Career Skills Instructor (Fresh Start)

Strive International Inc; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job description

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW

STRIVE is a national leader in workforce development solutions, empowering individuals to discover their best future selves through innovative, evidence-based career training and holistic, lifelong support. STRIVE partners with employers, funders, and community organizations to close gaps in workforce needs and help local economies thrive. Founded in East Harlem, NY, in 1984, STRIVE has grown from its roots to now offer programs in locations across the country.

For more than 40 years, STRIVE has been a catalyst for economic change and prosperity in underserved communities. Our tuition-free skills and job readiness training, one-on-one support, and lifetime personal coaching prepare students for careers in high-growth industries such as healthcare, construction, and logistics. With a proven pathway to possible, 80% of STRIVE students graduate, 76% attain employment, and 70% retain employment long-term.

Looking to the future, STRIVE has embarked on an ambitious ten-year growth plan to increase its impact in more locations nationwide, aiming to serve up to 10,000 individuals each year by 2033.

We meet individuals where they are, providing free programs tailored to adults 18+, including those impacted by the justice system. At STRIVE, there is always a path forward.

STRIVE Fresh Start is a STRIVE-operated program designed to address the full range of challenges involved in helping formerly incarcerated adults make successful transitions back to their local communities and economies. Building on STRIVE’s innovative service model and well-established career readiness supports, STRIVE Birmingham will operate comprehensive, community-integrated re-entry programs to provide services to approximately 50-100 adults a year, ages 25 and older.

POSITION SUMMARY

Under the direction of the Fresh Start Program Manager, the Career Skills Instructor delivers STRIVE’s intensive career readiness curriculum to a cohort of STRIVE students who are justice-impacted adults. The Career Skills Instructor facilitates this training in the first three to four weeks of each program cycle through live, in-person and virtual instruction aligned to occupational skills training. STRIVE career readiness training focuses on attitude, accountability, personal responsibility, workplace ethics, professional etiquette, and interpersonal skills, which aims to not only help individuals land a job but build a career.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Develop and implement effective coaching strategies to help participants overcome challenges and barriers to employment and workplace success.
2. Identify participants' strengths and advise them on how to use those strengths to secure employment or excel in their chosen career path.
3. Provide information on suitable career paths based on participants' skills, qualifications, interests, and experience.
4. Conduct assessments to gauge participants' skills and abilities and provide feedback on results.
5. Develop, review, and edit participant resumes to ensure trainees are prepared for job interviews and conduct follow-up assessments.
6. Meet individually and in small groups with participants to guide them through the development of an individual or family plan; reinforce curriculum concepts, identify short and long-term goals, process assessment outcomes, and apply learnings to the decision-making process about education and training opportunities.
7. Coordinate supports that will assist the participant with ongoing attendance and participation in program activities, assessing needs through case management principles and making referrals to community resources as appropriate.
8. Meet regularly with participants to reinforce the use of skills learned in job readiness activities through ongoing coaching sessions during the education and training phase of program participation, as well as during and after the transition to employment.
9. Collaborate with program staff to ensure successful selection and referral of participants and implement strategies to assess the abilities and barriers to the employment of participants to move them to self-sufficiency.
10. Participate in intake and assessment processes as required, including panel interviews.
11. Encourage and facilitate workshop attendance and resource center access by identifying and reducing barriers.
12. Provide incremental retention follow-up up to two years on all participants who completed training.
13. Maintain accurate records of participants' progress in Apricot, a web-based performance management system.
14. Prepare and submit reports and complete data entry as required.
15. Collect participant documentation and acquire verification as needed, including income, housing, identity to ensure program eligibility (pending funding requirements).
16. Assist with identifying community providers to participate in resource fairs.
17. Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

1. A bachelor's degree required, and 1 – 2 years of case management or related experience.
2. Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
3. Basic experience with computer literacy and a working knowledge of MS Word, MS Excel, and Outlook.
4. Proven experience with program planning and coordination.
5. Experience managing several competing obligations and deadlines.
6. Adapts to changing circumstances and goals.
7. Works well in teams and with diverse populations.
8. Accepts and delivers constructive criticism in pursuit of improved performance.
9. Is a critical thinker, takes calculated risks, and asks good questions.
10. Keen attention to detail and follow-through.
11. Comfort in diverse business, corporate, and community settings.
12. High energy and motivation to help people succeed.
13. Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
14. Energetic, entrepreneurial, and fun!
15. Strong orientation toward listening to and working with the local community preferred.
16. Self-starter, organized in his/her work, and produces a high-quality product with minimal supervision.
17. Positive outlook on the changing landscape of workforce development.
18. Experience in public speaking, volunteer management, and/or curriculum development preferred.
19. Experience working with human service agencies, education institutions, and workforce development.
20. Sophisticated written and oral communication skills.

STRIVE offers a rich benefits package that includes:

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Life insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Pre-tax Commuter Benefits Program
• 401k with employer match
• 20 days of PTO (pro-rated for part-time employees)
• Sick leave
• Up to $500 annual professional development reimbursement
• Paid holidays (including the week of Christmas)
• Early closing each Friday during the Summers
• And numerous additional benefits!

Location: This position operates entirely in-person, in our Birmingham, Alabama office, five days a week, Monday – Friday.

STRIVE considers applicants for all positions without regard to: race; color; religion; gender; national origin; age; sexual orientation; marital or veteran status; the presence of a medical condition, genetic information or handicap, unrelated to performing the tasks of the job; or any other legally protected status.