Salary Information :

Employment and Training Worker I - $20.68/hourly, $3,584.53/monthly, $43,014.40/annually
Employment and Training Worker II - $22.83/hourly, $3,957.20/monthly, $47,486.40/annually

Provides employability services to eligible applicants of local social service agencies; applies program regulations and procedures; assesses employment potential and barriers that interfere with securing employment; identifies needs for social and health services and makes referrals; collaborates with partner agencies and employers; uses an automated system to maintain and monitor participants' records and generate reports; may determine the eligibility of applicants and recipients for public assistance programs through interactive interviewing and fact gathering; and performs related work as required.

Employment and Training Worker I :
Working under close supervision, Employment & Training Worker I is the entry/trainee level in the Employment & Training Worker series. Employees in this class receive in-service training in the performance of routine duties related to the provision of employment services. As requisite skills and knowledge are developed, greater independence and the full scope of responsibility are exercised. Employees are expected to promote to Employment & Training Worker II after one year of satisfactory performance at the trainee level.

Employment and Training Worker II :
Working under general supervision, Employment & Training Worker II is the journey level in the Employment & Training Worker series. Employees at this level are expected to be fully qualified and able to perform a wide range of employability services including initiating independent contact and collaborating with employers and other service providers. Positions in this class are flexibly staffed and are normally filled by advancement from the lower level of Employment & Training Worker I, or if filled from the outside, require prior related experience.

The Employment & Training Worker II differs from the Employment & Training Worker III in that the latter is the advanced journey level and may be assigned lead worker duties.

The Employment & Training Worker 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.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
(For Employment & Training Worker I, duties are performed at the trainee level)

Utilizing Motivational Interviewing techniques, interviews and evaluates eligible program participants' employability to assist participants in achieving self-sufficient employment. Administers and interprets vocational measurement tests.
Assesses clients' employment and education history; identifies employment related skills, abilities and barriers; develops goals and plans to improve skills and abilities and overcome barriers; provides career guidance and employment and training counseling; provides labor market information related to local employment possibilities; and as appropriate, refers clients to employment related educational and training opportunities.
Refers clients to other staff members or to community resources for direct and intensive services and specialized counseling as necessary; advocates on client's 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.
Conducts orientation workshops and one-on-one training for new and returning program participants.
Reads, comprehends and applies complex regulations, rules, policies and procedures including the federal Work Participation Rate.
Participates in development and implementation of program strategies to increase the federal Work Participation Rate.
Explains relevant program regulations, rules, and policies to clients and the general public.
Presents information on available programs to community organizations, the general public, and employers during job fairs, community partner presentations, and one-on-one.
Conducts ongoing research to identify labor market information and employment and training opportunities for program participants; and establishes and maintains contacts with regional employers and training providers.
Completes and processes disbursement of funds, documents for clients' authorized supportive services, i.e., childcare and transportation.
Places clients into appropriate paid and/or non-paid work training assignments and monitors performance and progress.
Completes and processes documents, correspondence, and reports for authorized supportive services, manually or using an automated system.
Operates a personal computer, including software programs and an automated system, to enter and retrieve data, manage individual client cases and overall caseload, compile statistical reports, and perform other assigned duties.
Maintains regular contact with clients to monitor each client's completion of tasks and progress toward attaining goals that will lead to securing employment, and compliance with program requirements.
Documents evidence of individual clients' compliance or non-compliance with program rules and regulations, and follows procedures related to the imposition of sanctions.
Performs a variety of clerical duties related to organizing, prioritizing and scheduling assignments; meeting deadlines; completing forms, reports and other documents; maintaining automated and manual files and logs; managing client cases; and fulfilling other responsibilities as required.
Establishes and maintains cooperative, effective working relationships with program participants; department employees; regional employers, educational facilities, trainers and all others who are program stakeholders and supporters.
May assess family situation to determine if Family Stabilization services are appropriate.
May develop Family Stabilization service plan with family and service providers.
Performs related duties as assigned.

Positions also responsible for determining the eligibility for public assistance programs perform the following additional duties:

Analyzes financial information and eligibility information to determine initial or continuing eligibility for multiple aid programs.
Enters and retrieves numerical and narrative data and issues benefits from an automated computer system.
Assists clients in accessing community services.
Organizes caseload so that necessary case records and documents are processed and updated within specific time limits established by regulation and local policy.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS
Note: The level and scope of the knowledge and skills listed below are related to job duties as distinguished between the two levels in the Definition section.
Knowledge of:

General goals and purpose of employment preparation and training programs, and public social services programs.
Effective and appropriate career, vocational, and employment counseling techniques.
Occupational fields and regional labor market trends for private and public sector employers.
Services provided within the department or agency that program participants may require and the procedure for referring participants for those services.
Local and regional socio-economic conditions.
Characteristics, customs and unique needs of local ethnic/cultural populations.
Basic principles of individual and family behaviors that impact and/or contribute to family stability and self-sufficiency.
Basic principles involved in the growth and development of personality and in-group processes.
Department and community resources available to program participants.
Computer terminology and computer keyboard arrangement.

