Employment Training Specialist

Key / Essential Functions & Responsibilities

• Ensures health, wellness and safety by providing appropriate supervision of the people we support and by managing crisis situations while adhering to policies, procedures and regulations, meeting and demonstrating OPWDD Core Competencies.
• Ensures person-centered plans are implemented and assists with a variety of tasks for people we support, as appropriate / authorized, including : Participating in development of staff action plansDeveloping job placementSupporting person-centered advocacy with the individualFacilitating ethical decision making
• Supports people with I / DD to realize, set and meet their employment goals, assisting them in overcoming their personal barriers and engages in respectful communications / conversations through person-first language to help them understand their goals and ambitions.
• Responsible for caseload of individuals, arranging and scheduling workplace visits, virtual and one-on-one meetings and coordinating required meetings and liaising with Care Managers and other professional supports.
• Assists individuals in maximizing their strengths, interests, and abilities, upholding their personal rights, providing emotional support, assisting in communication, socialization and self-expression and building positive relationships by interacting with others at their worksites in innovative and creative ways.
• Works with unemployed individuals, providing pre-employment counseling to explore career interests and support job development activities and facilitating training groups where professional skills and behaviors are taught and developed to assist people we support in obtaining and maintaining employment in the community.
• Directly supervises and provides on-site job and job skills training, coaching and support at job sites for people we support and in accordance with each person’s employment goals, utilizing support skills for people with moderate to complex levels of need.
• Regularly travels across assigned region to visit employed individuals at their workplaces, speaking with managers to obtain feedback on performance and addressing any issues or concerns that may arise; escalates issues and concerns to an administrator for support, as needed.
• Serves as a member of a highly effective team (teamwork w / in the circle of support), providing feedback and communicating programmatic needs to members of team and maintaining a solution-oriented approach during conflicts.
• Maintains a therapeutic environment through a variety of methods : Personal Outcome Measures, Person Centered Thinking, Informed Decision Making.
• Models professionalism, punctuality, ownership and accountability to the people we support and effectively manages time and responsibilities, ensuring all individuals / cases are appropriately supported and monitored
• Facilitates learning and training in fire safety for PWS, including emergency and evacuation drills at assigned worksite(s).
• Develops and maintains understanding of specialized clinical knowledge for person specific needs (supporting adults, challenging behaviors, autism spectrum disorders, complex medical needs) as they relate to obtaining and maintaining employment.
• Reviews and completes all other required paperwork and documentation to ensure compliance and / or billing, as applicable, completely and accurately and within appropriate timeframes (e.g., notifications, logging, incident reports, update files, maintenance requests, phone calls, progress notes and services).
• Complies with all Federal, State, Local and other relevant regulatory agency requirements, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
• May perform direct support professional tasks, including providing personal care and assisting in activities of daily living (ADLs) in other settings outside of employment if appropriately trained and authorized, as directed and / or outside of employment schedule (e.g. residential, day services, community habilitation, etc.).
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

Minimum requirements of specific positions may vary by contract. Please refer to applicable regulations / contracts for all position requirements.

All Employment Training Specialists in New York State must meet the following minimum requirements :

Preferred Qualification Requirements

Compensation :

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or status as a Vietnam or disabled veteran. YAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

To ensure fairness, safeguard transparency, and promote an equitable workforce environment, YAI Network prohibits the practice of nepotism in the workforce and hiring process.