The Career and Education Outreach Specialist’s primary goal is to help students make educated decisions about their career pathways. Work involves implementing plans, goals, strategies, deliverables, and timelines to meet objectives when partnering with school districts. Other work involves collaborating and reporting to Workforce Solutions Youth Services, Education Service Centers, community partners, employers, and Vocational Rehabilitation services for youth in the Summer Earn and Learn (SEAL) Program. Through the SEAL Program, the Specialist will recruit employers for the project and conduct all responsibilities related to the project including conducting site reviews. The SEAL Program establishes a mechanism by which pre-employment transition services are provided to students with disabilities, as required under Title IV of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which modified the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. SEAL is a statewide strategy that includes Work Readiness Training and Paid Work Experience for students with disabilities. It will be offered in each local workforce development area (LWDA) during the summer months, when students are out of school. SEAL includes basic work-based learning and training services for students with disabilities that provide:

• Pre-employment work readiness training and preparation for the work experience placement.
• Work experience to help participants gain familiarity with the workplace environment and develop transferable job skills; and
• Paid compensation for time worked on the job.

The Specialist may also provide career and labor market information to 6th-12th grade students to help prepare them for the future workforce as needed.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Promote regional Career and Education activities and initiatives such as the South Plains Career Expo, Jobs Y’all, and Youth Job Fairs.
• Manage event advisory committee meetings, procurements, and registrations.
• Work with Business Services to register Employers and Exhibitors for events including in WorkinTexas.com.
• Work with school districts to register students and faculty for events.
• Handle marketing and advertising with the SPCAA Communications Director.
• Coordinate the SEAL program in partnership with VR staff and as outlined in Board VR Requirements Chapter 1: Summer Earn and Learn, including identification, referrals, placements, and payroll.
• Recruit employers to place youth in Work Experience and assign youth to work sites and conduct an orientation meeting for the participating employers.
• Set up Job Readiness Training Orientations for VR youth to explain the purpose of the SEAL work experience.
• Create spreadsheets or other recordkeeping to monitor and track the number of students, employers, worksite assignments, number of weeks and hours worked per student.
• Document and submit all required data and monthly reports as related to the program.
• Share and exchange information and documentation about VR participants and potential participants to choose the appropriate SEAL program participants and ensure an appropriate work site match. Protect confidential information, including personally identifiable information, from – at a minimum – unauthorized access and misuse in accordance with Board policies utilizing encryption standards. The committee should discuss any accommodation needs or concerns for the participants.
• Coordinate with VR staff to ensure information is collected as required for VR case files and federal reporting, and to develop processes for collection and submission of such information.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES

• Engage with and train school district staff members on career tools and resources.
• Research current labor market trends to provide viable information to students, parents, and other stakeholders.
• Use tools to create engaging presentations and outreach materials for students, parents, and school districts.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Work independently and cooperatively within a team environment.
• Excellent organizational and customer service skills.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with secondary and post-secondary education and training providers, local employers, and students.
• Responsible and efficient with time and task management.
• Skilled and effective oral and written communicator with demonstrated ability to work with diverse populations.
• Proficient in a variety of computer software applications (Office365, Adobe, MS Teams, Zoom, WorkinTexas.com, etc.).

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university in human services, business, education, or a related field preferred.
• One additional year of full-time qualifying experience may be substituted for each year (30 semester hours) of college up to a maximum of two years.
• Four years of full-time work experience; preferably in the fields of education, workforce development or Career and Technical Education (CTE).
• Excellent writing abilities, computer and Microsoft Office skills, and a background in technical writing preferred.
• Ability to work independently with great latitude for independent judgment.
• Ability to present information and respond to inquiries from individuals or groups.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret government regulations.
• Ability to meet tight deadlines.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Employee is regularly required to sit, walk, or stand for extended periods of time.
• On occasion, the employee may be required to lift/push/ or pull up to 25lbs.
• On occasion, may require long periods of standing or walking.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Ability to drive long distances within the South Plains Region.
• Noise level in the office environment is moderate.
• Ability to work in a stressful environment and deal effectively with stress.
• Ability to perform duties and adapt to flexible work schedules as established by management.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to travel by air.
• Ability to travel for activities such as meetings with customers, other agencies, or any other necessity that requires travel.
• Ability to adapt to inclement weather conditions and/or situations. 
• Must be able to provide reliable self-transportation for regional travel and maintain a valid Texas motor vehicle driver’s license or permit of appropriate classification and endorsement as required. Must agree to maintain a satisfactory MVR and minimum requirement of insurability required by law. MVR background check will be conducted.