the field for community outreach and business networking.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Conduct outreach and interface with potential youth and young adult participants for Ready To Work programming
- Establishes rapport, reviews program model, and builds trust with each referred participant.
- Complete intake process, conducts needs assessment, goal planning and implementation, and monitor progress for each participant
- Establishes specific measurable youth driven short-term, intermediate and long-term career goals on the ICP
- Facilitates “career competency development” training to help youth develop, maintain or improve their workforce readiness skills
- Plan and execute work readiness programming and activities utilizing a trauma-informed care approach
- Provide college and employment counseling and services that includes assessment, resume preparation, career planning, job search trips, computer skills workshops, work readiness workshops and Speaker series
- Work with youth and young adults individually and in groups to develop their ICPs and implement career case management that provides wraparound support and resources to ensure all aspects of their employment plans are addressed
- Work with business and community partners and support activities associated with post-secondary or job placement opportunities for participants
- Develop and maintain relationships with employers by garnering job placement opportunities (i.e. establishing work and learn job sites for year-round, and especially summer employment), and providing follow up support as needed
- Facilitate learning projects with youth to provide hands on work experience and evaluate youth performance
- Provide weekly support to youth through regular communication, educational and employment referrals, mental health services and additional resources
- Keep accurate and up-to-date employment statistics by tracking data and indicators for enrollment, participation and progress.
- Monitor participant and program performance to ensure that deliverables are being met
- Prepare reports as required and ensure they are accurate, complete and submitted on time
- Organize and maintain program files and materials through data entry and database maintenance
- Follow up with management staff to ensure reporting are completed on a timely basis
- Assist with special projects as directed by management staff
- Responsible for maintaining professional working relations and providing assistance to management staff
- Other duties as assigned
JOB QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:
1) Bachelor’s degree in social sciences or human services (ie, psychology, social work, counseling, or related field)
2) Minimum of 2 years of experience working with low-income communities and familiarity with issues of particular relevance to at-risk youth and young adults
3) Understands principles of trauma-informed care and youth career development
4) Demonstrated ability in engaging youth and facilitating workshops
5) Ability to apply principles of professional boundaries and ethics to on the job situations
6) Ability to build rapport and trust with youth and demonstrate active (reflective listening)
7) Self-motivated, energetic, flexible, adaptable and the ability to work in a team environment
8) Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including strong organizational, detail and interpersonal skills
9) Excellent computer skills and knowledge including Microsoft Office Suite
10) Demonstrated ability to work effectively with people of diverse races, ethnicities, nationalities, sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expression, socio-economic backgrounds, religions, ages, English-speaking abilities, immigration status, and physical abilities in a multicultural environment.
11) Valid driver’s license required. Must meet company insurance requirements.
Position is full time, M-F 8:00-4:30pm with willingness to work evenings and weekends depending on participant needs. Employer offers benefits package (medical/dental coverage, vision, life insurance, 403(b), paid vacation/sick, holiday).
Building A Generation is an equal opportunity employer.