Employment First

Eligibility

Once the application is received, an appointment is scheduled for an interview with an Eligibility Specialist to determine program eligibility. The interview can be completed by phone or in person. At that time, you may be referred to the Employment First Orientation.  Please attend an orientation to learn about the great resources available to you and your family. This is where we will start talking about your hopes, dreams and goals as well as services and expectations. Then, we will help you create a plan for achieving some of your goals.

Programs & Services

After the orientation, you can access these great resources. Talk with your Career Specialist for further details.

Job Skills Workshops
Through Jefferson County Human Services, the Business & Workforce Center, a partner of the American Job Center network, provides quality training, tools and resources to assist individuals in their pathway to employment and personal growth. Talk with your Career Specialist for further details.

Tuition Assistance
Paying your bills while going to school can be difficult. We may be able to help with your tuition costs! Talk to your Career Specialist about how to access tuition assistance.

Internships
If you have been out of work for a while, job searching but not getting hired, or if you are thinking of changing jobs or careers, an internship could be the answer. These paid and unpaid training experiences are designed to give you job skills, a new professional reference, and recent work experience for your resume. We have opportunities in many occupations across Jefferson County.

Work Experience (Workfare)
As part of the program, you will gain work experience through volunteering a designated number of hours each month. This is a great opportunity to gain new skills , obtain professional references and make good connections, on your path to a dream job. You may choose your own location or access our list of more than 300 non-profit sites.

Supportive Services
We know you may be counting every penny to make ends meet. Extra or unexpected expenses can often cause you to delay achieving a goal. We want to you to be successful in your participation in Employment First Program, so support is available for transportation, interview or work clothing, earning certifications and/or General Educational Development (GED) or English as a Second Language (ESL) classes to name a few. You must be actively participating and meeting program and personal goals to be considered for Supportive Services.

Medical & Mental Health Support
Sometimes, medical or mental health concerns that you or your family may have can have a big impact on your ability to find and keep a job. When you are ready to return to work, employment specialists will support your job search and help connect you to employment leads. If, unfortunately, you find that you can no longer work, a Disability Benefits Adviser can assist you in filing a new claim for Social Security.

Child Care 
It is hard to concentrate on your education, job searching, employment and other goals until you know your children are safe and being well cared for. For more information visit the Child Care Assistance website.