Ability to:

Apply techniques and methods for conducting successful employment-related interviews, record keeping and standard office procedures.
Elicit factual information from prospective and current program participants who may exhibit behavior indicative of those experiencing deprivation and/or emotional difficulties.
Interpret financial information and make basic arithmetical computations.
Accurately gather, record and evaluate data necessary for the implementation of appropriate employment preparation and training programs.
Prepare reports, forms, plans and agreements required by program rules, regulations, policies and procedures
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.
Plan and organize caseload to ensure that deadlines and regulations regarding time limits are met.
Read, understand, apply and explain complicated and detailed correspondence and reports, regulations and policy directives.
Determine appropriate course of action in emergency situations.
Enter information accurately into a computerized system, and navigate effectively through automated multi-screen client record system.
Identify client problems that require referral to other social or community resources.
Speak and write in a clear and concise manner, using correct English.
Read, comprehend, apply, and follow complex rules, regulations, policies, procedures and other written instructions, including the policies, procedures, and programs of the Social Services Department.
Prepare standard reports, forms, plans and agreements required by program rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
Use tact and diplomacy when communicating with all persons, including those with different socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.
Identify and assess program participants' employment barriers and develop individual participant plans for securing employment.
Monitor individual participants' compliance with program regulations and when appropriate, implement required sanctions.
Regularly evaluate individual participants' progress toward meeting established goals for securing employment; use appropriate methods to motivate and encourage participants and when necessary, to counsel participants who have not met goals or expectations.
Coach individual participants in how to prepare for a job interview and meet future employers' job performance expectations.
Present training workshops to groups of program participants.
Establish, maintain, and manage complex records.
Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with co-workers, supervisory and managerial staff; area employers who are willing to employ program participants; community-based services providers of childcare, transportation and other services where program participants are required to attain employment goals; and all others with whom contact is made during the normal course of business.
Operate office equipment such as a personal computer, (including automated systems, databases, word processing, spreadsheets, and electronic communications programs), calculator and photocopier.

Employment and Training Worker I

One (1) year of full-time experience as an Eligibility Specialist II or Social Worker I.

Six (6) months of full-time experience as an Eligibility Specialist II; AND completion of 15 semester (22.5 quarter) college units in career planning, vocational guidance principles, personality development, occupational testing and measurement, or counseling preparation.

Eighteen months of full-time experience providing case management, vocational guidance, employment counseling or employment placement services; AND completion of 15 semester (22.5 quarter) college units in career planning, vocational guidance principles, personality development, occupational testing, or counseling preparation.

Two (2) years of full-time experience providing case management, vocational guidance, employment counseling or placement services.

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university.

Employment and Training Worker II

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

Thirty (30) months of full-time experience performing vocational guidance, employment counseling or placement services; AND completion of 15 semester (22.5 quarter) college units in career planning, vocational guidance principles, personality development, occupational testing & measurement, or counseling preparation.

Three (3) years of full-time experience performing vocational guidance, employment counseling or placement services.

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university; AND one (1) year of full-time experience performing vocational guidance, employment counseling or placement services.

A valid driver's license will be required at the time of interview. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to a disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Positions require pre-employment screening, including background checks, and fingerprinting.
Government agencies accessing US government information, which includes 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 is required for all Social Services positions. Background requirements consist of three components which include fingerprinting, citizenship verification, and local law enforcement checks. Applicable agencies must conduct investigations during time of hire and ensure a reinvestigation is conducted 5 years from the date of the previous background investigation for each employee that has access to federal tax information.
Lake County is required to verify Employment and Education if a conditional offer of employment is made to an applicant.
Lake County offers: Flexible Office Hours available for most positions; Monday Friday with a variety of schedules between 6:30am - 7:00pm.
Work remotely from home available for some positions upon Lake County Department of Social Services Approval.

EXAMINATION INFORMATION

WRITTEN EXAMINATION – WEIGHTED 100%
The written examination will consist of a multiple choice in-person written exam with the following six (6) test sections:

General Office Skills/Numerical & Alpha Filing
Analytical Ability
Interviewing Principles
Written Communication
Interpersonal Skills/Customer Service
Employment and Training/Social Services

In order to obtain a position on the eligible list, candidates must receive a minimum rating of 70% on the examination. It is anticipated that the examination will be held during June 2024. Competitors who do not appear for the written examination will be disqualified.

ELIGIBLE LIST INFORMATION

A departmental open eligible list will be established for the county of Lake. 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.

APPLICATION 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

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 LAKE COUNTY

Nestled inland and to the north of the San Francisco Bay Area, Lake County is rich with geographic history and landmarks. Lake County is home to Clear Lake, which is said to have been formed more than 2 million years ago and is the largest natural freshwater lake in the state of California. As a neighboring county to Napa, Lake County is renowned for growing premium wine grapes, pears, and walnuts, and as certified by the State's Air Resources Board, has the cleanest air in California. Also found in Lake County is Mount Konocti, which was formed from volcanic eruptions between 100,000 and 600,000 years ago. The local economy is based primarily on agriculture, tourism, and the geothermal power industry.