CAREER & TRAINING SPECIALIST

            POSITION:                   Career & Training Specialist

            AREA:                          Chelan and Douglas Counties

            OFFICE:                       240 N. Mission Street, Wenatchee, WA 98801

            WAGE RANGE:              $24.10 - $32.43 Per Hour

            CLASSIFICATION:         Temporary, Part Time Non-Exempt Employment

            REPORTS TO:               Career & Training Manager

POSITION SUMMARY:

SkillSource is a mission-driven nonprofit organization that helps people build new careers and businesses build strong teams through skills training, education, and employment opportunities. The Career & Training Specialist will outreach and engage with a diverse range of business and career seekers within Chelan and Douglas Counties. Under the RESET (Reentry, Skills, Employment, and Training) Program, this position provides intensive pre-release and post-release workforce services to justice-involved individuals at the Chelan County Regional Justice Center (CCRJC). The specialist is responsible for bridging the gap between incarceration and the local workforce by fostering "Fair Chance" hiring pipelines and ensuring participants are ready for immediate employment upon release.

The ideal candidate is connected to the business community, understands coordination of transition services, and is focused on finding solutions. They have a dedicated interest in helping justice involved customers navigate into the workforce. This person has case management experience, is skilled at performing community engagement activities, and building relationships. They must be professional, detail-oriented, and capable of helping customers navigate complex state and local systems during the transition from incarceration to the workforce. Candidates with “lived experience” are strongly preferred, with the ability to work up to 25 hours per week. 

This position is responsible for providing a range of services to business and career seekers with a concentrated focus on justice involved. Responsibilities include: Identifying eligible participants, conducting career assessments, instructing workshops, creating individualized reentry plans, coordinating transition services, developing training plans with “Fair Chance” employers, and entering and maintaining customer records in multiple management information systems to ensure successful integration and reduce recidivism. Additionally, this position works with minimal supervision and self- direction to complete established goals and objectives.

**This position is grant funded for 1-2 years.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Regularly contacts and meets with employers to develop training plans, promote SkillSource services, coordinate recruitment efforts, and local additional business services; Makes multimedia presentations.
• Establishes and maintains working relationships with CCRJC, educational and training institutions, employers, other public agencies and community-based organizations for recruitment and training purposes; Makes presentations.
• Recruits and identifies eligible justice-involved participants (typically 20–270 days from release); conducts intake interviews and applies federal, state, and local guidelines to determine program eligibility.   
• Conducts in-depth assessment and counseling to identify employment barriers; develops and maintains individualized employability and career plans (IDPs) that incorporate occupational goals, training, and necessary supportive services.   
• Plans and delivers career readiness workshops (e.g., resume writing, soft skills) inside the facility; selects and/or develops and distributes training aids such as instructional material, handouts, evaluation forms and visual aids; sets-up and operates audiovisual equipment.   
• Discusses and develops employment and/or training plans with customers; coordinates critical transition services (first 72 hours post-release) including authorizing supportive service vouchers for immediate needs like transportation and medical care.
• Establishes relationships with "Fair Chance" employers and training institutions; promotes SkillSource services and negotiates training contracts (such as On-the-Job Training) to create direct hiring pipelines for participants.
• Writes training contracts; facilitates supervisor, trainer, and customer orientation and communicates program activity rules and regulations.
• Continually motivates customers to achieve educational and/or employment goals; documents progress and updates and adjusts employability plans as necessary.
• Develops and maintains up-to-date customer files that contain eligibility documentation, employability plans, assessments, training activity documents and contracts, evaluations, counseling notes, time sheets/attendance forms and other related information.
• Consistently provides follow-up counseling and assistance to customers who have been placed into a training activity or unsubsidized employment.  Regularly travels to training sites for follow-up and monitoring purposes.      
• Consistently maintains up-to-date files and enters data into multiple management information systems and web-based applications; to ensure successful integration and support recidivism tracking.

NON-ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Performs other duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Strong interpersonal skills including the ability to effectively manage relationships with individuals of diverse backgrounds.
• “Lived experience” regarding systemic obstacles, incarceration, or community violence is highly valued for building trust and ensuring culturally responsive service delivery.
• Significant experience in case management, business development, or direct services to at-risk or justice-involved individuals.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite and Google products.                                                                                                                                                         MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
  1. Bachelor degree in related field such as training and development, business, marketing, communications, personnel administration, education, psychology, counseling, human resources or other social science field. Or Associate degree (any discipline) and two years experience providing business development & outreach, training, case management, counseling, or other direct services to at-risk or justice-involved individuals. Or Possess a combination of education and direct job experience that clearly demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the essential duties of the position.
  2.  Must pass a background check for correctional facility entry.

  WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and ability to adjust focus. The employee is required to be present on a regular, reliable, and routine basis. The work environment characteristics described are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the Job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually low. Work is performed mostly indoors in an office setting with some travel locally and travel throughout North Central Washington.

  EQUIPMENT OPERATED:

  Computer, phone, scanner, calculator, projector, copier, and camera

  OTHER REQUIREMENTS: 

  Personal transportation, valid Washington State Driver’s License and current automobile insurance.

  Completed application, cover letter and resume required.  To apply, complete application and upload resume online athttps://www.skillsource.org/employment.  
  Position open until filled.

  240 N. Mission - Wenatchee, WA 98801 - 509-663-3091 – WA Relay 711

   

   

  SkillSource is an equal opportunity employer/program.  Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.