Career Advancement: Models For Employment Success

1
Career Advancement Models For Employment
Success

• Presented for Kevin Stange, Department of Human
  Services
• Presented by Jeannine Hritz and Art Taylor

2
Research Conducted by

• Jeannine Hritz, San Francisco State University,
  Urban Studies Major
• Art Taylor, San Francisco State University, Urban
  Studies Major

3
Outline

• Introduction
• - Problem Statement
• - Research Objectives
• Methods and Approach
• - Analysis of Welfare to Work Placement Data
  (DHS)
• - Interviews with Employers
• - Interview Protocol Design of a 2 page
  Questionnaire
• (In Person or Telephone)
• Findings
• - Welfare to Work Placements in San Francisco by
  Occupation
• - Career Advancement Options by Occupation
• - Analysis of PlacementsWhat jobs do our
  clients enter?
• - Interviews with EmployersWhat is needed to
  advance?
• Recommendations

4
Introduction

• Employment and training is crucial to the health
  of San Franciscos economy
• A comprehensive workforce training system is
  essential to sustain San Franciscos economic
  vitality
• Coordinated workforce development services
  encourage economic growth for the employer and
  promote economic stability through clearly
  defined career advancement paths for the
  employee.

5
Problem Statement

• Lack of career advancement training provided by
  employers for workers at entry-level positions
• Lack of knowledge about the specific
  skills/competencies required to advance from
  entry-level employment

6
Research Objectives

• To provide guidance to workforce policy makers in
  helping
• entry-level workers advance in their careers by
  filling this
• knowledge void
• Analysis of San Franciscos current employment
  demographics
• Evaluation of entry-level employment career
  fields
• Assessment of training and skills workers need to
  advance in specific occupations
• Assessment of types of training different
  industries provide to employees and training
  sources

7
Research Methods

• Literature Review
• Analysis of California and SF County Employment
  Statistics
• Rationale for selection of employers to interview
• Interviews with employers from Welfare to Work
  Placement List

8
Project Approach

• 14 employers were surveyed and asked to discuss
  their current employment practices in the
  following areas
• - Company profile
• - Skill requirements
• - Training made available
• - Career advancement process
• - Hiring process

9
Project Approach (contd)

• Conduct interviews and analyze results
• Synthesize findings
• Identify career paths
• Identify key trends in the employment landscape
  in San Francisco
• Determine trends in career advancement relative
  to on-the-job training vs. formal
  education/certification programs

10
Literature Review

• State of California, Department of Labor
  Statistics
• Research Top 25 Occupations in SF County
• Employer Websites Profiling Their Organization
• Training Providers Websites Identifying Training
  Programs
• CCSF Biotechnology Website
• DHS Website, Workforce Development Services

11
Rationale for Selecting Employers to Interview

• Analyzed DHS Welfare to Work Placement Database
• Selected 6 Occupations
• and 14 Employers with
• most placements
• Social and Human Services Workers
• Retail Sales, Cashiering and Stocking
• Clerical - Office Clerks
• Security
• Medical Assistants Home Health Aides, Certified
  Nursing Assistants
• Janitors - Cleaners

12
San Francisco Employment Projections (common
employment titles were grouped for this chart)

• 2000 2010
• of Jobs of Jobs
• Cashier 9,300 10,540
• Finc/Acct 5,540 5,760
• Food Serv 23,190 24,458
• Gen Office 36,084 37,550
• Home Hlth 1,020 1,210
• Human Serv 1,270 1,610
• Janitor 16,170 17,590
• Labor/Stock 3,030 3,290
• Retail 24,310 28,250

Source CA, EDD, Labor Market Info (Mar 2000
Benchmark)
13
Welfare to Work Placements 2000/2001 and 2001/2002
Occupations
Total SF County
Maids, housekeepers
General office clerks
Home health aids
Nursing aids
Security guards
Web designers
Maintenance workers
Janitors
Food prep and serving
Sales associate
Receptionists
Carpenters
Laborers
Drivers
Counselor
Medical assistant
Cashiers
1,669 jobs
11.21/hr
57
49
Source DHS Data 2002
14
Employers Interviewed

• Aunt Anns Agency Health In-home Health
  Services
• Hayes Valley Care Heath Elderly Nursing
  Facility
• Interim Home Care Heath Home Health Care
• Arcadia Home Care Health Home Care/Medical
  Facility Provider
• Pacific Fertility Center Health Medical
  Assistants
• Clerical Front Desk/Receptionist
• Medical Business Systems Clerical Medical
  Billing and Accounting
• Jeilani House Social Service Substance Abuse
  Rehab.
• Florence Crittendon Social Service Childcare/Job
  Training
• Central City House Social Service Homeless/Substa
  nce Services
• St. Anthonys Found. Social Service Job
  Training/Medical/Homeless
• Health
• Goodwill Industries Retail Thrift
  Store/Employment Training
• DSW Shoes Retail Retail Sales
• Black Bear Security Security 3 Levels of
  Security Guard
• Clean Up Corp Janitorial Large building and
  Department Store Maintenance

15
Summary of 2-PageQuestionnaire

• What are the current employment positions offered
  to our clients?
• What skills do these employers require of
  entry-level positions?
• What kind of training is offered to our client by
  their employers?
• Are there clear career advancement paths for
  these entry-level positions and how are they
  communicated to our clients?

