Trades Program Associate

Trades Programs Associate

Working Partnerships USA is looking for a Trades Programs Associate to join our exceptional team. The Associate will support the Trades Orientation Program (TOP) and the Trades Introduction Program (TIP), construction career training and placement initiatives that help jobseekers from under-represented communities in San Mateo and Santa Clara County to enter apprenticeships and achieve a long-term, family-supporting career in the construction trades.

The Trades Programs are led by Working Partnerships USA in collaboration with union, industry, and community partners. Both programs are an apprenticeship readiness program designed to educate participants about the construction industry and prepare them to succeed in a construction trades apprenticeship. Participants are young adults and adults who are actively seeking to enter a career in the construction trade. The pre apprenticeship programs include three components: 1) outreach, orientation and assessment; 2) a 130-hour pre-apprenticeship course, taught by certified instructors with journey-level work experience in the construction trades; and 3) twelve months of intensive 1-1 coaching through the apprenticeship application process and retention support once they begin work. The Trades Program serves a wide range of applicants who are seeking a good, family-supporting career, with a special emphasis on homeless individuals, women, communities of color, veterans, formerly incarcerated individuals, recipients of public assistance, and at-risk youth.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direction of a program lead, the Trades Programs Associate will be responsible for day-to-day program support, including but not limited to:

• Responsible for primarily job coaching, job placement, program and campaign support in pursuit of our mission to achieve economic and racial justice in Silicon Valley through innovative policy, research and organizing campaigns.
• Developing relationships with Trades Programs participants through group and individual coaching to support them in achieving their career goals, including intensive career coaching and individualized case management
• Developing expertise in understanding and guiding clients through the various application processes and work requirements for each of the 25+ construction apprenticeship programs; maintaining up-to-date information on each program and be able to advise and support students in navigating each application process
• Staff support, class announcements, 1-1 counseling, and other administrative and programmatic duties related to the 130-hour course. NOTE: Some early morning, evening and Saturday work is required, in alignment with the MC3 course schedules
• Coordinating closely with Trades Programs staff, monitoring students' learning and progress, implementing any needed course corrections
• Carrying out an outreach plan to meet enrollment targets for each cohort, including recruitment targets for specific under-represented populations such as women, veterans, homeless persons, or others
• Maintaining all client records and documentation required for the program, and performing timely data entry in multiple databases. These may include the State's data tracking system, VSAS, the MC3 LMS, Charity Tracker, DAS, Google Docs, and other databases as needed to meet the requirements of project partners and of city, county, state, and/or federal grants
• Making presentations and doing outreach to a wide range of audiences including prospective Trades Programs applicants, students, career counselors and job developers, construction union reps and employers, coalition partners, allies, funders and decision-makers

In addition to their Trades Program duties, the Trades Associate will participate in Working Partnerships USA staff meetings and trainings and support major organizational campaigns and projects, including but not limited to:

• Providing support for actions, phone banks, meetings and events, including scheduling, turnout, event staffing, speaking, compiling minutes, and other duties as needed
• Representing Working Partnerships at meetings with allies and supporters, coordinating and attending actions, and supporting the work of the campaign/project and organization as a whole

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years of prior related work experience in a field such as workforce development, social work, career technical education, job development, case management, counseling, or related work; demonstrated experience managing an assigned caseload of students, people, or cohorts towards success
• Experience working with the building and construction trades strongly preferred
• Valid California driver's license and/or daily access to reliable transportation
• A demonstrated commitment to worker and community organizing, economic justice, and social justice movements
• Proficiency in maintaining and retrieving client data and records, including accurate and timely data entry and cleaning
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Google Sheets
• Strong, timely, and accurate communication skills
• Strong time management and task management skills
• Experience making presentations to multiple audiences
• Inquisitive, flexible, and adaptable with strong initiative and follow through
• Able to exercise good judgment, deal with ambiguity, quickly respond to unexpected situations and problem-solve
• Tenacity and resourcefulness in working through challenges or setbacks to reach a goal.
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy

Physical Requirements

The physical requirements listed are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Move throughout the office, classroom, and other work locations.
• Have consistent and reliable attendance.
• Interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
• Work under pressure with changing, ambiguous priorities.
• Communicate effectively and promptly to clients or employees of the organization.
• Adeptly type and use computer equipment.
• Follow written and oral instructions and procedures.

Compensation & Location

This position is based in San Jose, California. The role is a mix of remote and in-person work in San Jose and San Mateo, typically with 3 days per week in person and 2 days per week remote (may change based on project needs). This is a regular, full-time, exempt position.

The estimated annual salary for this position is between $74,000 - $94,000, with commensurate qualifications and experience. Working Partnerships USA also offers robust benefits including:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance, including access to acupuncture and chiropractic services via Kaiser/Sutter Health, Delta, VSP, and Landmark respectively
• 10 days of annual paid vacation, which increases with tenure, and 15 paid holidays
• 12 days of annual sick leave
• 401(k) with 7% employer contributions after your first 6 months of employment

The position will be open until filled and starts immediately.

Working Partnerships USA strongly encourages women, people of color, LGBTQ, and all qualified persons to apply for this position. We believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do. Hence, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities.