Career Technical Education - Employment Specialist

Summary 

Founded in Santa Clara County in 1928, Goodwill of Silicon Valley is dedicated to improving employment opportunities, increasing standards of living, providing economic independence, and restoring our clients’ sense of self-worth. We achieve this through workforce creation, vocational training, and environmental stewardship. With 18 retail stores, an online store, an extensive reuse/recycling operation, and our Contract Services division, we help individuals overcome barriers to employment, build sustainable lives and communities. 

Goodwill of Silicon Valley’s Career Technical Education Program (CTE) provides clients with a pathway towards securing long term employment and personal and professional growth by hosting no-cost, short term, entry-level skills training across a variety of trade-specific fields. The Career Technical Education Employment Specialist will be responsible for helping CTE enrollees and graduates prepare for gainful employment. 

Responsibilities:                                                                                                                                

• Helps prepare CTE students for employment as they near graduation, drawing on key information from their Individual Employment Service Plans (IESPs) and other sources to match students’ backgrounds, skills, and locations with current job opportunities 

• Delivers career readiness support and training (resume, cover letter, and interview preparation; job search techniques, etc.) to CTE students as they near graduation 

• Prepares a range of certificates and other documents for graduating students as needed 

• Ensures that all participants and their activities and credentials are accurately documented in the Case Management System in a timely manner 

• Coordinates with Employer Engagement Manager to regularly develop and distribute lists of job leads for graduating and graduated CTE students; maintains regular contact with students before and after graduation to support them in their job search 

• Distributes job placement/retention incentives to eligible participants as per the rules and requirements of the program.  

• Tracks retention post-employment for 6 months through regular follow-up with employer and/or participant.  

• Writes and submits student success stories and documents best practices as needed 

• Conducts outreach to recruit students and program participants for career training classes through presentations and follows up by phone and email, as needed 

• Represents Mission Services and Goodwill in the community through participation in appropriate organizations and networking events, as needed 

• Performs other CTE-related duties, as needed 

Required Qualifications:                                                                                                                

• Excellent written and oral communication skills 

• Ability to work and get along well with people of different backgrounds and abilities; empathy and a supportive mindset 

• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office tools (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.) 

• Minimum 3 years’ work experience in a professional setting 

• Familiarity with common barriers to employment (low-income, re-entry, etc.) and additional supports needed to overcome these barriers 

• Possess a valid CA Driver's License 

Preferred Qualifications:                                                                                                                

• Bachelor's Degree and/or Project Management credentials, or equivalent experience  

• At least two years’ experience working with a program that serves individuals with barriers to employment 

• Bi-lingual (English/Spanish) highly desired 

Equipment Used 

• Computer, telephone, copy machines/printers 

Aptitudes/ Skills/ Temperament 

• General learning ability. The ability to "catch on" or understand instructions and their underlying p