NLC Career Specialist

Position Title

NLC Career Specialist

Workforce Development

Director of Chicago Housing Authority Program

Workforce Development (WFD): help families achieve economic and social self-sufficiency. Career Services' goal is to offer participants the knowledge, skills and confidence to become successful in the workplace by inspiring, motivating and educating clients to pursue a career path, whether or not they are currently in school. Utilizing career interest inventories and workforce assessments, staff are able to assist participants in identifying their strengths and goals so they are able to make an informed decision while pursing employment opportunities.

Under the supervision of the Chicago Housing Authority Program Director, the Career Specialist develops and provides a range of employment related services primarily to clients in the Chicago Housing Authority Workforce Program with the goals of job placement, job retention and increased household income for increased self-sufficiency.

• Established and maintain relationships with employers creating a concurrent job order to distribute to potential candidates.
• Utilize a wide variety of methods to generate candidates, including internal and external networking, job fairs and referral program.
• Targets client needs in order to increase employment outcomes, including: consistent employment for those who are sporadically employed and employment skills for those with little or no work history.
• Develops and maintains relationships and communication with a wide range of Chicagoland businesses and employers that will partner with UCAN as resources for internships and job placement.
• Inventories client interest in various job opportunities based on market availability and refers clients to jobs in areas of interest.
• Counsel clients around issues of job readiness, job and vocational training, job search and adjustments to new jobs and work-life.
• Provides guidance services to clients in various aspects of their functioning that affects their obtaining and/or maintaining employment.
• Collects, organizes and analyzes information about clients through records, tests, interviews and professional sources to appraise their needs, interests, abilities and personality characteristics for vocational and educational counseling, job training and job placement.
• Conduct outreach services to attract and recruit Chicago Housing Authority residents for UCAN’s Workforce Development Services.
• Must meet identified job placement and client recruitment services.
• Compiles and studies occupational, educational, economic and personal developmental information to aid clients in making and carrying out occupational and vocational objectives to meet their needs.
• Establishes and maintains potential employer contacts to ensure placement opportunities for clients who have successfully completed training or are at the appropriate skill level.
• Solicits job openings and establishes job interviews with clients; supports clients during the interview process and job orientation and performs follow-up as necessary.
• Advises and consults with case management staff towards integration of employment activities with other program services.
• Keeps organized and accurate records on job training, placement and retention for all clients who participated in employment related services.
• Maintains current knowledge through participation in training sessions, seminars, conferences, etc.
• Refer applicants to service such as literacy, language instruction, transportation assistance vocational training and childcare.
• Using a case management approach, as well as regular telephone and in-person consultations, supporting…