Vocational Rehabilitation LEAD Job Skills Trainer

Parents Alliance Employment Project is a mission-driven non-profit agency dedicated to empowering individuals with disabilities through meaningful employment. We are the lead agency that works directly with Northwestern Medicine to implement the Project SEARCH program.  Our work focuses on helping people build skills, gain independence, and thrive in inclusive workplaces.  We are excited to announce a leadership opportunity within our organization. If you are driven by purpose, and want to be part of a collaborative and supportive environment, we invite you to apply to the job opening 

Job Title:  Project SEARCH LEAD Vocational Rehabilitation Job Skills Trainer (Central Dupage Hospital location)

Educational Qualifications:  Bachelors’ Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, Education, Special Education, Psychology or related field. 

 Work Hours: 40 hours per week; Monday-Friday; 7:30am-3:30pm; however, must maintain a flexible working schedule based on the needs of program participants and other related activities of the program that may require evening and weekend hours. 

Additional Preferred Qualifications/Skills:  Excellent communication and collaboration skills, excellent organizational skills, ability to self-direct and to make decisions in absence of supervisor, computer skills, independent work ethic for self-management of schedule, utilize sound judgement and decision making skills, and work as a productive team member. 

Additional Information:  Must be able to provide or arrange own transportation for travel to and from work as well as community job sites.  Must have valid drivers license and car insurance. Ability and willingness to tolerate light physical activity to include long periods of standing and heavy amounts of walking. 

Purpose of Position:

To work in collaboration with the designated Employability Instructor (SASED) to oversee the Project Search Program at Business Host Site, Central Dupage Hospital that will include:  1)Coordinating related activities as it relates to Project SEARCH at Central DuPage Hospital, 2) Developing and recruiting  participants for the program, 3) Providing classroom instruction (when needed), 4) Developing a strong business partnership with the host site, Central DuPage Hospital and its department managers, 5) Conducting  participant activities as it relates to the program, 6) Placing participants into internships and providing necessary job supports to ensure success, and 7) Providing supervision to staff assigned at the Central DuPage Hospital Project SEARCH program. 

Primary Duties:

Development and Recruitment:

• Conduct outreach to local area high schools to provide information on the program; establish relationships with local high schools
• Assist with the selection and interview process of identifying appropriate participants with disabilities for the program that meet eligibility

Providing Classroom Instruction:

• Assist with providing classroom instruction; Instruct students on employability skills such as communication, problem solving, teamwork, grooming, budgeting and self-advocacy; correlate instructional content with participant’s career objectives in the event the Employability Instructor is absent

Business Development:

• Identify and develop internship sites within Central DuPage Hospital; work with business host liaison to perform specific job analysis, task analysis to identify and provide participants a variety of work experiences in order to build marketable, competitive skills leading to employment
• Coordinate internal job placement opportunities within the host business 
• Provide disability awareness training as requested to any host site department

Conducting Participant Activities:

• Conduct intake meetings to assess participant’s general needs and employment goals, career interests, and personal job preferences to match and determine appropriate department internship placement and individual learning styles
• Collaborate with team members to develop and modify employment goals and objectives; ensure goals/objectives are outcome based and measurable. 
• Monitor and record daily attendance at work sites, teach students to independently inform departments of absences/tardiness
• Plan and implement monthly employment planning meetings that will include goals and progress status for each participant; 
• Coordinate travel training (when appropriate) through public transportation or teach students to be able to access private transportation independently
• Develop work portfolios for each student to include credentialing of skills attained, letters of recommendations from internship sites, etc. 

Internship Placement and Providing Job Coaching/Supports

• Identify internship sites; place and determine internship and participant match for each round of internships
• Attend job orientation with participants and clarify job information with participant as necessary
• Learn the internship duties and make appropriate accommodations, adaptations, or modifications (labeling cabinets, simplify written instructions, etc.) necessary to ensure successful independent completion of the job on behalf of the participant at work sites
• Provide individualized job coaching by use of systematic instruction to the participant; collect data on tasks achieved and track independence levels 
• Teach the essential tasks/duties/core skills of the internship job
• Provide job development activities by identifying employment opportunities in the community to secure community job placement; meet with host site department managers to explore internal host site placement upon exiting the program to ensure successful job placement. 

Providing Supervision:

• Coordinate staff (Skills Trainers and other Employment Specialists as assigned, assistants, etc.) for participant internship sites and competitive placements
• Provide training to Project SEARCH staff in systematic instruction to ensure job coaching consistency among staff
• Provide supervision and feedback to staff assigned to work with the program
• Conduct performance reviews (or provide feedback when necessary) with all staff assigned to work directly with the program 
• Promote a cohesive, encouraging working environment for all staff working with the program