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