Employment Specialist

Are you entrepreneurial, client-focused and committed to teamwork and excellence? Do you enjoy working with clients from diverse backgrounds? If you want to work for a recognized leader in career and workforce development, then consider a career with Centre for Skills Development

Headquartered in Burlington, Ontario, with locations in Oakville, Milton and Clarkson, Centre for Skills delivers high caliber employment services, language training & settlement services, skilled trades training and literacy upgrading. Providing people with opportunities to build a better future and making a positive impact on peoples’ lives is integral to the business of Centre for Skills.

For more information, visit: centreforskills.ca

Job Number: 476

Job Title: Employment Specialist

Department: Employment Services

Location: Halton Sites/Virtual

Schedule: Monday to Friday, 8:30am - 4:30pm

Hours of Work: Full-time (35 hours/week)

Hybrid Model: In-person 4 days per week, virtual 1 day per week

Reports To: Program Coordinator

**Salary**: $60,569

The Employment Specialist provides one-to-one counselling to case-managed clients on topics related to job search, job retention and career exploration, effectively and efficiently moving clients toward short-term and long-term employment goals. The Employment Specialist liaises with the Employment Services team and the Coordinator to ensure that all services offered in the Employment Services site are current and appropriate to the community and for client needs.

These are your responsibilities:

- Work with all clients accessing Employment Services, with a particular focus on persons with disabilities, youth with higher needs, newcomers and OW recipients, with the goal of meeting targets set by the Funder and the Site Coordinator
- Perform needs assessments and utilize Common Assessment Tools, Motivational Interviewing and Solution-Focused counselling models to create a personalized Employment Action Plan (EAP) that addresses life stabilization requirements, enhances labour market knowledge, identifies community resources, builds skills, and facilitates the attainment of sustainable employment.
- Conduct interview preparation and mock interview sessions with clients customizing each session to address the client’s unique needs and challenges and the specific job opportunity.
- Provide one-on-one support for job matching and advocate for clients to assist them in securing interviews and employment, working closely with the workforce development specialists.
- Provide ongoing support to clients post-employment by conducting follow-ups and offering resources for job retention, career development, and advancement opportunities.
- Assess financial and support needs that are barriers to employment to determine if client supports are appropriate; process expenditures as required
- Deliver case management services while ensuring the maintenance of digital/ physical records in a confidential manner.
- Maintain Case Notes and documentation of client engagement, progress of completion of plan items from Employment Action Plans and documentation of client progress and results
- Administer and interpret various career assessments
- Facilitate workshops, and information sessions virtually or in person on various topics related to job search, career planning, labour market research, etc.
- Provide back-up coverage for the Employment Services team located in any of the four Employment Services sites as needed

What you need to bring to this job:

- Post-secondary degree or diploma. Career Development Practitioner diploma/certificate an asset
- Educational equivalents such as Social Services Worker may be considered with related experience
- Certification in Personality Dimensions, Strong Interest Inventory, MBTI, COP System and/or other formal career assessments is an asset
- Career Practitioner training and counselling techniques an asset
- Experience working with adults from culturally and socio-economically diverse backgrounds, including newcomers, youth, OW/ODSP recipients, and multi-barriered clients; Preference will be given to those with EO experience
- Knowledge and experience with Motivational Interviewing, Solution-focused Counselling, and the Common Assessment Tool and/or similar model for conducting intake assessments
- Demonstrated ability to work in a target driven outcome-based model; accountable to achieving monthly targets
- Knowledge of all Employment Ontario programs - Employment Services, Canada Ontario Job Grant and Literacy and Basic Skills
- and strong willingness and interest to learn more as required
- Strong knowledge of job search techniques, career development, and issues relating to unemployment
- Familiarity with signs and symptoms of mental illness with knowledge of local resources
- Professional and cooperative teamwork approach, positive attitude, excellent customer service skills
- Ability to deescalate situations where clients may be acting in a negative o