Employment & Training Worker III: Location - Inyo County

This position is located in Inyo County.

Under limited supervision, the Employment & Training Worker III performs the most complex work and specialized assignments requiring an advanced level of technical knowledge in employability services and, depending on assignment, public assistance programs; may perform lead work and/or training to a unit of workers providing employability services and determining eligibility of applicants and recipients for public assistance programs; uses an automated system for caseload management; identifies client needs for social and health services and makes appropriate referrals; and performs related work as required.

Employment & Training Worker III is the advanced journey level in the Employment & Training Worker series. Incumbents are expected to perform complex duties related to interviewing and evaluating the employability of program participants, including assessing employment barriers and developing and monitoring employment plans; perform specialized technical assignments independently; and provide lead work and training for other Employment & Training Workers.

The Employment & Training series differs from the Social Worker series in that incumbents in the Employment & Training Worker classes are not responsible for the provision of social services; differs from the Eligibility Specialist series in that the primary responsibility of an Eligibility Specialist is the determination of financial eligibility for public assistance programs; and differs from the Integrated Case Worker series in that the primary focus of the Employment & Training Worker series is in providing the full scope of employability services to eligible applicants. 

• Assists in the development and implementation of procedures for employment and training and, depending on assignment, public assistance programs.
• Administers and interprets vocational measurement tests; assesses program participants' employment readiness.
• Identifies employment barriers and develops plan to assist client in overcoming barriers, including making referrals to other professional for assistance.
• Refers clients to other staff members or to community resources for direct and intensive services and specialized counseling as necessary; advocates on clients' behalf for most appropriate services including enabling services.
• Assists applicants and recipients in utilizing available resources.
• Makes home visits in connection with casework assignments.
• Provides community outreach for various agency programs.
• Explains regulations, rules, and policies to clients to apprise them of their rights, responsibilities, and eligibility for participation and explains employment programs to clients and the general public.
• Assesses clients' employment and education history and develops plans for participants to achieve gainful employment and provides career guidance and counseling.
• Conducts interviews with a diverse population of clients to obtain and verify information.
• Conducts orientation workshops and one-on-one training for new and returning program participants.
• Presents information on available programs to community organizations, the general public, and employers during job fairs, community partner presentations, and one-on-one.
• Regularly contacts and monitors participants' progress in meeting established goals and compliance with program requirements.
• Within mandated timeframes, documents evidence of individual clients' non-compliance with program rules and regulations, and when appropriate, follows procedures for recommending imposition of sanctions for cause.
• Monitors training and work site arrangements.
• Serves as the Department's hearing representative when program participants dispute determinations concerning eligibility for program participation.
• Assists in the gathering of labor market information and shares this information with program participants.
• Develops and maintains client employment and training opportunities by maintaining positive liaisons with area employers and entities that provide job-related training.
• Completes and processes documents, correspondence, and reports for authorized supportive services, manually or using an automated system.
• Enters and retrieves data and performs caseload management activities on an automated computer system; performs case reviews as assigned.
• May assess family situation to determine if Family Stabilization services are appropriate.
• May develop Family Stabilization service plan with family and service providers.
• May provide training and/or lead direction to staff.

• Laws, rules, regulations and goals of publicly funded employment and training programs.
• Theory and methodology in career planning, vocational guidance programs, and employment counseling, including practical and realistic methods for assisting program participants become gainfully employed.
• Basic principles of individual and group behavior.
• Principles of training and staff development.
• Hiring trends and practices of private and public sector employers in the local labor market.
• Community-based job training programs and other resources available to low income job seekers.
• Department and community resources available to clients.
• Computer terminology and computer keyboard arrangement.
• Positions also responsible for determining the eligibility for public assistance programs require the following additional knowledge:
• Laws, rules, regulations and goals of multiple public assistance programs.
• Resources available to obtain and verify information concerning eligibility.

• Elicit factual information from prospective and current program participants, some of whom may exhibit behavior or symptoms indicative of persons experiencing deprivation and/or emotional difficulties.
• Interpret financial information and make basic arithmetical computations.
• Evaluate and, when appropriate, recommend changes and/or corrections to program participant cases.
• Establish effective engagement with clients; use fact-finding techniques and perform in-depth and interactive interviewing.
• Listen to clients and develop professional rapport in order to determine the underlying barriers to employment.
• Obtain facts and recognize the relevance and significance; analyze situations and adopt effective courses of action.
• Monitor program participants' compliance with program regulations and requirements, and monitor progress toward becoming gainfully employed.
• Prepare reports, correspondence, forms, plans, and agreements.
• Accurately enter data into an automated computer system and navigate through multiple-screen records.
• Identify problems requiring referral to other sources.
• Speak and write effectively.
• Read, understand and follow complex rules, regulations, policies, and memos.
• Communicate with others from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.
• Identify and evaluate needs and barriers to employment, and complete employability plans.
• Interpret financial information and make basic arithmetical computations.
• Competently gather and accurately record and evaluate program related data.
• Train individuals and groups.
• Prepare and make presentations to a variety of audiences.
• Manage automated and manual client and program records.
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with employers, outside providers, agency staff, and the general public.
• Use a personal computer (databases, word processing, spreadsheets, and electronic communications) and automated systems effectively, and operate other modern office equipment such as a copier, telephone system and calculator.
• Lead, direct, and train other employment services and eligibility staff and outside service providers.

