POSITION SUMMARY
College and Career Guidance Counselor is responsible for creating and operating an effective and efficient College and Career Center, meeting district career education goals, and providing resources, guidance and support to students regarding post-secondary options.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Provides support for students that includes career counseling, navigation through the college application process, pursuit of post-secondary career opportunities and the development of application materials (High School and Beyond Plan, Letters of Recommendation, etc.)
• Develops and executes college and career events at the school and throughout the district.
• Promotes and assists with placement of volunteer positions, job shadows, Worksite Learning (WSL), internships, apprenticeships, summer employment and other duties related to career connected and work-based learning opportunities.
• Builds and maintains relationships with postsecondary pathway representatives including colleges, universities, technical schools, Career and Technical Education programs, military, and employers.
• Collaborates with internal and external partners to provide resources and presentations on financial aid, career panels, Pacific NW Dual Credit, the college application process, and other relevant opportunities.
• Serves as a liaison to Washington Network for Innovative Careers (WANIC) and collaborates with the Student Enrollment Office for registration and orientation for students enrolled in WANIC.
• Ensures that all students and their parent/guardian(s) have been given information and offered opportunities/assistance with the FAFSA/WASFA application.
• Advises students on the scholarship application process and maintains scholarship databases.
• Engages at-risk students by collaborating with counselors, SPED, Gifted Services, Language Acquisition, College Bound Scholarship, Multi-Language Learners, Migrant, Native Liaisons, Foster/McKinney-Vento, and other at-risk groups.
• Promotes and assists the worksite learning opportunities available to students.
• Promotes resources and events through newsletters, websites, job boards, classrooms, and social media outlets.
• Where applicable, supervises, trains, and provides evaluative input (in coordination with building administration) of the Career and College Readiness associates for the purpose of establishing an efficient and effective Career Center.
• Provides direct CTE counseling services to students in classroom, large/small groups, and individually.
• Keeps abreast of current trends in the profession and translates appropriate research to practical applications in the areas of counseling, curriculum, instruction, and assessment related to CTE.
• Provides consultation that may include resources, training, support, and modeling of effective instructional strategies and methods to special and general education staff, parents, students, and others related to CTE.
• Work to facilitate the needed components surrounding Work Based Learning.
• Assist building principal and staff in programming and placement of students to complete the Personalized Pathway Requirement and the High School and Beyond Plan.
• Facilitates community partnerships to support student success.
• Work to facilitate cooperation between the classroom teachers and parents to increase learning and improve student CCR goals.
• Work effectively and cooperatively with parents/guardians, teachers, counselors, administrators, support staff and all other stakeholders.
• Completes other duties as assigned by the Director of College and Career Readiness.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Understanding of college admissions and the application process, such as Common Applications, Coalition Application, FAFSA, WASFA, etc.
• Ability to communicate essential information to parents, students, colleagues, and community members.
• Commitment to equity and a philosophy to support student achievement at all levels.
• Expected to regularly upgrade skills and keep up with college admissions and job trends to meet changing job conditions.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with flexibility to work with others in a diverse population.
• Ability to coordinate and prioritize multiple ongoing activities.
• Ability to make decisions and prioritize work.
• Ability to research, interpret and analyze information relevant to assigned responsibilities.
• Proficient knowledge of technology used in educational settings.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
Required:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent with the ability to attain a Washington Educational Staff Associate (ESA) certificate.
• Previous experience working with high school students.

Preferred:

• Masters Degree.
• School Counselor endorsement.
• Previous experience with Career and Technical Education Programs.
• Previous experience in employment placement, community engagement, counseling services or other related fields.

EVALUATION:
This position shall be evaluated periodically by the Career & College Readiness Director pursuant to the currently established district procedures and evaluation criteria. The process shall include an evaluation of the employee's performance of the above essential job functions.