Hiring Community-Based Education Specialist

Position Summary:

The mission of Pierce College is to create quality educational opportunities to a diverse community of learners to thrive in an evolving world. The Pierce College District is committed to being an anti-racist institution; to truly be anti-racist we must work deliberately to eliminate barriers that have prevented the most promising and capable students from entering and thriving in college. We work to ensure that every student in the Pierce College District feels valued, respected, and inspired to achieve their goals. We provide a brave space for Black, Indigenous, Persons of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQ/QTPOC students, students with disabilities, and all students and staff to seek refuge, and an opportunity for them to cultivate their strengths, intelligence, resilience, and creativity.

To learn more about our Equity, Engagement, and Belonging efforts, please visit: https://www.pierce.ctc.edu/equity-engagement-and-belonging.

The Pierce College Community-Based Education Specialist will provide community-based education to recruit, enroll, and retain justice-impacted students into postsecondary, vocational, pre-college, and/or apprenticeship programs in regional service areas, including two- and four-year colleges. While a Pierce College employee, the Pierce College Community-Based Education Specialist covers both Pierce and Thurston counties. The position would support those individuals who are interested in enrolling in schooling after incarceration by providing warm handoffs to colleges in these counties.

This position would also do contracted work for the Department of Corrections (DOC). The DOC would conduct a background to ensure the incumbent is eligible to work in their facilities and work with incarcerated individuals. The incumbent will also receive training from the DOC.

The position is not eligible for telework and the incumbent will be required to travel to sites and campuses. This is a project position paid for in full through a grant, and is full-time, permanent; contingent upon continued funding. Funding for this position is currently available through June 30, 2026.

Essential Functions:

Reentry Navigation Program

Perform regular outreach with regional and local community correction offices, community corrections officers, reentry centers, and community reentry staff to increase access to educational opportunities available to justice-impacted individuals, including bi-monthly office hours at reentry centers.

Monitor and respond to referrals from facility education navigators, community corrections officers, reentry centers, and community reentry staff, in a timely manner, to facilitate a seamless transition for justice-impacted individuals.

Engage in outreach with incarcerated students utilizing kiosks and coordinating with facility education navigators to support education reentry plans and support navigation of two- and four-year colleges, and apprenticeships.

Provide comprehensive assistance to justice-impacted individuals including support with enrollment, financial aid, career planning, referrals to apprenticeship programs, and other support services within higher education systems, including two- and four-year colleges.

Connect and co-enroll participants in other support services available at the college including, when eligible, Basic Food Employment and Training, WorkFirst, Worker Retraining, and services provided under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

Collaborate with the Department reentry staff to support justice-impacted individuals in housing and additional reentry supports.

Utilize the Department-provided Monthly Education Assistance data report to identify individuals close to release or in partial confinement and engage in outreach and provide education resources as needed.

Track engagement, enrollment, progression, and completion outcomes for all program participants and report monthly.

Document case notes of navigation services provided to individuals under DOC supervision, including in-person and virtual encounters in OMNI, including Chronos and Scorecard regularly.

Participate in Board Navigator meetings, the Department Reentry Navigators meetings, and other trainings/meetings as assigned to facilitate sharing information, resources, and best practices to enhance the effectiveness of the navigator program.

Support the Mission of the College

Participate in the governance and committee work of the college district in order to advance our collective work and the mission of the department.

Other duties as assigned to assist with the department, workflow and general operations.

Required Education:

Bachelors Degree in Social/Human Services, Social Work, Education, or a related field or equivalent work experience in Social/Human Services, Social Work, Education, or a related field.

Education to Experience Equivalences:

Associates Degree = 2 years | Bachelors Degree = 4 years | Masters Degree = 5 years

Required Experience:

Experience providing direct student service (such as academic advising, financial aid, TRIO, multicultural services, or Workforce Education), or four-years of experience in an agency or school setting managing a client caseload.

Experience providing culturally responsive services and assistance to students/clients with intersecting identifies and multicultural backgrounds.

Experience working with electronic information management systems/database software.

Experience working with privacy laws and confidentiality requirements.

Experience in providing effective referrals for students or clients