Website Isles inc.
ABOUT ISLES YOUTH INSTITUTE
Isles seeks an experienced and community-focused individual for the position of Career Counselor within Isles Youth Institute. The Career Counselor will support students at Isles Youth Institute (IYI) in identifying desired career pathways, becoming job ready, and securing and maintaining employment. The candidate will be part of the IYI team, working together to support IYI students, and will also work closely with staff at Isles’ Financial Opportunity Center (FOC), which provides individuals and families with employment services, financial coaching and access to income supports.
Isles Youth Institute (IYI) offers alternative education opportunities for youth who have struggled in conventional school settings. IYI supports youth to earn their high school equivalence diploma, develop vocational skills, and enhance their overall life skills. Isles utilizes an effective developmental approach for students ages 16 to 24, and supports IYI students holistically to ensure their academic, job, and life success. We believe that by empowering opportunity youth with the academic and personal development skills needed to achieve self-reliance, and providing a supportive, safe environment, the ability of IYI students to achieve their goals will improve, changing their educational and life outcomes.
Position Details
Career Counseling and Case Management
The Career Counselor will assess students’ job readiness; implement interventions to improve readiness and related skills; facilitate student connections with potential employers and placement in appropriate positions; and maintain relationships with students to ensure their success. The Career Counselor will provide follow-up support with each student for at least one year and will maintain case notes for reporting and support purposes.
Employment Matching
The Career Counselor will gather labor market and occupational information to provide appropriate employment and training options, develop individualized employment and training plans with students, and work with students to register with partner agencies and organizations for training, certifications, and other relevant credentials. The Career Counselor will also coordinate job fairs based on in-demand jobs, labor market data, and trends in regional employment.
Employer Relationships
The Career Counselor will develop and maintain partnerships with businesses and industries that can offer jobs, internships, and job shadowing opportunities to students. The Career Counselor will maintain contact with employers with placed youth and keep an employer database with all current and prospective employers for students.
WHO WILL BE SUCCESSFUL:
Successful candidates are motivated, youth-oriented, and creative in a community-focused setting. They are committed to working with youth from disadvantaged backgrounds and will be excited to collaborate with a diverse and committed team of colleagues at IYI and Isles to advance the prospects of Trenton’s youth. They look forward to building connections across Isles service areas and with other organizations and agencies in Trenton to expand upon existing work and increase investment in local youth. They are effective and persuasive communicators and enjoy promoting their own and their organization’s work.
QUALIFICATIONS
• Experience creating and implementing successful employment and post-secondary education strategies
for un- and underemployed individuals
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail, including following directions and filling out forms
and applications
• A commitment to supporting and empowering individuals and families from historically under-resourced
communities and increasing their financial capabilities and wealth
• Experience working with youth in an urban environment
• Familiarity with employers in Trenton and Mercer County
• Ability to work independently and collegially in a fast-paced, goal-oriented environment
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Work experience in the social services sector
• Valid NJ driver’s license in good standing
• Ability to maintain State Central Registry (SCR) clearance and fingerprint clearance throughout the
duration of employment
• Experience and cultural competency working with individuals and families from varied experiences and
backgrounds
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Proficiency in utilizing virtual meeting platforms (Zoom, Teams, etc.)
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, preferably related to Career Counseling
and/or workforce and career development, or equivalent experience
• Bilingual in Spanish and English preferred
Interested candidates should submit cover letter and resume to hr@isles.org. Your application materials
should demonstrate why you’re a good fit for this position and what specific skills, experience, talents,
and interest you’ll bring to the table
