SENIOR EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SPECIALIST - Promotional Only

THE JOB: Under general supervision, to interview, assess and counsel eligible applicants; to develop individualized employability plans; to solicit employment and work training opportunities for clients from prospective employers; to refer clients for employment, classroom, on-the-job training; and to do other work as required. Positions in this class serve as lead workers with the responsibility of training and evaluating the work of the Employment and Training Specialist or other staff. In addition, incumbents may carry a case load of the more difficult and complex cases.

THE REQUIREMENTS: Any combination of training and experience which would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain these knowledge and abilities would be:

Two years of experience in career, vocational or employment counseling and successful completion of fifteen (15) semester units in psychology, sociology, counseling, career planning, testing and measurements or related courses;

OR

One year of experience equivalent to Employment and Training Specialist in Santa Cruz County.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT: Possession of a valid California Class C Driver License, or the incumbent must be able to provide suitable transportation approved by the appointing authority.

Knowledge: Working knowledge of interviewing techniques; career, vocational or employment counseling techniques; fundamental principles of human behavior; appropriate record keeping methods; employment and training programs and related community resources; career planning practices and techniques; and employment counseling tools including interest and vocational surveys and tests. Some knowledge of the hiring trends and practices of private and public sector employers; common occupational titles, the usual minimum qualifications, training and/or experience required in order to secure employment in those occupations; and the resources available for military veterans may be required for some positions.

Ability to: Interview persons from various backgrounds, to obtain information concerning their employment skills and occupational aspirations; identify and assess needs and barriers to employment and develop meaningful employability plans; implement client employability plans through referral to appropriate programs; design and conduct individual and/or group training to improve job readiness of clients; conduct follow-up with clients and employers to evaluate progress and take necessary corrective actions; prepare reports, forms, plans and agreements; interpret, explain and apply complex Federal and State regulations; maintain a large caseload of both applicants and participants; establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with others; plan and schedule work; effectively utilize community agency resources; work with employers to develop employment opportunities; learn to input, access and analyze data using a computer; train and evaluate staff; coordinate activities between programs; maintain a complex caseload; conduct interest and vocational assessments and tests.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS:
ANNUAL LEAVE - 22 days first year, increasing to 37 days after 15 years of service. Available for vacation and/or sick leave.
HOLIDAYS - 13 paid holidays per year.
BEREAVEMENT LEAVE - 3 days paid in California, 5 days paid out-of-state.
MEDICAL PLAN - The County contracts with CalPERS for a variety of medical plans. For most plans, County contributions pay a majority of the premiums for employees and eligible dependents.
DENTAL PLAN - County pays for employee and eligible dependent coverage.
VISION PLAN - County pays for employee coverage. Employee may purchase eligible dependent coverage.
RETIREMENT - Pension formula 2% at age 60 or 2% at age 62 as determined based on provisions of the CA Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act of 2013(PEPRA). Pension benefit determined by final average compensation of three years. County participates in Social Security.
LIFE INSURANCE - County paid $20,000 term policy. Employee may purchase additional life insurance.
DISABILITY INSURANCE - Employees in the General Representation Unit participate in the State Disability Insurance (SDI) program. This program is funded 100% by employee payroll deductions.
DEPENDENT-CARE PLAN - Employees who make contributions for child or dependent care may elect to have their contributions made utilizing “pre-tax dollars.”
H-CARE PLAN - Employees who pay a County medical premium may elect this pre-tax program.
HEALTH CARE FLEXIBLE SPENDING ALLOWANCE (HCFSA) - Employees may elect this pre-tax program to cover qualifying health care expenses.
DEFERRED COMPENSATION - A deferred compensation plan is available to employees.

THE EXAMINATION: Your application and supplemental questionnaire will be reviewed to determine if you have met the education, experience, training and/or licensing requirements as stated on the job announcement.  If you meet these criteria and are one of the best qualified, you may be required to compete in any combination of written, oral and/or performance examinations or a competitive evaluation of training and experience as described on your application and supplemental questionnaire. You must pass all components of the examination to be placed on the eligible list.  The examination may be eliminated if there are ten or fewer qualified applicants.  If the eligible list is established without the administration of the announced examination, the life of the eligible list will be six months and your overall score will be based upon an evaluation of your application and supplemental questionnaire. If during those six months it is necessary to administer another examination for this job class, you will be invited to take the examination to remain on the eligible list.

HOW TO APPLY: Apply Online Now!  Click on the link below; or print out an application and supplemental questionnaire and mail/bring them to: Santa Cruz County Personnel Department, 701 Ocean Street, Room 510, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060.  For information, call (831) 454-2600.  Hearing Impaired TDD/TTY: 711.  Applications will meet the final filing date if received in one of the following ways:  1) in the Personnel Department by 5:00 p.m. on the final filing date, 2) submitted online before midnight of the final filing date. 

WOMEN, MINORITIES AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. IF YOU HAVE A DISABILITY THAT WOULD REQUIRE TEST ACCOMMODATION, CALL (831) 454-2600. 

To comply with the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, Santa Cruz County verifies that all new employees are either U.S. citizens or persons authorized to work in the U.S.

Some positions may require fingerprinting and/or background investigation.

NOTE: The provisions of this bulletin do not constitute an expressed or implied contract.

An Equal Opportunity Employer