Career Advancement Coach (IDPL) - Adult Educa en Instituto del Progreso Latino

Career Advancement Coach (IDPL) - Adult Education

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

Instituto del Progreso Latino is a community organization whose mission is to contribute to the fullest development of Latino(a) immigrants and their families through education, training and employment that fosters participation in the changing U.S. society while preserving cultural identity and dignity.  Founded in 1977 to help Latino’s learn basic skills, pass the civil service exam and obtain higher paying post office jobs, Instituto has grown to a flourishing educational center serving over 14,000 Chicago families per year.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Career Advancement Coach (CAC) reports to the Assistant Dean of HSE and Bridge Program and works closely with a team of other coaches, educators, and programs staffers. The primary responsibility of the Career Advancement Coach is to fully support participants in the development of their educational plans they will follow throughout their enrollment at Instituto’s adult education and job training programs. The Career Academic Coach will develop, nurture, and maintain strong working partnerships with program participants aid in the development and implementation of a service strategy to ensure that the participants academic goals are met. The CAC establishes networks with personnel in other departments at Instituto to promote the referral of participants to needed services as well at other educational centers. The Career and Academic Coach will also create partnerships with external agencies, Community Based Organizations (CBOs), and other academic institutions to bridge participants to external academic opportunities (associate degree programs) and job training programs. The CAC will also connect participants to external supportive services and other resources to address the participants’ social, emotional, and health care needs are addressed and met. In collaboration with the employment specialist, the career advancement coach participates in the development of individualized career and employment services plans aimed to help the participants achieve their career and academic goals.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct HSE and Career Pathways Program orientations on a weekly basis following a rotating schedule with other Career Pathways and Adult Education staff members.
• Review all documentation received for each program participant to ensure they fulfill all the eligibility requirements prior to complete their initial assessment.
• Prescreen potential participants for service eligibility, communicate basic agency policies and procedures, and service delivery protocol.
• Perform initial assessment of participants upon their admission to Adult Education and/or the Career Pathways Program to determine the participant’s eligibility for registration to their program of interest. 
• Conduct a thorough needs assessment questionnaire to identify the social, emotional, health, and financial challenges each participant may be facing at the program admission entry point. Communicate to the students the areas needing attention that may need to be addressed prior to being officially admitted into their program if interest. 
• Assess participants training interests, academic placement level, their skills set, aptitudes, and abilities, and prior work experience to develop an individual academic and employment plan that will be the road map to achieve their goals. 
• Provide information and counsel students on career pathway choices to identify career development ladders that will lead to livable and sustainable employment wages. 
• Offer referrals to access supportive services to help students overcome the challenges that become an obstacle to successful program completion. Create individual participants’ files upon admission to the program and maintain them in a well-organized file management system. 
• Record initial assessment and all subsequent case notes in Instituto’s data management system, Salesforce, and well as in the other data managements systems utilized by the different funders of Adult Education. 
• Register program participants in the training programs of their interest utilizing the funders and Instituto’s data management systems. 
• Provide on-going comprehensive and qualitative case management and career coaching services to program participants. 
• Ensure that all corresponding case notes of the career coaches’ interactions with program participants are recorded in the funders data management systems on a timely and accurate manner. 
• Co-manage students/clients enrolled in the different grants available in the Adult Education Department with other Career Pathways Department’s coaches/colleagues. 
• Provide on-going intensive career coaching and case management services to participants to ensure they stay motivated and achieve successful completion of classroom activities, training program, and ensure acquisition of an industry credential. 
• Coordinate the creation of the student calendar of activities for each new group of students admitted to Adult Education, Career Pathways, and the College of Nursing Program.
• Develop and maintain an active and relevant careers resource library. 
• Assist in the internal organization of college and community resource fairs. 
• Develop and maintain partnerships with external vocational training programs, American Job Centers, sector centers, and other agencies in the workforce industry, to make appropriate training and employment referrals. 
• In collaboration with the Assistant Dean of HSE and Bridge Program, perform monthly audits of participants cases and files to ensure the department follows all eligibility, case notes, and follow-up services as requested by all funders, at all times. 
• Maintain an accurate organization system of program participants files/records for grant auditing purposes. 
• Prepare program and services data reports for the Assistant Dean of HSE and Bridge Programs as requested. 
• Complete monthly qualitative grants/programmatic reports accurately and in a timely manner. 
• Participate in recruitment and outreach activities and events during late weekdays and weekend hours, or as needed depending on the increasing recruitment needs of the department.  
• Attend meetings, conferences, and professional development events after regular business hours, being mindful that traveling to attend work events may be required. 
• Other duties as assigned. 

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE/EDUCATION

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, the Arts, or related field or 1-3 years of experience providing client coaching/case manager services may be considered in-lieu of a bachelor’s degree. 
• Exceptional multitasking skills and ability to work under pressure. 
• Dependable and punctual, have flexibility to work weekends or a rotation schedule if needed. 
• Ability to maintain a high sense of confidentiality at all times and circumstances. 
• Maintain a very positive, friendly, and collaborative attitude at all times. 
• Possess strong and proven customer service skills and the ability to maintain composure under pressure. 
• Be culturally sensitive when working with people from varied cultural backgrounds. 
• Possess a strong team player and a multi-tasker attitude. 
• Ability to demonstrate a high-performance work ethic when working under minimal supervision. 
• Excellent oral and written communication skills are necessary.
• English/Spanish preferred 
• Strong project management skills, attention to detail and effective time management skills to work on multiple projects at the same time. 
• Ability to adhere to deadlines, react to unpredictable events quickly and efficiently, be resourceful, manage conflict and challenges in a calm and positive manner. 
• Demonstrate a strong use of good judgement under delicate situations.
• Advanced skills with Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and the Internet 

The above is intended to describe the general conditions of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities and requirements. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

The nature of this work requires the ability to operate standard business office equipment. Requires ability to communicate and exchange information, collect, compile and prepare work documents, set-up and maintain work files.

WORKING CONDITIONS 

The majority of the work performed is in a general office environment. This position requires the availability to work for extended hours, and  non-traditional hours to perform these job duties. It also requires participation and attendance at organization sponsored events and meetings outside normal business hours. 

BENEFITS

Medical

Dental

Vison

Life Insurance

Short Term Disability

Long Term Disability

403b retirement saving plan 

PAID TIME OFF

Vacation

Sick

Personal

Holidays

Instituto del Progreso Latino is an Equal Opportunity Employer