Job overview

Worcestershire County Council is committed to improving the lives of residents across the county, with a particular focus on supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. Within the council, the Employability and Skills Team plays a vital role in helping individuals overcome barriers to employment and achieve meaningful, sustainable work.

Role

The Employability Specialist will provide tailored 1:1 employment support to young people aged 16–24 who face complex challenges such as long-term unemployment, low confidence, mental health difficulties, or limited qualifications. Using the Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF) and Individual Placement and Support (IPS) principles, the role involves:

  • Managing a caseload of approximately 25 young people
  • Delivering bespoke vocational profiling and career planning
  • Building strong relationships with local employers to create inclusive job opportunities
  • Offering in-work support and job coaching to help participants succeed and remain in employment
  • Collaborating with health services, education providers, and community organisations to ensure holistic support
  • Maintaining accurate records and contributing to project monitoring and evaluation

This is a countywide role, offering the chance to make a measurable impact on youth employment outcomes in Worcestershire.

Responsibilities

Engage with young people aged 16-24 throughout Worcestershire who require specialist information advice and guidance support about their futures.

  • Support, manage and progress a caseload of 25 young people offer advice on possible destinations including employment in line with the Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF) and Individual Placement and Support (IPS) principles.
  • Develop strong relationships with local employers to create job opportunities that match individual participant goals.
  • Provide in-work support and job coaching to help participants succeed and remain in employment
  • Work with young people to establish aspirations and future plans through the use of assessment and profiling tools and bespoke vocational profiling
  • Work and liaise with a range of services to ensure vulnerable young people are supported through tailored interventions
  • To seek and understand the range and quality of opportunities within Worcestershire available to young people by awareness of local labour market, industries and roles.
  • To seek and understand the range and quality of employment opportunities within Worcestershire and outside of which are available to young people.
  • To maintain accurate records to demonstrate the assessment process and progress of young people to enable effective monitoring and evaluation and to report on outcomes against targets
  • To update the project CRM system to record all activities as required in order to report progress on key performance indicators.
  • To deliver presentations/sessions/workshops to professionals and young people in a wide range of settings on issues relating to employment, education and skills
  • To develop and maintain working relationships with colleges, training providers, DWP and other partner organisations including other Council departments in order to identify and

    • provide joined up services to clients.

  • To keep up to date with changes in legislation or government programmes that relate to employment, education or training.
  • Promote inclusive employment practices in Worcestershire

The person

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

  • Experience supporting individuals into employment, ideally within a youth or community setting
  • Knowledge of the challenges faced by young adults with complex needs
  • Understanding of IPS principles and the Supported Employment Quality Framework
  • Strong interpersonal skills to build trust with participants and engage employers
  • Ability to work independently while contributing to a collaborative team environment
  • Organisational skills to manage caseloads and maintain accurate records
  • Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion in employment practices

A proactive, empathetic approach and a genuine passion for helping young people achieve their goals are essential.