Department: Work & Learn
Job Title: Creative Arts Instructor/Workforce Development Focus
Reports to: Director 1 Work & Learn
Supervises: N/A
Employment Status: Part time
FLSA Classification: Non Exempt
Job Summary: Responsible for facilitating a learning environment for participants by providing creative arts instruction, Arts & crafts, ceramics, kiln operation, pottery, pottery wheel operation, sculpting, silk screening, tye-dye, beading, paper mache, sketching/drawing, painting, clay projects, jewelry making, braiding, decoupage, fabric painting. Provides Individual career research and planning, facilitates Career Competency development training and nationally recognized vocational certification based on youth’s individual success plan and addressing youth’s barriers as well as short, intermediate and long-term educational and employment goals.
Main Duties & Responsibilities:
- Plans and instructs ceramics class (e.g. glazing, sculpting and hand building).
- Plans and instructs performing and visual art class based on youth’s career interest
- Ensures classroom is maintained clean and supplies are purchased and properly stored
- Administers career-related pre & post assessments with each enrolled youth (i.e. CASAS, KUDER, CDM, O’NET, etc.)
- Establishes specific measurable youth driven short-term, intermediate and long-term goals based on their ISP.
- Establishes rapport, reviews program model, and builds trust with each referred youth.
- Provides proactive solutions and resources as well as empowers the youth to work towards reducing barriers.
- Regularly engages youth through the following venues: face-to-face contacts, home visits, site visits, telephone, social networking, e-mail etc.
- Offers one-on-one coaching and skill development support.
- Facilitates “career competency development” training to help youth develop, maintain or improve their workforce readiness skills.
- Responsible for facilitating a learning environment for participants that addresses individual career research and planning, career competency development training and nationally recognized vocational certification.
- Provides participants with job placement assistance and retention.
- In web-based data systems, accurately documents, youth progress in meeting established ISP goals and objectives (e.g. member case notes, records, plans and reports).
- Achieves organizational short, intermediate and long-term standards relative to member engagement, participation, retention and goal completion.
- Develop and maintain relationships with employers by garnering job placement opportunities (i.e. establishing work to learn job sites for year-round), and providing follow up support as needed.
- Develop and maintain relationships with community providers that can assist youth with exposure to Post-secondary options
- Coordinates Employer Networking events (e.g. job fairs, job shadowing etc.)
- Fosters working relationships with parents/guardians and other caring adults in order to provide program clarity, facilitate support for the youth and assist them in having access to services.
- During regular case management reviews with supervisor; outlines and communicates significant gaps and/or changes in the youth’s data in order to facilitate/coordinate support services.
- Performs recruitment activities as needed
- Travel Required
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in human services field preferred (i.e. Visual Arts, Social Work, Psychology).
- Knowledge of Positive Youth Development Practices (i.e. social-emotional development, Physical well-being, risk & protective factors, professional ethics, confidentiality, rights & laws) relating to youth.
Experience
- Two to Three years’ experience in teaching ceramics
- Must have experience using an electric wheel and kiln
- Ability to instruct individuals/groups and measure training effects
- One year Experience in class room management
Skills
- Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills, problem-solving, decision-making and motivational skills (i.e. case noting, business communications; exemplary customer service)
- Group facilitation skills preferred
- Ability to work independently and manage time effectively
- Ability to adapt and to foster change
- Ability to advocate, involve and empower youth and their families within their community.
- Valid CT driver’s license and reliable transportation and/or own vehicle
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Work Environment:
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, type, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
While performing the duties of this job, at times the employee travels by automobile and is exposed to changing weather conditions prevalent at the time.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.