Career Counselor

Position: Career Counselor - Victoria and Vancouver Island

Project: Foreign Credential Recognition (FCR) Loans Program for Skilled Newcomers

**Hours of Work: 35 hours per week**

**Reports to: Manager**

**Job Summary**: The Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society (PICS)’s Foreign Credential Recognition Loans Project ( FCR) has been specifically designed to address particular barriers to employment faced by skilled newcomer professionals, by offering career and financial counselling and support services to achieve the following objectives:

- Contribute to developing fair, transparent, consistent, and timely foreign credential assessment and recognition capacity
- Develop and strengthen Canada’s foreign credential assessment and recognition capacity
- Contribute to improving Labour market integration outcomes of internationally trained individuals in targeted occupations and sectors

The Career Counselor is responsible for assisting the clients with career planning and credentialing process, and working closely with clients to determine eligibility and need for support, and wrap around services.

The Career Counselor is also responsible for conducting individual career counseling services to ensure client employment readiness and providing job development services to ensure client work placements. He/she ensures FCR clients become more independent through achieving and maintaining work in the designated professional sectors.

**Responsibilities**:

- Communicates with the Program Coordinator to update on project progress and evaluates results, records activities, and submits reports to the Program Coordinator/Manager
- Provides ongoing support for current and prospective clients
- Meets with clients to obtain information and identify their goals
- Part of the overall PICS WorkBC team and will provide support and services to all WorkBC Centres
- Conducts needs assessments with clients and other assessments as required
- Analyzes client's status, character, and labour market trends to determine eligibility and feasibility of granting loans
- Develops, reviews, revises and updates action plans according to client needs
- Performs regular follow-ups with clients to monitor their progress and provide further assistance as required
- Prepares reports and data collection
- Identifies and builds connections with employers and immigrant service providers
- Liaising with our partners in this project
- Initiates and maintains ongoing contacts with businesses, industry representatives and immigrant service organizations
- Collects labour market information for clients regarding job openings, entry and skills requirements, and other occupational information
- Develops job leads and market clients to potential employers; creates connections and networking opportunities; locates work placement openings for clients based on their skills and abilities
- Works with clients to improve job performance and gain necessary job skills

**Qualifications**:
**Education, Training, and Experience**
- A Bachelor Degree in a related discipline and/or an equivalent combination of experience and education may be considered.
- Minimum 1 year of experience in case management or equivalent
- Minimum 1 year of experience in employment services
- Minimum 1 year of experience in conducting a financial needs assessment
- Experience working with skilled newcomer professionals
- Certified Career Development Practitioner (CCDP) designation a definite asset

**Job Skills and Abilities**
- Strong knowledge of local labour market information and methods to maintain a current understanding of local influences and regional trends
- Strong analytical skills coupled with a high degree of accuracy
- Possesses established connections within the community and with employers
- Excellent verbal and written communications skills
- Strong ability to work with mínimal supervision
- Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively with clients and the public including potential employers and other service providers
- Competent to accomplish tasks with deadlines & handle stress and pressure
- Willing to take initiative, action & results-oriented, flexible and dedicated to quality work
- Proficient in the use of the Microsoft Office Suite and Social Media - Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, website etc.

**Additional Information**
- Reliable vehicle insured for business use with $2 million liability and clean driver's abstract.
- Clean Criminal Record Check (Vulnerable Sector).
- (PICS is an equal opportunity employer. We thank all who apply, but only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls please.)_

**Job Types**: Full-time, Permanent

**Benefits**:

- Company pension
- Disability insurance
- Extended health care

Schedule:

- Monday to Friday
- Weekend availability

Work Location: One location