Career Specialist

VPI is a Service Provider for Employment Ontario, which is funded by the Ontario Government to support jobseekers and employers. VPI has been delivering employment programs for more than 30 years. We are based in Mississauga and have 17 branches across Southern Ontario. Our organizational values rest on 4-pillars which are Ethics, Passion, Innovation, and Courage which support the desire and passion to make a positive and sustainable impact for the individuals we serve.

VPI Employment Services embraces and encourages inclusivity and diversity in the workplace. We are committed to providing accessible employment practices and creating a work environment that encourages and supports our team members be their authentic selves.

We are seeking out individuals who have the passion and drive to make a positive and sustainable impact for the individuals we serve. Providing exceptional client experience; creating an environment where clients feel safe, heard, supported, and see progression with skill development, and life stabilization support, leading to sustainable employment and career development.

We are looking for a **Permanent** **Full-time**, permanent **Career Specialist** for our **Ajax branch**.

**Key Job Functions**
- Conducts outreach, pre-screens clients, and based on suitability factors conducts intake and needs assessment for clients accessing assisted services.
- Assess eligibility and motivation of clients towards exploring a career.
- Assists clients in obtaining meaningful employment through individual or group employment counseling including resume critique, mock interviews, and referrals to pre-employment services.
- Creates and monitors service plans and maintains real-time case management.
- Monitors client’s progress and provides ongoing support through to successful completion of the program, including managing attendance and participation in skills training, addressing issues as required.
- Critiques clients’ self-marketing tools (e.g., resume and interview skills) and refers them to appropriate resources in accordance with their specific requirements.
- Provides instruction, soft skills training, and technical support to clients regarding available resources, such as business directories, resume writing tools, relevant labor market information, and online training platforms.
- Promotes the ERC and VPI Learning Centre (eLearning) as well as other online resources.
- Facilitates employment workshops, job fairs, employer sessions, and other events to prepare clients to obtain as well as maintain employment.
- Refers clients to Job Matching Placement with Incentives (JMPI) component upon successful completion of skills training.
- Works alongside fellow program staff to support clients in placement and employment, including job matching, employer outreach, developing training and onboarding plans with employer and client, and monitoring the effectiveness of job placements.
- Refers clients out to other community services to support client needs.
- Keeps current with prevailing labor market conditions as well as new developments within local and regional labor markets to support service coordination and job development.
- Provides retention, and advancement support and services to client’s post-program for a period of up to 12 months, including but not limited to career development support and rapid response services.
- Tracks, monitors, and achieves individual and branch targets pertaining to number of assisted participants, closures, percentage of participant suitability, and percentage of service coordination as well as personal support expenditure.
- Maintains and shares information on available community services, including all services available through MLTSD, government ministries and agencies.
- Completes administrative portion of intake within internal CRM, Smart Simple, as well as the service plans within the allocated time.
- Maintains real-time, accurate case notes in Smart Simple according to internal policies and guidelines as well as funder criteria.
- Responds to client enquiries and provide assistance in a timely manner, as required.
- Other duties pertaining to the position, as required.
- Consistently support the achievement of all branch targets

**Skills and Abilities**
- Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of our services, eligibility of programs that we administer.
- Building Rapport
- Comfortable with technology, ever-improving processes, and efficiencies.
- Critical Thinking/Problem Solving
- Self-Confidence/Resilience
- Judgement/Decision-making
- Self-motivated, good work ethic and habits, and strong interpersonal skills
- Excellent listening skills
- Customer Service
- Initiative
- Communication Skills
- Organization Skills
- Ability to multi-task
- Attention to detail.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and comfortable managing targets.
- Outgoing and enjoy getting to know other businesses and how their needs and our services can align that bri