Workforce Development Specialist

Job Description

$27-$32/hr plus placement commissions

Position Summary

The Workforce Development Specialist provides comprehensive career coaching and workforce development services to students, job seekers, and community members participating in Manpower Workforce Development programs. Working closely with educational institutions, community-based organizations, employers, and internal recruiting teams, this position helps participants identify career pathways, develop job readiness skills, secure employment, and achieve long-term career success.

Primary Responsibilities

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• Conduct participant orientations, intake interviews, and comprehensive career and work-readiness assessments.
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• Develop Individual Employment Plans (IEPs) that identify career goals, barriers to employment, recommended services, milestones, and measurable outcomes.
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• Deliver career readiness workshops and workforce development curriculum in both classroom and virtual environments, including topics such as:
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Resume development

Interview preparation

Networking strategies

Workplace professionalism

Digital literacy

Job search strategies

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• Provide individualized career coaching to assist participants with:
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Resume and cover letter development

Employment applications

Interview preparation

LinkedIn profile development

Job search planning

Career pathway exploration

Employment retention strategies

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• Assist participants in identifying education, training, internship, and employment opportunities aligned with their career goals.
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• Develop and maintain relationships with employers throughout San Diego County to identify employment opportunities, internships, work-based learning experiences, and hiring events.
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• Collaborate with Manpower recruiters to connect qualified participants with temporary, temporary-to-hire, and direct hire employment opportunities.
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• Coordinate employer engagement activities including:
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Employer panels

Mock interviews

Career fairs

Hiring events

Networking opportunities

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• Monitor participant progress toward employment and educational goals through regular coaching sessions and documented follow-up.
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• Maintain ongoing contact with participants after employment to support job retention, career advancement, and continued professional development.
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• Accurately document participant activities, case notes, services provided, outcomes, and required program metrics within designated case management and tracking systems.
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• Represent Manpower professionally within the community while strengthening relationships with employers, educational institutions, workforce partners, and funding agencies.
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