16
Summary of Findings from Employer
InterviewsApril 22, 2003

• Structured career paths exist for social service,
  health care, biotech, and security workers
• Health care, biotech, and security have specific
  credentials/certifications that must be obtained
• Social service advancement is based more on
  experience
• Advancement in social service is supported by
  employers, other occupations offer less support
• Limited within-industry career advancement
  opportunities exist in retail and janitorial
  occupations
• Higher-level positions are supervisory or
  management and firms rarely help workers advance
  from front-line jobs to these advanced positions
• All employer-provided training in these
  occupations is focused on getting them to do
  their front-line job better, not to advance
• Career advancement from these positions may
  require switching occupations or industries

17
Nonprofits Key Messages

• Experience not necessary, will provide training
• Skills for jobs that require little to moderate
  experience, applicants must be able to show
  credentials
• Training seek out other similar agencies to
  combine training in an effort to cut costs
• Hiring Practices generally word of mouth or
  through announcements with the network of
  nonprofit agencies

18
Key Messages from Social Servicesand Home Health
Care Employer Interviews

• (we help people navigate up through the process
  to advancement ).. Homeless Shelter Nonprofit
  Org

(promotion from within based on ability to work
well with others and patience)..Home Health Care
For Profit Org
(we have lots of turnover in homeless shelter
social services DHS could assist by providing
training focusing on customer service experience
but need to get experience with people in
desperate or needy situations ) Nonprofit
Homeless Shelter
19
Career Advancement Success Story Social Services
Employer

• (Russian immigrant with no skills began
  performing basic front office tasks. We sent her
  to ESL class at a local nonprofit to improve
  English. She also began taking accounting classes
  and advanced to our accounting and payroll dept.
  After 8 years of taking classes at CCSF she left
  out agency and took a great paying job at a local
  accounting firm ).. Social Services Agency -
  Nonprofit org

20
For-Profit Key Messages

• Skills must have some experience in the
  employment or company operation
• Customer Service/Interpersonal Communication
  applicants must be able to work effectively with
  people of other nationalities
• Acquired Training - mastery and/or some soft
  skills training or experience

21
Key Messages from Retail, Clerical and Janitorial
Employer Interviews

• Entry level positions not requiring formal
  education/certification require work exp

• (we hire people that can work well on a team,
  know how to react appropriately to different
  situations and with different cultural
  backgrounds).. Retail
• For Profit Org

(safety and willingness to do this kind of work
ard are key to janitorial work.can be trained on
the job in other skills necessary to be
successful in this occupation)..Janitorial
Maintenance Svs For Profit Org
22
Key Message from Security Services Employer
Interview

• Entry level positions not requiring formal
  education/certification require work exp

• (All positions require state certification 40
  hrs of training classes required within 1st three
  months on the job. Also must have personality
  characteristics to include patience and
  supportiveness to people from different cultural
  backgrounds ).. Security Company

23
Key Messages from BiotechnologyTraining Program
Interview -CCSF

• Biotechnology Certification Program - CCSF

Quote from Dr. Evie Leonhardt, Dir., Biotech
Center, CCSF Bridges to Biotech-Learning
Community and formal Certification Programs in
Bio-Manufacturing and Bio-Technician at CCSF are
linked with employers from UCSF,
Genentech, Chiron and Bayer providing
opportunities for internships and career jobs
upon successful completion of Certification
programs. Career Center is linked with SF WORKS
for placement.
24
Career Advancement Models
Substance Abuse Counselor
Fire Arm
Asst. Mgr/ Mgr
Advanced Jobs
Asst. Mgr/Mgr
Bio- Technology
State Cert
Rare
Cert.
Exp.
Baton
Team Leader
Lead Caregiver
CCSF Cert
Support Services Wkr.
State Cert.
Exp
CPR
Bio- Manufacturing
Title II
Exp
CNA
State Cert.
Peer Counselor
Front line sales Front desk clerical Cleaner
CCSF Cert.
Entry level Jobs
Guard
Cert.
Exp
Basic Eng/Math/Bio
Volunteer Counselor
HHA
Cert
Food Svc (1) Retail (2) Clerical (2) Janitor (1)
of interviews
Social Services
Biotech
Security (1)
Health Care (6)
(4)
(1)
( )
25
Suggested Areas for Further Review

• Increase level of communication with employers
  and employees to stay current with their needs
  for training and supportive services
• Continue to monitor trends in growing occupations
  in SF (particularly Bio-tech)
• Review the barrier that exist within the for
  profit industries in revealing employment
  statistics, policies and practices to DHS

26
Recommendations

• Develop a method of coordinated education and
  training planning between all entities involved
  in SF Workforce Investment
• Design specialized training/education options
  with education and vocational training
  institutions for career advancement
• Develop skills/training required for specific
  entry-level career positions based on employer
  comments
• Market the short certification programs at
  collaborative higher education institutions and
  provide career advancement links to Employment
  Development Center and CALWORKS Program websites

27
Closing Remarks

• Question/ Comments

28
Acknowledgement

• A special thanks to our client, Kevin Stange and
  the Department of Human Services for giving us
  the opportunity to conduct this research and
  supporting us in this endeavor