Address
Form of workCareer Advancement Coach (IDPL) - Career Pathways
COMPANY DESCRIPTION
Instituto del Progreso Latino is a community organization whose mission is to contribute to the fullest development of Latino(a) immigrants and their families through education, training and employment that fosters participation in the changing U.S. society while preserving cultural identity and dignity. Founded in 1977 to help Latino’s learn basic skills, pass the civil service exam and obtain higher paying post office jobs, Instituto has grown to a flourishing educational center serving over 14,000 Chicago families per year.
Instituto del Progreso Latino is a community organization whose mission is to contribute to the fullest development of Latino(a) immigrants and their families through education, training and employment that fosters participation in the changing U.S. society while preserving cultural identity and dignity. Founded in 1977 to help Latino’s learn basic skills, pass the civil service exam and obtain higher paying post office jobs, Instituto has grown to a flourishing educational center serving over 14,000 Chicago families per year.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Career Advancement Coach reports to the Dean of Career Pathways Coordinator and Community Affairs and works closely with a team of other coaches, specialist, and other programs staffers with the department, the College of Nursing, and other colleagues within the organization. The primary responsibility of the Career Advancement Coach is to fully support participants in the development of a career advancement they will follow throughout their participation in the program. The Career Advancement Coach will implement a follow-up service strategy to ensure that program participants academic and employment goals are met. The Career Advancement Coach develops, nurtures, and maintains strong working partnerships with program participants. He/she also establishes networks with personnel in other departments at Instituto to promote the internal referral of students and clients to other services available in-house. The Career Advancement Coach will also create partnership with external agencies, Community Based Organizations (CBOs), and other academic institutions to connect students and clients with external supportive services and other resources to address the program participants social, emotional, and health care needs. In collaboration with the employment specialist, the career advancement coach participates in the development of individualized career and employment services plans aimed to help the participants achieve their career goals and a self-sufficiency financial level.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Conduct Career Pathways Program orientations on a weekly basis following a rotating schedule with other Career Pathways staff members.
- Review all documentation received for each program participant to ensure they fulfill all the eligibility requirements prior to complete their initial assessment.
- Prescreen potential participants for service eligibility, communicate basic agency policies and procedures, and service delivery systems.
- Perform initial assessments of participants upon their admission to the Career Pathways Program to determine the participant’s eligibility for registration to their program of interest.
- Conduct an inventory of participants training interests, academic placement level, their skills set, aptitudes, and abilities, prior work experience to the develop an individual academic and employment plan that will be the road map to follow to achieve their goals.
- Provide information and counsel students on career pathway choices to identify career development ladders that will lead to livable and sustainable wages.
- Assist participants to identify existing barriers that could prevent them from meeting their goals and offer supportive services to help them overcome the challenges that may place their completion at risk.
- Create individual participants’ files upon admission to the program and maintains them in a well-organized file management system.
- Record initial assessment case notes in Instituto’s data management system, Salesforce, and well as in the other data managements systems utilized by the different funders of the Career Pathways Programs.
- Register program participants in the training programs of their interest utilizing the funders data management systems.
- Provide on-going comprehensive and qualitative case management and career coaching services to program participants.
- Ensure that all corresponding case notes of the career coaches’ interaction with program participants are recorded in the funders data management systems on a timely and organized manner.
- Co-manage students/clients enrolled in the different grants available in the Career Pathways Department.
- Provide on-going intensive career coaching and case management services to students to ensure they stay motivated and achieve successful completion of classroom activities, training program, and ensure acquisition of an industry credential.
- Support the employment specialist in facilitating work-readiness workshops, as needed.
- Develop and maintain an active and relevant career resource library.
- Assist in the internal organization of college and community resource fairs.
- Develop and maintain partnerships with external vocational training programs, American Job Centers, sector centers, and other agencies in the workforce industry, to make appropriate training and employment referrals.
- Perform self-monthly audits of participants cases and files to ensure the department follows all eligibility, same-day services, case notes, and follow-up services as requested by all funders, at all times.
- Maintain an excellent organization system of program participants files/records for grant auditing purposes.
- Maintain objective, comprehensive, qualitative and timely case notes for participants in Instituto’s Salesforce data tracking system as well as in any other databases used by Career Pathways Funders.
- Prepare program and services data reports for the Dean of Career Pathways as requested.
- Complete monthly qualitative grants/programmatic reports accurately and in a timely manner.
- Guide participants through their career exploration process, ITA applications submission, and voucher acquisition.
- Conduct timely post-exit follow-up services phone calls to program participants.
- Participate in recruitment and outreach activities and events during week and weekend hours, or as needed.
- Attend meetings, conferences, and professional development events.
- Participate in other duties as assigned by supervisor.
QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE/EDUCATION
- Bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, or related field preferred.
- 3-4 years of experience providing career coaching/case manager services.
- Exceptional multitasking skills and ability to work under pressure.
- Dependable and punctual, have flexibility to work weekends or a rotation schedule if needed.
- Ability to maintain a high sense of confidentiality.
- Maintain a very positive attitude at all times.
- Possess strong and proven customer service skills and the ability to maintain composure under pressure.
- Be culturally sensitive when working with people from varied cultural backgrounds.
- Be a team player and a multi-tasker.
- Ability to demonstrate a high-performance work ethic when working under minimal supervision.
- Excellent oral and written communication skill in English/Spanish preferred.
- Strong project management skills, attention to detail and effective time management skills to work on multiple projects at the same time.
- Ability to adhere to deadlines, react to unpredictable events quickly and efficiently, be resourceful, manage conflict and challenges in a calm and positive manner.
- Advanced skills with Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and the Internet
The above is intended to describe the general conditions of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities and requirements.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Nature of work requires an ability to operate standard business office equipment. Requires ability to communicate and exchange information, collect, compile and prepare work documents, as well as set-up and maintain work files.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Majority of work performed in a general office environment. Position requires availability for extended hours plus non-traditional hours may be required to perform job duties. Also requires participation and attendance at organization sponsored events and meetings.
Instituto del Progresso Latino is an Equal Opportunity Employer
