CAR993 — CareerFORCE: Bridge to Success
This grant funded program is for out of school youth ages 16 to 21 who meet CareerFORCE income and eligibility requirements. The program will run 30 hours per week in 2 week cycles to accommodate timely enrollments. The program will run across a full 12 month period and program has multiple components: computer instruction, work readiness, job search, leadership skills, and college bridge activities. Computer instruction will take place during the morning session and will cover basic operating systems, MS Word, MS Excel, MS Access, MS Powerpoint, MS Publisher, and MS Outlook. Hands on, experiential, and project based learining is preferred instructional strategy for this program. Upon successful completion of units, students may qualify for certification testing through Certiport.At least 45 minutes per day will be spent in classroom instruction in work preparedness including the following topics:job search skillssocial networkingcompleting applicationscommunication skillstargeted industry clusters self managementresume writing higher educationcommunity resourcesinterview skills career pathwaysgoal setting problem solving critical thinking team worknetworkingunderstanding financesprofessionalismhaving a winning attitudeDuring the afternoon portion, students will participate in an open computer lab opportunity. During this time, students will work on Keytrain, MyFoundationsLab, resumes, projects, SALT, and other individual projects and areas of development. Students will also take this time to conduct job searches, apply for jobs, financial aid and lay the groundwork for the next step. At this time also, case managers will offer small group workshops, speakers will engage learners, and mentors will meet with students.Two afternoons a week, students may choose to participate in a Leadership instruction (10 students minimum). Curriculum provides for 100 hours of instruction and includes the following topics.Leadership StylesSelf assessment Characteristics of a good leaderEffective CommunicationNon-verbal communicationVerbal communicationWritten communicationCritical communicationsProblem Solving Steps to problem solving Making effective decisionsManaging conflictManaging challenging employeesTeam LeadershipTeam dynamics Effective delegationMotivating others Project planning and oversightRunning successful meetings Quality ControlDemonstrate quality consciousnessStaff development Fostering a climate of excellenceSelf Management Strategies Effective decision making Prioritizing and time management Reducing stressGoal setting and continuous improvementCareer AdvancementResume writing (Lab)Interviewong tips and tricks (Lab-Interviewstream.com)Networking for the career you wantStudents may also choose to participate in college bridge activities, which will include academic skills remediation, understanding financial aid, navigating college systems, choosing a major, using a college portal, local educational options, types of college classes, study skills, and time management.There will be an opportunity for a paid work experience and job shadowing. Students will be asked to apply for jobs and complete an interview in order to qualify and be placed in paid work experience. Each student should have a resume completed by this point as well.