EMPLOYMENT AND CAREER ADVISOR

State of careers Rhode Island•Wakefield, MA

3d•$59,684 - $68,812•Onsite

About The Position

This role involves assisting participants of the Rhode-Island-Works (RIW) program in developing vocational goals that align with their skills, capabilities, and interests. The Employment and Career Advisor manages participant progress by creating and updating employment plans, providing intake and evaluation, administering tests, offering job search assistance, and facilitating referrals and placements. The position ensures the provision of services such as employment preparation, career enhancement, and follow-up services. A key responsibility is to develop comprehensive employment plans for each employable adult and refer them to activities that will lead to employment or enhance their employability. The role also includes providing intake, assessment, and pre-employment/job readiness orientation to clients eligible for employment services, ensuring RIW recipients comply with program requirements. The advisor evaluates participants' skills to determine employment potential, refers them to appropriate employment and training activities, and meets with participants to identify and strategize solutions for barriers to employment. Employment counseling is provided to clients needing professional assistance with employment or training-related needs. Regular communication with vendors providing employment and training opportunities is essential to ensure participants attend scheduled activities. Individualized plans are developed for clients entering employment and training programs, and a comprehensive program plan is maintained to achieve desired results. Accurate and timely case notes of participants' progress are maintained. The advisor tracks employment activities, ensures participant attendance, and contacts those who miss scheduled activities. Individual plans are updated according to established guidelines and deadlines. The role involves establishing and maintaining good relations with employers, employment representatives, training providers, and related groups. Participants are contacted monthly to track employment engagement, and scheduled supervision meetings are attended to discuss participant progress. Contact is maintained with eligible RI Works participants to keep them informed of employment and training opportunities. Field visits are conducted to encourage employers to hire eligible RI Works participants. Referrals are made to training, educational opportunities, and supportive services like mental health or domestic violence resources. Current information on available employment and training opportunities for RIW participants is secured and maintained. Relationships with area employers are developed and cultivated to identify appropriate employment opportunities for customers. Close collaboration with RIW vendors is maintained to identify suitable participant employment opportunities. Timely and accurate compliance with all reporting requirements is ensured. Assistance is provided to customers navigating the application process for childcare and transportation. Records of daily, weekly, and monthly attendance are prepared and maintained to monitor work participation activities. Related work as required is also part of the duties.

Requirements

A working knowledge of placement, referral, and claims processing systems.
A thorough knowledge of TANF statute.
Familiarity with various community resources, industries and businesses, occupational requirements, and employment conditions in the state.
The ability to assess participants’ needs.
The ability to read and understand complex directives, policies, or related documents.
The ability to maintain effective relationships with employers, clients and the public.
The ability to assess, refer, and evaluate participants in the RIW program.
Must possess strong communication and organizational skills.
A thorough knowledge of and demonstrated proficiency in basic computer software, specialized databases and information systems.
Graduation from a college of recognized standing with specialization in personnel, business, social sciences or public administration.
At least two years of employment in the field of personnel, business or public administration or closely related field.
Any combination of education and experience that shall be substantially equivalent to the above education and experience.
Employment eligibility validated through E-Verify.

Responsibilities

Assist Rhode-Island-Works (RIW) program participants in developing vocational goals reflective of their skills, capabilities and interests.
Manage participant progress towards achieving goals by creating and updating employment plans.
Provide participants with intake and evaluation, testing, job search assistance, referral and placement.
Ensure services such as employment preparation, career enhancement and follow-up services are provided.
Develop comprehensive employment plans for each employable adult and refer customers to activities that will lead to employment and/or will enhance their employability.
Provide intake, assessment, and pre-employment/job readiness orientation to clients eligible for employment services.
Ensure RIW recipients fully comply with program requirements.
Evaluate participants’ skills to determine employment potential and refer customer to appropriate employment and training activities.
Meet with participants to identify barriers to employment and develop strategies to overcome identified barriers.
Provide employment counseling to clients requiring professional assistance with employment or training-related needs.
Communicate regularly with vendors providing employment and training opportunities to ensure participants attend scheduled activities.
Develop individualized plans for clients entering employment and training programs and maintain a comprehensive program plan providing desired results.
Maintain complete, accurate and timely case notes of participants’ progress.
Track employment activities, ensure that participants attend their scheduled activities and contact participants who fail to show for a planned activity.
Update and ensure completion of individual plans according to established guidelines and deadlines.
Establish and maintain good relations with employers, employment representatives, training providers, and related individuals and groups.
Contact participants monthly to track employment engagement.
Attend scheduled supervision meetings to discuss participant’s progress.
Maintain contact with eligible RI Works participants to keep them appraised of employment and training opportunities.
Conduct field visits to encourage employers to hire eligible RI Works participants.
Refer participants to training, educational opportunities and supportive services such as mental health or domestic violence as appropriate.
Secure and maintain current information regarding available employment and training opportunities for RIW participants.
Develop and cultivate relationships with area employers in order to identify appropriate employment opportunities for customers.
Work closely with RIW vendors to identify employment opportunities appropriate to participants.
Ensure timely and accurate compliance to all reporting requirements.
Assist customers with navigating the application process for childcare and transportation.
Prepare and maintain records of the daily, weekly and monthly attendance to monitor work participation activities.
Do related work as required.