Assessment/Retention Specialist

Founded in Baltimore in 1985, Living Classrooms Foundation is a Baltimore – Washington, DC nonprofit that disrupts the cycle of poverty and helps our community become safer, stronger, and healthier by building skills for life. Living Classrooms inspires children, youth, and adults to achieve their potential through hands-on education, workforce development, health and wellness, and violence prevention programming. Living Classrooms has developed a distinctive competency in experiential learning – learning by direct experience – or what we call “learning by doing.” We utilize our environmental campuses, athletic fields, community centers, and historic ships as “living classrooms.” We work with one child, one teen, one adult, and one family at a time to identify existing barriers towards success and provide resources and opportunities to help each person reach their full potential, thus supporting stronger family units and more resilient communities.

The Target Investment Zone, an identified zone of programming of Living Classrooms Foundation, contains the Broadway Overlook Community Center, Under Armour House at Fayette, the P.O.W.E.R. House, and the Park House at Patterson Park, which are major community service hubs. The Workforce Development Department provides job-training, essential skills workshops, industry recognized certification trainings, and various workforce development initiatives at all our centers in the TIZ for unemployed and disadvantaged adults. The major goals are to positively impact communities with direct services; provide workforce development and job training; and increase education and service-learning opportunities.

The Assessment/Retention Specialist will be responsible for planning, developing, and facilitating the enrollment process, initial testing, job placement and retention supports. The Assessment/Retention Specialist reports to the Director of Workforce Development for the Target Investment Zone.

Summary of Essential Job Functions

Enrollment

• Processes interest forms with case managers

• Coordinates orientation/assessment for program participants

• During orientation/Intake complete the following assessment on all program participants: RAISEC career assessment, behavioral interview assessment, job readiness assessment, and TABE testing.

• Assesses testing and selects participants for skills training and career coaching.

• Completes enrollment tasks: orientation, intake, initial assessment and all related enrollment paperwork and data entry.

• Assists with coordinating career development activities as it relates to skills training with the Program Coordinator.

Program Coordination

• Maintains internal and external communication to ensure effective program functioning.

• Monitors program participants progress and adherence to program guidelines.

Data and Performance Tracking

• Works closely with case managers to track program participants’ attendance and performance.

• Assists case managers in tracking participants outcomes as it relates to the Individual Career Plan.

• Maintains program participants’ files.

• Completes case notes bi-weekly.

• Responsible for documenting program participants’ outcomes, job placements, support services, and retention checks utilizing the Birdseye Case Management System.

Participant Supports

• Provides retention assistant to all participants who are in the aftercare pool.

• Works closely with other staff to identify and assists program participants overcome barriers to completing training and employment.

• Conducts retention checks on all program participants after job placement (Retention checks should be documented in the Birdseye Case Management System):

o First 30-days weekly checks

o 31-180 days bi-weekly checks

o 181-360 days monthly checks

Job Placement

• Assists with job placement of program participants.

• Identifies potential employer partners and maintain partner relationships.

• Provides support to employer partners utilizing the LCF’s Dual Customer Service Model.

• Provides one-on-one job coaching sessions with program participants within the final phase of skills training completion.

• Monitors program participants adherence to program guidelines and progress 1 year after job placement that include retention checks and assistance with support services (access to training, job replacement, transportation, or any other support services as needed).