The Career Services like other departments is providing programs and services through phone, email, and Google Classroom. The Industry Internship Program (IIP) has been moved to Google Classroom, providing both customer service and industry specific curriculum. Social Enterprise supervisors have been regularly contributing content and co-teaching in hopes to fill some of the gaps that clients are missing by not participating in the on-the-job training portion of IIP. Our IIP instructor, Gina, is also making curriculum COVID-19 informed, incorporating CDC and OSHA guidelines in all three industries and on a broader scale. Our Career Coordinator, Danny, has been developing a library of virtual enrichment workshops, engaging volunteers and outside providers to make videos and other online content for clients. Our Employment Specialist, Nate, has been continuing to keep in touch with Masshire and all our employer partners. We are also working diligently to follow which employers are still hiring during the current situation.
Clients have been gaining employment in essential jobs such as grocery stores, pharmacy, and manufacturing and delivery businesses. We also see our clients employed in the cleaning and maintenance industry working very hard!
Our department has been spending time examining current and projected Labor Market Information. Using this data, we hope to make appropriate adjustments in programming to ensure our clients are prepared for the new economy that will result due to COVID-19. The high unemployment rate will impact how clients job search and for what jobs. We are determined to make sure our clients are competitive candidates and that employers are well aware of this pool of talent.
For clients who have lost work due to the pandemic, our case managers have been great about helping them apply for unemployment.
-Allie Orlando, Director of Career Services