College and Career Readiness Specialist
Goodwill of Greater Washington - Washington, DC
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The College and Career Readiness Specialist will build close relationships with students and deliver high impact college and career readiness instruction and support to ensure each student at The Goodwill Excel Center (GEC) prepares realistic post-secondary plans and is successfully placed into employment and/or college. The College and Career Readiness Specialist teaches career and technical education (CTE) classes at GEC that fall under the CCR Team, including senior seminar, career pathway, and other classes that may fall in the CCR scope. The College and Career Readiness Specialist works with the CCR Team to build and revise course curriculum to align with college and career pathway goals. The CCR Specialist advises and supports students with identifying their preferred career and/or college pathway and planning the next steps needed to achieve this outcome. Additionally, the CCR Specialist provides support to all students in obtaining employment and/or applying and preparing for college. The CCR Specialist manages an alumni caseload and maintains close contact and relationships with alumni post-graduation to track and ensure student post-secondary employment and college goals are achieved. Additionally, this position will support the school’s motto: “Relationships, Relevance, and Rigor”. This position is responsible and will be held accountable for behaving in accordance with divisional and organizational RISE values and expectations.Essential Duties and Responsibilities:1. Build strong relationships with students in school and on alumni caseload to develop trust and understanding in planning post-graduation activities and next steps. Create opportunities for students to engage with the CCR team during their GEC journey.2. Create and teach, both in person and virtually, college and career readiness curriculum in CTE classes (senior seminar and pathway courses) for students that focuses on career/college readiness, soft skills, and post-secondary planning. Implement pre-employment assessments that include drug testing, background checks, and career assessments to support seniors with their post-secondary plans.3. Teach, both in person and virtually students in all enrolled CTE classes (career pathway courses at GEC) via the creation and delivery of employability skills lessons within the CTE courses, mock interview day planning and implementation, and updating of resumes.4. Lead the application process for CCR pathways. Collaborate with GEC team members to support student scheduling processes into career and technical education (CTE) classes, dual enrollment classes, and other college and career readiness classes based on their career and interest surveys and aligned to course timelines.5. In collaboration with the GEC CCR Team, support, track and monitor all student certificates in the CTE classes. Partner with identified vendors in the CTE classes to establish strong lines of communication in the classes.6. Lead and facilitate targeted support sessions for students, seniors and alumni with the CCR Team on a variety of topics aligned to post-secondary success.7. Implement career and college interest surveys and meet regularly with students and coaches to determine interest for CCR pathways and aligned application timelines.8. Provide targeted and customized support to all seniors to secure employment and/or enroll in college after graduation. Support includes, but is not limited to, assisting with job and college applications, completing financial aid forms, holding regular office hours, scheduling meetings with seniors, creating and managing strong partnerships for career and post-secondary placement, and other CCR team initiatives.9. In collaboration with the GEC CCR Team, plan and implement The Excel Expo (career and college fairs) to connect students with desired employment, postsecondary education, and community resources and maintain strong follow-up and relationships with vendors, alumni, and current students.10. Create and maintain outreach efforts to all Goodwill Excel Center alumni. Stay in contact with and track graduated students as they pursue their post-secondary options in order to maintain up to date employment and college attainment data for six months post-graduation.11. Demonstrate a culture of innovation and responsiveness to meet the current workforce development skills of students with an understanding of business needs.12. Ensure accurate and timely entry and tracking of key data in approved Goodwill Excel Center systems.13. Collaborate with the CCR Team and other GEC Staff to support CCR initiatives focused on increasing college and career readiness visibility and access to all students as well as alumni.14. Other duties as assigned.Supervisory Responsibility:This position has no supervisory responsibilities.Required Qualifications:1. Bachelor’s Degree.2. Minimum of 2 years of experience working in a secondary or higher education setting, career counseling, and/or workforce development.3. Experience in career pathway development and post-secondary planning to support post-secondary goals of students. Training in guidance or career/technical education, highly desirable.4. Strong instructional skills as evidenced by prior success in an outcome-driven classroom setting. Ability to facilitate and make presentations to diverse audiences.5. Demonstrated experience in assisting individuals in removing barriers to achieve personal success, as evidenced by a successful track record.6. Ability to work independently and with a team.7. Excellent written and oral communication skills as well as strong organizational skills.8. Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and to prioritize and work effectively on multiple tasks simultaneously.9. Has strong knowledge of computer programs to perform clerical tasks: Google Applications (specifically Gmail), Excel, Word and Internet Explorer. Preferred Qualifications1. Master’s degree in education, or a related field.2. 3-5 years of experience working to create and implement career and college pathways.3. Experience teaching in a high-needs community.4. Connections to DC’s high yield industries and area 2- and 4-year colleges.5. Experience with adult learners returning for a high school diploma a plus.6. Experience creating curriculum for high school or adult learners and implementing this curriculum.7. Strong community relationships to postsecondary and career partners in the District to support student outcomes and next steps.
Created: 2024-09-07