What: The Program Manager (“Manager”) will drive apprenticeship expansion forward in Illinois, increasing the number of high quality apprenticeships available to young adults. Apprentices receive training on the job and in the classroom, are paid for their time on the job, receive an industry-recognized credential, and may earn college credit or a degree. Apprentices end the program holding in-demand skills and employers have access to people with the skills their companies need. Apprenticeships are a critical opportunity for young adults, creating a debt-free pathway to well-paying careers in exciting fields.
The Manager will expand apprenticeships in Illinois through workshops and policy work. He/she/they will develop a deep understanding of apprenticeships, identifying the gap between service providers’ current work and the needs with apprenticeship programming, and creating a workshop that is designed to increase service providers’ capacity to launch apprenticeships and policy recommendations that overcome that gap.
The Manager will work closely with leaders in the workforce development space to develop this deep issue expertise. In order to create systems-level recommendations, the Manager will review feedback from participants, evaluate workshop participants’ success with supporting apprenticeship programs, and hold focus groups with service providers.
The ideal candidate will have research, policy, and training expertise, and will possess the ability to translate complex policy information into consumer-friendly plain language. This work is part of a project between Young Invincibles (“YI”) and the Chicago Jobs Council (“Jobs Council”). The Manager is overseen by YI and works in close partnership with Jobs Council. This is a time limited, 18-month project running from July 2018 - December 2019.
Supervisor: Midwest Director of Young Invincibles
Specific duties include:
- Developing a two-part workshop series and affiliated workshop content and leading the workshops across the state of Illinois
- Evaluating workshops and adapting as needed
- Providing technical assistance to service providers on supporting apprenticeship programs
- Creating policy recommendations to Illinois agencies on how to increase service providers’ participation in apprenticeships
- Driving Young Invincibles’ apprenticeship policy work forward through partnership building and creating policy materials
- 1-3 years research or policy experience or equivalent education experience
- Strong facilitation skills
- Creative, energetic, and possessing a great attitude,
- Ability and willingness to work in a fast-paced work environment and an entrepreneurial atmosphere
- Capacity to design effective training materials
- Ability to analyze policy and create documents communicating policy priorities with effective Interest and ability to analyze policy and create
- Great internal and external communications skills
- A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Cultural competency working and collaborating with diverse populations
- A passion for Young Invincibles’ mission.
- Experience with developing trainings
- Experience with facilitating presentations, group discussions, and trainings
- Expertise in workforce development issues
To apply: Email resume and cover letter to resumes@YoungInvincibles.org. Include in the subject line: MW Program Manager
Original Posting here.