Youth Work-based Learning Coordinator

Job Description 

The Youth Work-based Learning Coordinator will oversee development and implementation of the work-based learning component of the NextGen Youth Career Exploration project for Capital Area Workforce Development Board (CAWD). 

The goal of this grant-funded pilot project is to provide Wake County youth (ages 18-24) with opportunities for economic mobility through career success. The Coordinator will work closely with CAWD staff, Youth Outreach Coordinator, NextGen (youth) case managers, community and employer partners to develop work experiences and potential full-time employment opportunities. The Coordinator will develop relationships with employers that are interested in offering short-term and long-term employment for youth in Wake County. The Coordinator will then execute activities that support the strategies of this project.

The work will typically occur M-F 8:30 am to 5:15 pm but will also involve occasional weekday nights, weekend days, or nights around events. The work schedule may be a hybrid of remote and in-person work. The Youth Work-based Learning Coordinator will report directly to CAWD’s Assistant Director.

Project Description

The NextGen Youth Career Exploration project is currently funded through December 2025 with Wake County ARPA dollars. These funds provide staffing, career-focused events for youth and families, education and training in the Biopharma and Nursing industry and other focused industries and marketing and technology to promote the initiative.

The recommended strategies will help reach the ARPA Youth Career Awareness grant's goals and create the foundation for a new youth engagement strategy. The lessons learned in this pilot can be used to develop a regional youth engagement and support strategy. Many of these engagements will occur at or with support from Wake County’s NextGen Center. The NextGen Center offers specialized programs for jobseekers aged 14-24 to provide the best possible opportunity to find a job and keep it! 

Roles & Responsibilities

The Work-Based Learning Coordinator is expected to achieve programmatic goals by executing strategies and activities to support the larger goal of increasing youth career success and economic mobility by December 2025. Including:

·        Increasing the number of employers willing to offer short-term work-experiences and full-time employment opportunities in the Biopharma, Manufacturing, Nursing and other specific industries identified by CAWD staff for current and future participants.

·        Leading presentations with employers explaining the benefits of providing opportunities to local Wake County youth and the additional workforce dollars that can be used to supplement payroll through On the Job Training (OJT) and Work Experience (WEX) opportunities.

·        Increasing participation with current and future participants in work-based learning opportunities where at least 10 participants will enter some type of work experience by December 2025.

·        Providing career development strategies and support to current and future participants to prepare them for interviews, career events, and future work opportunities.

·        Providing career development support to monthly/bi-monthly durable skills workshops offered to current and future participants.

·        Providing support to current and future participants with transportation barriers using the CAWD Mobile Unit van to transport participants to job fairs, job shadows and other work-based opportunities.

·        Meeting regularly with NextGen case managers, employer partners and community partners to share progress and barriers of participants to provide more timely support.

Qualifications:

·        Experience with working with employers, community organizations, and youth-based organizations.

·        Experience recruiting businesses to offer internships/work experiences to young adults

·        Experience working with individuals to prepare them to enter the workforce

·        Communication skills including

o  Oral communication such as 1:1 engagement, public speaking, and presentations, facilitating phone, video, and in-person meetings.

o  Professional written communication including emails, reports, and presentations.

·        Experience working with youth and/or young adults

·        High School Diploma or equivalent

Benefits and Salary:

·        Base pay is $40/hour with an expected 30-hour work week average.

·        This is a contract position paid hourly. The employee will be allotted 780 hours of work based on the current budget with the duration of the assignment to last no longer than through December 2025.  There will be no additional benefits due to the nature of the grant funding.

·        Work cell phone and laptop provided.

Work Structure:

Hybrid: remote and In-person (some in-person work required regularly at outreach events)