Case Manager/Employment Specialist, Job Skills Training Program

Title: Case Manager/Employment Specialist, Job Skills Training Program

Agency: Tidewater Community College

Location: Norfolk - 710

FLSA: Nonexempt

Hiring Range: $28.35 per hour, part time

Full Time or Part Time: Part Time

Additional Detail

Job Description

Tidewater Community College has served South Hampton Roads – both students and employers – for 50 years. It has grown from 1 campus into a regional educational and economic force. TCC is the largest provider of higher education and workforce services in Hampton Roads, enrolling nearly 28,000 students in 2019-20. Founded in 1968 as a part of the Virginia Community College System, Tidewater Community College (TCC) services South Hampton Roads with 4 campuses in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach, 7 regional centers and 2 important cultural institutions. The college had 3,203 graduates in 2019-2020, 40 percent of whom pursued degrees that would let them transfer to 4-year institutions. Of South Hampton Roads residents enrolled in higher education 36% enrolled at TCC. TCC’s institutional accreditation is affirmed through 2027 by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

This part-time Case Manager/Employment Specialist is responsible for development, management, and leadership guidance for students enrolled into the Job Skills Training Program. The Job Skills Training Program provides holistic life and employment training. Students with multiple barriers for employment, upon successfully completing the program will possess the skills needed to be placed in pre-secured employment offering opportunities for upward mobility.

The Job Skills Training Program Case Manager/Employment Specialist position is on the Norfolk Campus and is required to work/travel to and from all TCC locations to include satellite locations within the local communities. The Case Manager/Employment Specialist reports to the Coordinator of the Job Skills Training Program.

Functional Responsibilities

Oversee the reviewing and screening of assessment documents used to determine eligibility and suitability for the JSTP programs to include newly established programs. Work directly with local employers and organizations to gather information and expectations of employers and employer partners to use during the screening process. Schedule students to complete the required steps of our screening and assessment process prior to the scheduled class start date. Interview all prospective students interested in attending the program to assist in determining their eligibility and suitability for their chosen career field. Provide holistic and comprehensive case management services to all students assigned to the caseload. This process also includes: intake assessment, benefit assessment for funding into the program, goal setting, long-term case plan development, weekly progress review and implementation of student development plan of action/correction, plan progress monitoring, advocate for financial support, transportation support and childcare support to insure student’s ability to attend class as scheduled is maintained at the required level, and refer students to appropriate supporting agency. Specific responsibilities include:

Achieve consistency and coordination in the delivery of programs and services on all college campuses, to include:
Introduce our students to the TCC Campus by exposing them to the different activities available throughout the semester
Maintain currency and accuracy of student files both electronically and paper.
Assist in updating the development and maintenance of a program database and work with staff to ensure accuracy and efficiency of information entered.
Represent Workforce Solutions at designated professional meetings, community events, and the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Social Services presentations.
Perform duties related to and in conjunction with student recruitment and screening.
Collaborating with the Job Skills Training Program Student Recruitment Specialist to assist in the screening of all prospective JSTP students.
Collaborating with the Job Skills Training Program Student Recruitment Specialist to assist with both onsite and offsite recruitment processes conducted at a multiplicity of community locations to include, but not limited to local department of human service locations, redevelopment and housing authority locations, Virginia Career Works Center Norfolk , and many of the local public and private school district locations.
Promote and maintain excellence in program by counseling, instructing and teaching students the required coping skills to handle the day to day stressors of student life. Specific responsibilities include
Administer appropriate corrective action as outlined in the Job Skills Training Program Policies and Procedures Manual and in accordance with the Tidewater Community College student handbook.
Oversee processes and procedures for the overall management JSTP students, to include:
Facilitate classes that promote positive interpersonal skills and collaborate with organizations that support stress reduction and professional counseling and development.
Serve as an instructional leader by modeling high expectations for students and implementing results focused programs that lead to program completion and graduation.
Ensure compliances with laws, regulations, rules and policies prescribed by the Tidewater Community College Student Handbook.
Develop lesson plans and testing materials; leverage the use of technology to enhance instruction.
Incorporate in-house collegiate and external resources to develop lesson plans; create and administer tests; and provide students with feedback targeting areas of improvement and align their strengths with course objectives and intended outcomes.
Substitute teach/facilitate a variety of workforce, life skills, and soft-skills classes as needed.
Serve as the Job Skills Training Program Employment Specialist to prepare students for employment with our employer partners. Carry out the services of the JSTP that support employment of students participating in JSTP. Assist students to obtain and maintain employment that is consistent with their career goals. Participate with and attend the local re-entry council meetings to foster the necessary relationships needed to support students entering into the program.
Engage students and establish trusting, collaborative relationships directed toward the goal of competitive employment in community.
Conduct follow-up activities and tracking of all graduated students to ensure continual employment is maintained.
Conduct job development and job search activities directed toward positions that are individualized to the interests and uniqueness of the students on caseload.
Collaborate with employer partners to obtain verification of employment forms that report earnings, hours worked and employment status (full/part-time)
Foster relationships in the local community to secure full/part-time jobs.
Review resumes and documentation that support student-gaining employment
Conduct weekly employer contacts. Employer contacts are designed to learn about the needs of the business, describe supports offered by the program and describe client strengths that are relevant to the position. Provide individualized follow-along supports to assist clients in maintaining employment. Write job support plans with clients and incorporating input from the mental health team. Adjust plan according to clients’ needs and preferences. Provides education and support to employers as agreed upon by clients, which may include negotiating job accommodations and follow-along contact by the employment specialist with the employer.
Work collaboratively with staff, ensuring that student needs for accurate programmatic information, appropriate learning assistance and other services are met.

Minimum Qualifications

Knowledge of workforce high demand industry standards (heavy focus on skill/marine trades carpentry, plumbing, electrical, welding, pipefitting…) (customer service hospitality culinary arts), job and career outlook standards needed to conduct market analysis of the career fields selected by JSTP students.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively within the local workforce system (VCW/HRWC), state and local departments of human services, redevelopment and housing authorizes, jails, detention centers and community agencies.
Proficient skills in filing systems both paper and electronic, to include scanning, copy and organizing medical documents, and maintaining student records. Record keeping is critical and there is very little room for error. Accuracy and attention to detail is require on all reporting and record keeping.
Demonstrated ability to create strategies that support career planning and work life balance, family planning and relationship development. Additionally, demonstrate the ability to identify the problem, determine corrective actions and ways to fulfill that obligation and lastly evaluate the successful accomplishment of the plan.
Knowledge of and ability to use a variety of PC-based software including advanced features of Microsoft Office Word, Excel, CANVAS, ZOOM, and other educational platforms. Ability to infuse the use of the latest technology to conduct research and prepare reports and plans in a timely manner. Demonstrate the ability to meet daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly deadlines.
Demonstrated ability to work with the hard to serve and diverse populations.
Knowledge of academic assessment/testing to include WorkKeys (other electronic assessments) Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) and the Employee Assistance Program Inventory, (EAPI) to establish eligibility and suitability for the Job Skills Training Program.
The ability to manage students in multiple programs including establishing deadlines, tracking progress, tracking student data, and developing work plans.

Additional Considerations

Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT) certification, or experience with cognitive theory based trainings such as (Kahler Communications model, Myers Briggs)