Home Economics Specialist

**Ballad Group**

Ballad’s Training Division is hiring a **Home Economics Specialist**; a key role for our Red Deer Work Employment Readiness and Connections Program. We know that’s a mouth full, so you can call it the RD WERC program. This position will play a key role in delivering occupational skills training program with a focus in the ever-growing Hospitality industry.

But who is Ballad Group? Well, our workforce development programs have built capacity in diverse areas including entrepreneurship, insurance, information and computer technology, construction, French language acquisition, hospitality, supply chain management, and more. We have delivered unique workforce development programs for a variety of organizations, Indigenous Communities and on behalf of the Ministry of Jobs, Economy and Northern Development and Ministry of Seniors, Community & Social Services and Social Development Canada.

Well, the goal of the WERC program is to develop and administer individually focused direct skill enhancement training and job placement to enable multi-barriered Albertans find and maintain employment.

**The Opportunity**

Reporting to the Red Deer WERC Program Coordinator, the **Home Economics Specialist **will play an active key role within will play an active key role within the Work Employment Readiness and Connections Program (WERC). This key position will be responsible for facilitating all aspects of hospitality on-site skills development training.

The **Home Economics Specialist** will deliver hospitality focused workshops, program plan, and coordinate hands-on skills development activities to meet the ever-changing needs of individual learners and prepare them for employment in the hospitality sector.

The **Home Economics Specialist** utilizes excellent judgment to develop credible and meaningful relationships with program participants and other stakeholders, ensuring strictest confidentiality. This individual will work closely with the other program staff and the program participants to identify opportunities and to resolve concerns.

This is a full-time position and works closely with and reports to the Red Deer Program Coordinator. This position is located in Red Deer, Alberta

**Key Responsibilities**

**Program Facilitation**
- Where required, develop new program material for classroom instruction
- Ensure all materials are prepared for the first day distribution and everyday thereafter
- Develop/modify hospitality workshops and programming to meet the needs of program participants.
- Possesses and continually develops working knowledge of Hospitality frameworks, and teaching methods
- Assesses and records student development, while identifying problem areas and areas which need attention and improvement
- Conduct hands on on-site skill development training by guiding participants through food preparation, cooking, and kitchen clean up.
- Weekly menu creations.
- Place weekly food and supply orders with WERC vendors which aligns with weekly budget
- Ensure the kitchen is cleaned and meets all regulations as identified by the permit
- Arrange for the safety tickets which align with hospitality standards such as but not limited to WHMIS, Food Safety, Pro-Serve
- Enforce proper dress code as identified by permit

**Program Development**:

- Lead the development of new hospitality program material for classroom instruction where required

**Program Reporting**:

- Prepare and submit a program report to the Program Coordinator as needed
- Submit all personal expenses accurately and on time

**Support Work**
- Active service management of clients to ensure success
- Follow-up and associated reporting
- General administration including maintenance of participant files, data entry, responding to incoming inquiries, preparation of materials, etc.

Other duties that may arise from time to time and as may be assigned

**Experience**

The position requires the following skills, experiences, and abilities:
A professional with proven experience collaborating with professionals in the hospitality industry and building and maintaining relationships with staff.
- Connections within the Hospitality sector in Red Deer and surrounding area will be considered an asset.
- Relevant formal education is an asset
- Proven experience facilitating basic food prep, preparation, menu planning and clean up required
- Public speaking or group facilitation within a formal educational environment or on the job required.
- Proven basic skill level in Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel)
- Exemplary verbal and written communication skills
- A genuine desire and passion to build relationships with various client population groups, employers, and internal/external stakeholders
- Exceptional participant services with the ability to present ideas and/or services to individuals and groups
- Able to take initiative and be resourceful in seeking out potential participants
- Experience with pre-employment strategies