K.E.Y. Series

Keys to Employment for Youth

Racine Workforce Development Center

Presenter

Carol Ziesemer CWDP

Trainer for Workshop Instruction

Vocational Specialist

Professional Services Group

Concept

• What will help youth be successful in employment?

• Collaboration with Workshop Instruction, Youth Team, and teen friendly employers

Brainstorming

Where to begin– Identify Needs of Youth– Identify Needs of Employers– Determine Capacity of Team to meet

those needs

Employer Survey

• Contact Youth Friendly Employers

• Ask Business Services for suggestions

• Used the Work Permit list for last year as potential contacts– Sent 158 letters – Received 19 responses

Review Survey Results

• Most received response: Show up when scheduled, on time, ready to work– Talking on cell phones, texting,

browsing the web– Not listening– Poor work ethic– Do not want to work just collect a

paycheck– Poor attitude

Develop Curriculum

• Youth Team – Safety and Career Plan• Management – Connect first job success

to future careers• Employers – Responsibility, Employer

Expectations, Work Ethic and Etiquette, Communication, Customer Service, Team work

• Workforce Development – Application Completion and Interviewing Skills

Determine Design

• Set up timeframe

• Plan areas of instruction

• Research content and sources for curriculum

• Plan to include employers

• Organization and flow

• Build partnership with Racine Unified School District

RUSD

• Concept and content presented to school for consideration.

• Determined not enough hours for credit.

• Decided the hours could be used toward work/volunteer experience credit.

What Will Students Get?

• Certificate for hours completed

• Certificate for completing safety

• Hours completed can be used toward a work experience credit through Racine Unified School District

Workshop Series Design

• Original Plan• One day first week related to the

area interested in for first job:– Food Service– Retail– Caregiving– Volunteering

• Second Week – Attend 4 days• Meet the Employer Event

Updated Design

• 5 consecutive days with out breaking out for particular first job options

• Too much lecture not enough activities.

• Have employers speak each day if possible between topics to keep things fresh and moving.

Day One

• Career Stepping Stones– Connect common first jobs to possible

career paths

• Speaker from School

• Employer Expectations– What are employers looking for – not just

youth friendly employers– Give practical examples of what that looks

like– Sample employee evaluation

Day Two

• Safety – Based on information provided by

NIOSHA– www.cdc.gov/niosha/talkingsafety

• Employer to Speak• Teamwork

– Why we work in teams– Benefit of teamwork– Lego Activity

Day Three

• Customer Service– Who are our customers?– Customer service attitude

• Employer to Speak

• Work Ethic/Etiquette– What is a work ethic– What are the unwritten rules

Day Four

• Communication– Discuss communication cycle

• Employer to Speak

• Application Completion– Look for application errors– Complete sample application– Discuss what employers are looking

for

Day Five

• Employer to Speak• Interviewing Skills

– Dress to Impress– Self management – don’t distract interviewer

from you message– Discuss common questions and answers

• Mock Interview and Critiques– Volunteers from RWDC and Youth Team

break out with 5-7 students• Wrap Up and Certificates

What Would You Do?

• Sprinkled throughout– Soft Skills Situations – Have one student answer

• Group Critique and suggestions

– Use incentive to respond• I used candy bars

Meet the Employer Event

• Opportunity for students to practice presentation skills with real employers

• Employers are able to collect applications from students if they would like to or have positions available

• Practice Interviewing with real employers

Report Results for Pilot Year

• Series was presented at three times during the calendar year

• Registration: 356– Session 1: 65– Session 2:175– Session 3:116

• Students attended: 208

Results

• Students completed: 136– Session 1: 20– Session 2: 82– Session 3: 34

• Safety completed: 176– Session 1: 35– Session 2: 93– Session 3: 48

Results

• Test One/Two scores show increase of 9.4% correct answers

• Student evaluation of workshops are high overall 4.71 our of 5 point scale

• 58% of those registered attended

• 65% of those who attended completed

Results

• 20 Employers participated in some way – presenting to students during sessions or participated in the interviewing event

• 60 students participated in the Meet the Employer Event

• Workforce Development and Youth Team staff participated in mock interviews