Great Onyx Job Corps is hiring for a temporary Guidance Counselor in Mammoth Cave, KY.
Master Record Number: JC0074
Title/Pay Plan/Series/Grade: Guidance Counselor, GS-1740-09
FLSA Code: Exempt
INTRODUCTION
This position is located on a Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center. The incumbent performs productive counseling case work and research that reflect current methods and applications in the counseling field.
The incumbent assists students, peers, and subordinates in understanding the relevance of, and promotes the development of positive social skills among students through modeling appropriate behavior, positive intervention, and positively intervening and teaching appropriate employability skills for workplace success. Participates in the Center Behavioral Management System (BMS) and/or the Student Code of Conduct (SCC) program as necessary to insure proper workplace conduct, appearance and behavior. Sets a positive example as a role model to students by displaying appropriate etiquette, timeliness, and dress.
MAJOR DUTIES
- Incumbent is responsible for conducting initial counseling sessions, individual social history interviews, and needs assessment inventories with new students. Counsels students with establishing career goals, available educational and training opportunities, and making appropriate plans. Interprets test results to determine interest areas and strengths and weaknesses of student aptitudes. Maintains a professional and timely counseling file on each student assigned.
- Conducts group counseling in structured group sessions. The incumbent takes an active role in suggesting discussion topics, identifying thematic problems or needs, providing information, giving advice, directing the groups’ attention to possible alternatives to behaviors that have proven ineffective in the past, and encouraging the group to explore effective and realistic alternatives for problem solving.
- Participates in the coordination of the Mental Health program, and meets regularly with the mental health consultant to discuss diagnosis, intervention, and provide behavior modification counseling as it pertains to those students identified as “at risk.”
- Participates in staff training to include: new counseling techniques and methods, group counseling; and identification and assessment tools. Monitors the quality and effectiveness of the educational, vocational, and residential training components based on established and defined measures, and advises managers and staff members of findings. May teach courses in such areas as social skills or adult basic education.
- Responsible for complying with safety instructions and regulations, ensuring individual’s safety, and promptly reporting unsafe acts, unsafe conditions, and accidents to supervisor and/or Center Safety Officer.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
FACTOR STATEMENTS
Factor 1. Knowledge Required by the Position
- Professional knowledge of the principles and techniques of guidance counseling in order to encouraging goal setting, behavioral change, and the development of employability and life skills; and to measure specific proficiencies and achievements attained by students.
- Knowledge of contributing factors in establishing base behavioral patterns.
- Skill in providing group and individual counseling services and employability and life skills counseling to encourage positive behavioral changes.
- Skill in managing a large, revolving case load and ability to multi-task and independently plan and perform guidance counselor activities, such as managing case notes, student folders, and administrative duties.
- Ability to work effectively as a member of a counseling team and skill in effective written and oral communication.
- Knowledge of and utilization of various Job Corps related databases and software in order to perform and process work assignments.
- Ability to serve as a role model to students in applying effective employability and social skills and behavior.
Factor 2. Supervisory Controls
- The incumbent has full responsibility for independently performing guidance counseling that does not involve problems of a highly complicated or specialized nature. For such problem situations, guidance or review of plans is received from supervisor.
- The incumbent functions with considerable freedom from detailed review or close supervision and independently selects and uses the methods and techniques that will be most effective, clearing with the supervisor those that may be of an experimental or innovative nature.
- Sessions and interviews are subject to periodic audit by the supervisor so that continuing effectiveness can be evaluated. Proposed courses of action in new or unusual situations are reviewed in detail for completeness, appropriateness of the methods selected, and appropriateness of the conclusions and recommendations drawn.
Factor 3. Guidelines
- Basic guidelines are provided to the Center by Job Corps Headquarters. There are also guidelines provided by Job Corps Counseling manuals and directives.
- Additional guidelines include existing theories, methods, and precedents in the field. Employee is expected to use independent judgment and creativity in applying guidelines to the specific needs of Center’s Counseling programs.
Factor 4. Complexity
- The incumbent is required to apply professional knowledge of the theories, principles, and techniques of guidance counseling in a Job Corps setting.
- The incumbent selects and applies standard counseling procedures, methods, and tests and applies them to the counseling program and students’ needs. Counseling techniques are tailored to each individual case, adapting them to the differences in ability, background, interest and mental status of the student.
- The incumbent will work with a large, revolving case load, which requires the ability to multi-task and the application of organizational skills.
Factor 5. Scope and Effect
- The primary purpose of the position is to provide counsel to students on gaining enough
- awareness to handle themselves and their problems more effectively and to provide vocational and educational counseling related to learning progress and long range goals. The incumbent promotes and suggests opportunities for students to develop rapport, interpersonal relationships, self- discipline, and a positive self-image.
- Services provided at this level directly contribute to the students’ morale and emotional well-being, social development, and training which ultimately affect their job prospects.
Factor 6. Personal Contacts
- The incumbent has close contact with students, other members of the staff, court officials, lawyers, law enforcement officials, employers, parents, guardians, other government agencies, employment partners, community members, and various other professionals and visitors.
Factor 7. Purpose of Contacts
- The personal contacts involve guiding and counseling students. They also involve exchange of information concerning the student’s progress, support, evaluations, counseling outcomes, giving advice to other staff members, and receiving information and instructions.
Factor 8. Physical Demands
- Work is usually sedentary, with occasional walking or standing required.
Factor 9. Work Environment
- The office area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated.
*For more information or To Apply, contact Lori Brooks at lori.l.brooks@usda.gov.