One (1) year of full-time experience as an Employment & Training Worker II;

OR

Six (6) months of full-time experience comparable to Employment & Training Worker II and completion of 15 semester (22.5 quarter) college units in career planning, vocational guidance principles, personality development, occupational testing & measurement, or counseling preparation.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• A valid driver's license will be required at the time of appointment and employees may also be required to drive their own car, provide proof of car insurance and a DMV clearance.

• Current and future vacancies will be filled contingent upon continued funding; should funding cease, the position will be eliminated.

•  Position may require pre-employment drug testing, physical and fingerprinting for a background investigation.

•  Government agencies accessing US government information, which include federal tax information must ensure that background investigation requirements for all agency employees and contractors that have access to federal tax information are consistent to the IRS background investigation requirements for access to federal tax information. A background check may be required if the position requires access to these types of records. Background requirements consist of three components which include, fingerprinting, citizenship verification and local law enforcement checks. Applicable agencies must conduct investigation during time of hire and ensure a reinvestigation is conducted 10 years from the date of the previous background investigation for each employee that has access to federal tax information.

EXAMINATION INFORMATION

TRAINING & EXPERIENCE EXAMINATION – WEIGHTED 100% 

The Training & Experience Examination is designed to elicit a range of specific information regarding each candidate’s knowledge, skill, abilities, and potential to effectively perform the duties relative to the classification. Responses to the questionnaire will be assessed based on pre-determined rating criteria. All applicants must complete the entire examination to receive a score. In order to obtain a position on the eligible list, candidates must receive a minimum rating of 70% on the examination. Examination administration and processing time is approximately two weeks after submission of your application.  
 

If conditions warrant, an Education and Experience examination may be conducted in lieu of the Training and Experience examination.  Please review the Education and Experience examination information below:

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE EXAMINATION - WEIGHTED 100%

The Education & Experience examination is based solely upon information provided from the application and supplemental information (e.g., resumes, transcripts). Information provided from the application and supplemental information will be assessed compared to a standard developed in relation to the elements of the job. Special care should be taken in submitting a complete description of your education and experience relevant to the typical tasks, scope, and minimum qualifications stated on this bulletin. Supplemental information will be accepted, but competitors should read this bulletin carefully to determine what kind of information will be useful to those individuals completing the evaluation. To obtain a position on the eligible list, candidates must receive a minimum rating of 70% on the examination. 

ELIGIBLE LIST INFORMATION
A departmental open eligible list will be established for Inyo County. The list will be utilized for 12 months after it is established unless the needs of the service and conditions of the list warrant a change in this period.

RETEST PERIOD

Once you have taken the examination, you may not retest for SIX (6) MONTHS from the established eligibility date.

SPECIAL TESTING ARRANGEMENTS

Special testing arrangements may be made to accommodate applicants for disability, military, or religious reasons. If you require such arrangements, please contact CalHR at mssprogram@calhr.ca.gov or 916-909-3701 upon notification that your application has been approved. Documentation from medical, military, school or church officials outlining the accommodation request must be received by our office a minimum of five business days prior to a scheduled examination.
 

EDUCATION DOCUMENTS
If you are using education to meet the minimum qualifications, you must attach your transcripts to your application. Applicants with foreign transcripts must provide a transcript evaluation that indicates the number of units to which the foreign course work is equivalent. Transcripts and evaluations may be unofficial; official transcripts may be required upon appointment. Please redact birthdates and social security numbers.
 

GENERAL INFORMATION

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship by the start date of employment.

MSS reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the recruitment if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service laws and rules and all competitors will be notified.

If you meet the requirements stated on this bulletin, you may take this examination. Your performance in this examination will be rated against predetermined rating criteria. All competitors who pass will be added to the eligible list. Meeting the entry requirements does not assure success in the examination or placement on the eligible list.

General Qualifications: Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgement, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. As part of the hiring process, a background investigation may be required.
 

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Merit System Services program is committed to equal employment opportunity for all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.
 

ABOUT INYO COUNTY
Self-proclaimed as the Adventure Capital of the World, Inyo County offers natural and extreme geographic diversity. From Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the 48 contiguous US states to the lowest elevation in North America at Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park, Inyo County has the greatest elevation difference of any of the California counties. The County is also home to the oldest life forms in the world with the Great Basin bristlecone pines, and notably the oldest living tree on Earth. 

Inyo County is the second largest in area in California, and the Death Valley area comprises half of the County.  With these extremes of nature, as you would expect, there are abundant activities, including world class alpine climbing, backcountry skiing, hang gliding, and mountain biking. There is a wealth of beauty to be found in the peaceful desert, mountain streams, granite peaks, wildflower covered meadows, and the historic John Muir Wilderness. The rich natural history and breathtaking scenery make Inyo County a favorite location for visitors and residents alike.