Seattle Jobs Initiative is in the final editing stage of the Career Advisor Manual, a project that brings SJI’s case management best practices knowledge to community colleges. Funded by Jobs for the Future’s Breaking Through initiative, the manual aims to give community college advisors, faculty and staff the skills needed to assist low-skilled adult learners in achieving their career goals.

“The Career Advisor Manual is a critical component of an overall career pathways strategy that we’d like to see all community colleges use in working with this population,” said Gloria Hatcher-Mays, who oversaw the creation of the manual.  “Ideally, those working directly with low-skilled adult students will be able to use this curriculum to better identify barriers to success, and connect people to resources in the community – essentially, give each student the particular tools they need to be able to succeed.”

The manual has already been tested at six colleges, with five more lined up in early 2008.  The response has been overwhelmingly positive. 

“We really tried to listen to the voice of the end user – the community college staff and faculty – to create a manual specifically tailored to what they felt they needed,” said Hatcher-Mays. 

The year-long project will conclude with the completion of the manual in the first quarter of 2008.  JFF’s plan for distribution includes leading workshop overviews at education conferences and “Train-the-Trainer” workshops throughout the United States.

For more information, please contact Laura Rowley at lrowley@seattlejobsinit.com.