Academic & Vocational Training Specialist

Description

The Academic & Vocational Training Specialist will primarily be responsible for facilitating individual and/or Cohort Group training to youth that are enrolled in the Growth Opportunities Program. The Academic & Vocational Training Specialist will collaborate with the program team to outreach and engage youth participants with a focus to promote and strengthen individual life skills and assist with connecting the youth career exploration, job readiness, and exploration. This position will provide the following activities: Education, Advocacy & Support for school aged children, facilitating vocational exploration utilizing the following platforms through IYF Passport to Success Curriculum, establishing community relations to identify local businesses and organizations to become part of our network to facilitate career/workforce exploration, apprenticeships, student jobs. 

Flexible schedule (daytime, evening and weekend hours)

Activities can include but are not limited to any or all the following depending on the needs of the children/youth and families enrolled:  

• Provide support and guidance to enrolled youth participants of the GO Program with a focus on academic, college and/or career success.
• Provide mentoring and support utilizing 1:1 strategy and the Pathway to Success Curriculum.
• Coordinate and provide oversight of the Youth’s enrollment and engagement in the PTS Curriculum Cohort Group. 
• Support and empower youth to build self-advocacy skills, life skills tied to supplemental academic opportunities and to explore the individual youth’s skills, interests and history of employment to identify area of individualized strengths and career interests. 
• Assist with connecting the youth and family with academic support, school advocacy, career exploration, job readiness, and exploration. 
• Responsible to provide an education and vocational (career/ or job readiness) plan with the youth and family.
• Provide the following activities: Education, Advocacy & Support for school aged children, facilitating vocational exploration utilizing the IYF Path to Success Curriculum.  
• Establish community relations to identify local businesses and organizations to become part of our network to facilitate career/workforce exploration, apprenticeships, and student jobs. 
• Will be assigned a caseload of youth participants to provide individual services including creating individualized plans outlining their goals, care coordination collaboration with other providers, and support with work-based learning/paid work experiences. Caseload will depend on the number of cohort training courses being offered. 
• Collect, track, and maintain data with the utilization of project-specific trackers and other applicable resources and produce appropriate weekly and monthly outcome data as directed by the Divisional Director. 
• Document all activities into electronic health record (i.e. Casebook) as required for the program. 
• Travel as needed, throughout Oneida County to provide services to enrolled youth. locations as designated by the Program Administration for in-person meetings and/or training.  
• Assist in development, monitoring, and overall coordination of the education and vocational services provided. 
• Become familiar with ConnectEd/CNYHHN, Inc. policies and procedures.
• Become familiar with existing community resources and programs that would benefit children/youth and families served. 
• Additional duties assigned as applicable to the needs of the youth and family in the program.  

Universal Job Functions

• Establish a work environment that creates positive communication between supervisors and employees and assimilates new employees to the agency culture, values, and mission.
• Ensure compliance with all pertinent government and agency regulations and operating standards, including maintaining all required documentation and applicable databases.
• Assist with special projects as needed. 
• All other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Minimal of a Bachelor of Arts or Science Degree; preferably in psychology, sociology, human services or related field with two years of relevant experience. 
• Training experience preferred but not required. 
• Basic Computer Skills (Windows, Outlook, Word, Excel, Google Platforms)
• Travel is required. Must have a valid NYS Driver’s License.
• Competencies and experiences necessary include customer service orientation, diplomacy, diversity, flexibility, follow through, informing others, safety orientation, reliability and consistency, written communication and cooperation and teamwork, listening skill, optimism, quality orientation, analytical thinking.
• Applies and actively shares knowledge, expertise and best practices with team
• Behavior supports the mission, core values and objectives of the organization.
• Displays flexibility and openness in daily work and encourages others to stay open to change and improvement.
• Accepts and readily adapts to changing priorities, new ideas, strategies, procedures and methods.
• Demonstrates and promotes respect toward coworkers and adapts behaviors to work effectively with varying people and situations.
• Accumulates all relevant information prior to making job-related decisions; presents well-considered alternatives when making recommendations.
• Makes decisions in a timely manner.
• Represents the organization and its network of providers by displaying respectful and caring manner with clients and their families.
• Addresses all client concerns in a timely and efficient manner and reports any complaints to their immediate supervisor or Director to resolve.
• Complies with quality assurance, OSHA, HIPAA, FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), infection control, safety and other policies set forth.

WORK ENVIRONMENT / HAZARDS

• Job related tasks do not involve exposure or potential exposure to blood, body fluids, or tissue and Category I tasks are not a condition of employment. May have exposure to unpredictable individuals and situations when working at CCS sites, its affiliates or the community.
• OSHA Exposure Category III

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Certain deadlines and unanticipated developments may require work during evenings and weekends.
• Ability to quickly address any emergent issues without losing focus on task at hand.
• The employee must have full sight and hearing with fluency in the English language. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.  
• The employee frequently is required to stand, walk and sit. Must be able to sit for long periods of time.
• Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a copy machine, scanner, computer printer, etc.
• The employee will need to occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position without compromising workflow and efficiency.

Benefits: 

Health Insurance

Voluntary Insurance Options

Paid Time Off

Paid Sick Leave

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Pet Insurance 

Life Insurance

Retirement Plan

Employee Assistance Program

Flexible Schedule

Flexible Spending Account

Other 

WORK CONTACT GROUP

All staff, youth participants, family members, community organizations, school and health home staff, board members.  

This position is funded through a grant or contract arrangement with the government, school district or community partner that can change with limited notice and/or is subject to renewal on an annual basis.  

Supervised By: Project Manager of Growth Opportunities Program      

Supervises: None